The rails that support the perspex sliding hatch appear to be white PVC or similar material. Both port and stbd rails show lateral fractures where the screws mount the rails.
I'm wondering if anyone has replaced theirs. If so, I'd appreciate a source for the replacement rails and any tips as to the removal of the hatch recess cover, which appears necessary to access the forward ends of the rails. I'm concerned that if the correct materials, dimensions, and proper installation considerations are compromised, the result might be leaking, rattling and other unintended annoyances.
Alternatively, it could be as uncomplicated as a trip to the local perspex fabricator for "close-enough-is good-enough" perspex/pvc look-alikes and the usual removal and installation twists and turns. My experience with yachts is that too few simple and easy jobs actually end up being either simple or easy...
Thanks,
Ed
Quote from: Nashira on September 03 2011, 01:09
The rails that support the perspex sliding hatch appear to be white PVC or similar material. Both port and stbd rails show lateral fractures where the screws mount the rails.
I've got the same problem on my B47, I'm currently in contact with Clipper Marine ...
Same prob here too. I saw a post on PBO forum where someone cut the runners diagonally at the forward edge of the perspex and replaced the sawn off pieces with similar sized runners made of SS
:)
I've got the same issue with my Bav 44.. It's only a cosmetic issue at this point, but someday I may get around to replacing them. Sorry I don't have anything for you, but I'll be following this forum for more info!
I have solved my problem with these by replacing them with stainless steel strips.
I'm facing the same issue. There now are some rails in the Bavariaplus assortment (https://www.bavariaplus.de/en/produkt/view/ahJlfmJhdmFyaWFwbHVzLXZpdXJyFAsSB3Byb2R1a3QYgICAgP_t4wsM#article-details-ahJlfmJhdmFyaWFwbHVzLXZpdXJyFAsSB2FydGlrZWwYgICAgP_7zAkM), but without any measurements or details I have no idea if they're the right ones, and at 60 EUR per rail (https://www.svb24.com/en/bavaria-guide-rail-f-sliding-hatch.html) the price is a bit silly too.
In the time since this post was last updated, did anyone find a good (and frugal) solution for this? I've been looking at various plastic strips sold online, but as usual none are quite the right size/length.
I found someone selling Delrin (Acetal) sheet who was willing to cut some 12mm strips. I didn't replace the whole length, just the bit I could get to.
Hi Guys,
My B44 came with s/s strips. Don't look easy to get to, but once cut to width you'd need to drill and countersink for fasteners. Length is easy to trim, but height needs to be right.
Mine are 5mm thick, 15mm wide and around 1.7m long.
Bit heavy to slide though.
A problem as I see it with replacing the existing plastic strips with a harder material such as, for example stainless steel, is that now you will have transferred the wear down from the strips, a relatively low cost item to replace, to the sliding hatch which would cost a lot more.
As for removing the cover that forms the hatch garage, it appears to me that it would involve removal of the main sheet traveller system, and I'm guessing that it's bolted through to an aluminium plate embedded in the underside of the cabin roof. As those bolts will be made of stainless steel, it's most likely that some form of galvanic corrosion will have occurred resulting the ends of the bolts having become frozen into the aluminium. Removing the bolts in such situation will be difficult and could result in the bolts breaking and leaving the ends still frozen into the aluminium. If they should happen to come out easily, that would be extremely fortunate, but do remember to cover the ends of the bolts before they go back in with Duralac to prevent such corrosion from taking place in the future. I did look at removing the traveller system last year, but the bolts I have referred to showed no intention of cooperating, so I left it alone and had a re-think about the intended work (installing an electric cable) and came up with an alternative.
On my boat those plastic strips have transverse cracks in them in way of several of the screw holes, but inspite of that, the strips remain securely in place and my intention is simply to leave them alone.
The plasic is sacrificial as said before, however, resolve the issue by putting a strip of ptfe in, no friction, therefore little wear. Opens and close easy.
Odysseus
Bav 38