Building the Forward Hatch (Pt 3), and the Lazarette Hatch (Pt 2)

September 21, 2019

From yesterday's glue-up of the lazarette hatch top, I disassembled the clamps and patchwork of weight used to hold things in place, and proceeded to clean up the surfaces.  There was ample epoxy squeeze out, suggesting that I had good surface contact on all critical joints.  I sanded the top and bottom with the Bosch 6" dual action sander with 80-grit discs.  With the surfaces cleaned up, I vacuumed and solvent-wiped them to remove the residual sanding dust.

I moved the work table back into the wood shop, and prepped for the hatch frame and top glue-up.  I wiped the surfaces to be glued together with acetone, and then mixed a small cup of epoxy resin.  I wet out those surfaces with the epoxy resin, and then mixed another small cup of resin, but this time thickened it with West System 406 colloidal silica.  After spreading a bit on the top of the hatch frame, I mounted the hatch frame and hatch top.  I applied clamps one at a time, working opposite sides as I went, and removing the epoxy squeeze out.  I ensured that my small reference lines were in contact with one another as I slowly tightened the clamps.  With the clamps secured, I cleaned the exterior of the hatch, wiping up the epoxy squeeze out, and then applied a fillet of thickened epoxy on the interior joints.  I set the lazarette hatch to the side to cure.

I moved back onto the forward hatch, with first selecting a flush cutting bit to remove the excess material from the hatch top - the overhang.

Using a piece of scrap lumber, I dialed in the round over profile that I wanted for the edge of the top of the hatch.  With the router bit set, I rounded the hatch top.

I moved the hatch over to the Allied 24 and set it in position.  With a wedge of wood, I found level for the hatch.

Using a small compass, I transferred the camber of the coach roof onto the hatch frame.  This would be the material that I would remove, allowing for a more low-profile appearance.

With a jigsaw, I carefully and slowly removed the excess material on the bottom of the hatch frame.  

I took the hatch back over to the boat, along with a pencil and various grits of sandpaper.  In an iterative process of marking the "high spots" on the underside of the hatch frame (where it contacts the coach roof), and then sanding these areas to remove the excess material, I eventually worked the hatch into a near mirror of the coach roof camber.

I stepped back, with the ladder, and snapped a couple photos.

Along with the balance of the new brightwork, the Allied 24 is going into her own!

I removed the hatch from the boat and headed back to the wood shop.  I grabbed some Epifanes clear  varnish, cut it 50/50 with Epifanes reducer, and applied a sealer/protective coat of varnish.  The hatch is not yet finished, as I have multiple layers of varnish to apply, but also the black teak decking caulk in between the slats that comprise the hatch top.

Total Time Today: 5.75 hrs