If you think the job to replace a boat hatch seal is easy, think again. What looks like a one to two-hour job turned into a six-hour frustrating drama with multiple trips to a workshop and boat store. But we made mistakes. Watch this ten-minute video to avoid the stumbling blocks we ran into so you can save time and avoid the stress we endured.
And keep in mind that you may not have to replace your boat hatch seal right now but it’s highly likely that you’ll have to do one or many at some point. Sure, you can pay someone to do it but the longer you own a boat the more you realize that paying for jobs results in:
- Mediocre results, at best
- Less money in your wallet
- An increasing feeling of helplessness
What’s involved in replacing a boat hatch seal?
In the video, Simon will show you how to remove a hatch, open the hatch frame, take the rubber seal out, replace the seal, put the hatch frame back together, and reattach it back to the boat. By watching our how to replace your boat hatch seal video, you’ll be able to:
- Determine if it’s worth the time and effort to replace the seal rather than buying a new top hatch
- Avoid making mistakes between low and medium profile seal options
- Witness ways to get screws out when they just won’t budge (a good lesson for screws stuck anywhere)
- Understand why people often put their hands to their head and say, ‘It’s a boat,’ in a frustrated voice
- Catch some outtakes at the end that show Simon really losing the plot – and interestingly it’s not about the hatch but a noise that I made.
How To Replace A Boat Hatch Seal Video
Resources From The Video & Extra’s You Might Like
- Impact Driver – a must-have on a boat. Screws easily corrode and become near impossible to simply twist out. Using an impact driver provides the necessary torque required to get the screw started.
- Simon’s Tshirt ‘Sail Fast Live Slow’ – makes a great present for yourself or a loved one. Comes in five different colors and loads of sizes. Simon lives in this t-shirt and it has held up remarkably in saltwater and constant UV rays 🙂
- If you’re interested in all the kit that we recommend as being ‘must-have’ check out our Boat Kit page.
- All our ‘How To’ maintenance videos can be found here: How To Maintenance.
Any Questions or Comments – How To Replace A Boat Hatch Seal
Please leave them in the comments below.
Join Us On Britican To See What REAL Boat Life Is Like
For full details on our Britican Experience sailing package, visit: The Britican Experience
| THE BRITICAN EXPERIENCE - A WEEK-LONG BLUEWATER CRUISING EXPERIENCE | |
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| "We have been following Kim and Simon on YouTube for a while now. So when they introduced the Britican Experience program, we were excited for the opportunity to experience time with them as part of our research before we make the leap into this different lifestyle that we're considering. From the outside looking in, the Britican Experience might seem like any other charter vacation where you get to see the environment of living in a small space and the freedom of being able to pull up anchor and move to the next lovely tropical paradise. The Britican Experience is about immersing yourself in the life and culture of a boat community and the daily practices of having a floating home that moves constantly, the trade-offs you make for this life, and the peace and serenity of a much simpler existence. You are enveloped in the experience as soon as you meet them! When we met the Britican family it was as though we had known them all our life. For us, the Britican Experience was really about a change in mindset. We became comfortable calling the boat our home, and it became routine to consider how to keep it safe, clean, and comfortable. We dined with great people, ate delicious food, planned and prepared for passages, fished, stargazed, chased rays and turtles while snorkeling, raced hermit crabs, trimmed the sails, steered into harbors, and made decisions every day due to the changing conditions and environment. After not too long we were in the swing of things, embracing the need to be flexible, not making decisions based on a schedule, and realizing that a crimson horizon and a cool sundowner are perfect introductions to a lifelong excursion of blue-water bliss. The Britican Experience is an affirmation, a reality check, a confirmation that this is the lifestyle and life that we indeed are going to pursue. It gave us the confidence that we could reach for and grasp what the Britican crew is experiencing every day. With heartfelt thanks to Kim, Simon, and Sienna for their hospitality, patience, wisdom, and, friendship- we look forward to sharing an anchorage together!" The Lander's Family. Check out our availability here: Click here for more information. | |