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Thrilled with our new hatch lenses

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
As many of you know, the Lewmar SuperHatches on some of our Ericsons stopped being produced in 1987, which makes getting replacement parts a bit of a bear. The good folks at Hatchmasters.com have some parts available. They were a big help last summer when I needed to fix some loose, leaky handles, and replace the decaying hinges so that the hatches would stay open. One of our projects this winter was to get the crazily crazed hatch lenses replaced, and Hatchmasters came through again. (I know some people here do such work themselves, but that one was out of my wheelhouse for a variety of reasons.) Removed the blue tarps covering the hatch holes and reinstalled these yesterday. Beyond pleased. Will be nice being able to actually see through them this season. Now I can take the shrink wrap off in a couple weeks and do some early spring sailing in and around NYC.

IMG_1113.jpegIMG_1115.jpegIMG_1111.jpegIMG_1112 (1).jpeg
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
As many of you know, the Lewmar SuperHatches on some of our Ericsons stopped being produced in 1987, which makes getting replacement parts a bit of a bear. The good folks at Hatchmasters.com have some parts available. They were a big help last summer when I needed to fix some loose, leaky handles, and replace the decaying hinges so that the hatches would stay open. One of our projects this winter was to get the crazily crazed hatch lenses replaced, and Hatchmasters came through again. (I know some people here do such work themselves, but that one was out of my wheelhouse for a variety of reasons.) Removed the blue tarps covering the hatch holes and reinstalled these yesterday. Beyond pleased. Will be nice being able to actually see through them this season. Now I can take the shrink wrap off in a couple weeks and do some early spring sailing in and around NYC.

View attachment 46215View attachment 46216View attachment 46217View attachment 46218
Looks great Brian! Good to hear. I've been talking with Tony and we're taking ours down his way in a week or two.
 

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
Looks great Brian! Good to hear. I've been talking with Tony and we're taking ours down his way in a week or two.
Thanks Jeff. Tony is stopping by our marina sometime this summer. Have already extended an invite for him to come aboard for a drink or two. Anne and Jake are great over there as well. Only problem is that these new lenses are making me want to replace our crazed opening portlights now.
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Brian,
Did you have a choice between clear and smoked lenses? If so, what went into your decision?
I'd been kind of thinking smoked for the V-berth and clear for the saloon. Smoked to keep the forward end cooler and add a little more privacy. Clear mid-ships to allow more light and it's already shaded some by the boom. But I'm sure there are factors I haven't considered.
Thanks,
Jeff
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Myself, I haven't seen clear hatch lenses. Mine are gray acrylic 2064 which lets plenty of light in and vision out but not in. I keep the (necessary) Sunbrella covers on most of the time while sailing, so as not to boil the cabin.

It would be nice to hand over hatches to a jobber for lens replacement, especially if no expensive shipping involved, but as others can attest the project is entirely within the skills of all of us.
 

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
Brian,
Did you have a choice between clear and smoked lenses? If so, what went into your decision?
I'd been kind of thinking smoked for the V-berth and clear for the saloon. Smoked to keep the forward end cooler and add a little more privacy. Clear mid-ships to allow more light and it's already shaded some by the boom. But I'm sure there are factors I haven't considered.
Thanks,
Jeff
Sorry for the delayed response Jeff. No, actually, I wasn't given an option. I was told what they would be and that was right in line with what I wanted. The previous lenses had a blueish tint to them, or at least that's what they looked like through all the crazing. You can't even tell they're smoked from inside the cabin. Has an optical illusion of looking clear. I'll be reattaching my Outland Hatch Covers once it becomes too hot though. They do a great job of "cooling" down the cabin and keeping out light at night when sleeping.
 

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
Myself, I haven't seen clear hatch lenses. Mine are gray acrylic 2064 which lets plenty of light in and vision out but not in. I keep the (necessary) Sunbrella covers on most of the time while sailing, so as not to boil the cabin.

It would be nice to hand over hatches to a jobber for lens replacement, especially if no expensive shipping involved, but as others can attest the project is entirely within the skills of all of us.

Will get no apologies from me for farming out this task. :egrin: Other projects, lack of space, appropriate materials, unheated garage in winter time all made it one of my easier decisions. And in the world of BOAT dollars, was relatively inexpensive for the work involved.
 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
. . .
It would be nice to hand over hatches to a jobber for lens replacement, especially if no expensive shipping involved, but as others can attest the project is entirely within the skills of all of us.

The Minister of Project Management (Donna) said “This boat is going in the water by the end of May, come hell or high water. You can’t do everything.” The Chancellor of the Exchequer (also Donna) said, “We can afford to have someone do this.” Sez I, “Aw geez, but the guys say it’s not that hard.” Then the Secretary of State for Common Sense (Donna, again) invoked the Broken Bolt Principle.

broken bolt.jpg

So, I pulled the old hatches off today and we’ll drive to nearby Connecticut to drop them off with Tony.
My life is always better when smart women are looking out for me.
 

Bolo

Contributing Partner
Christian has two very good blogs, one with video, about replacing the hatch lenses and reversing the hatch opening on his old E32-3. Having that same model and now dealing with a small leak in the main (bigger) hatch, I'm thinking of rebidding the plexiglass lens that was replaced years back by Hatchmasters and while I'm at it reversing the hatch opening to better clear the boom vang. Thanks Christian!

 

Prairie Schooner

Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
Well, we dropped our hatch lids off at Hatchmasters a couple weeks ago. Theirs is a tidy unassuming establishment.
HatchMasters 2023_3-16 a crev.jpg . . HatchMasters 2023_3-16 b rev.jpg
Ann at the counter was camera shy, but Jeff the lead technician was not.
Clear acrylic was not even an option. The standard Lewar plastic is a gray tone as Brian's show. We could have gone with a couple different Bomor plastics which were more in a bronze/brown family, but stuck with the gray.
Ann said the lenses are cut out by CNC. I wondered if maybe they did it by laser or water jet.
We're looking at a 10+ week lead time, but they should still be done before we splash.
Hopefully we'll be as pleased as @bsangs is with his.
FWIW
Jeff
 

markvone

Sustaining Member
Don't forget the hatch covers to protect those new lenses. Insulated with 1/4 inch closed cell foam in warm and sunny locations.

See posts #6 and #10 here:


I replaced the lenses about ten years ago and had 1/4 foam included in my new hatch covers at the same time. No degradation in sunny Annapolis with boat in the water all year. The foam helps with room darkening as well with my Sunbrella 'Linen' (light tan) colored canvas.

Mark
 

bsangs

E35-3 - New Jersey
Don't forget the hatch covers to protect those new lenses. Insulated with 1/4 inch closed cell foam in warm and sunny locations.

See posts #6 and #10 here:


I replaced the lenses about ten years ago and had 1/4 foam included in my new hatch covers at the same time. No degradation in sunny Annapolis with boat in the water all year. The foam helps with room darkening as well with my Sunbrella 'Linen' (light tan) colored canvas.

Mark
I bought a couple covers from these guys last season, and they worked very well. Perfect fit, easy on off, kept the cabin "cooler," and - most importantly for my wife - blocked any marina light out at night while sleeping. https://outlandhatchcovers.com/
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Also, UV from uncovered acrylic hatches destroys interior. On my 32-3, there was a large trapezoid of rotten faded V-berth fabric right under the crazed hatch. I have covers (curtain substitutes) for the fixed ports in the cabin, too, for that reason.
 
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