How are you guys holding your hatches down?

[JRPLANE]

How are you guys holding your hatches down? I am about to start a Cheetah and have read about all the threads on the build, and a lot on other boats. What I am not seeing is much on how to hold down the hatch. I would appreciate pics of how you did it. If you would do it that way again, any help at all.

Thanks Jeff

[RandyatBBY]

Deck Tape

[Fluid]

This question comes up all the time. The best, most proven technique is hatch tape. Many of us use hockey tape or colored vinyl tape because......it works. A few guys swear by screws or foam or something else, but the fact remains that tape is the best. You can do a search and read more than you want to about various methods but the most used by far is tape. Don't try to re-invent the wheel....



.

[TheShaughnessy]

tape plus so sort of hatch retention is the best bet, I lost a hatch once using only tape on a pursuit

[martin]

Yep I to like to have positive fixings as well as tape, I use a spigot type at the front of the hatch & a vertical bolt coming up through the hatch at the rear. Which has a piece of silicon water tube slide on the bolt that squashes against the hatch once fitted forming a water tight seal around the bolt. Everything is 100% waterproof + the hatch wont blow of in high speed crashes that ive seen happen a few times with just tape being used.

[Alexgar]

I try to use 3m clear electric tape but as my job goes I try to use the closes color to the paint electric tape just because I have it around doesn't peel pair and is waterproof to dry surfaces

[kfxguy]

Ill take some pics for you but I use push locks with a foam seal. I hate tape. I've had the tape come off on one of my other boats and lost the hatch. On my cheetah this is what I did to make it float so ill never lose it.

20131125_194158.jpg

20131125_201631.jpg

[JRPLANE]

Thanks kfxguy pics of how is done is what I'm looking of,r Thanks Jeff

[iop65]

mechanical lock(they used in rc planes) +tape
lost a hatch once when i was using just the tape so ...

[sampit]

I use etti hatch tape most of the year in the UK it sticks really well nice and stretchy ,but if only if the temperature is above 4 degrees but be warned with any tape if the temps are dropping below 4 degrees so does the adhesion of the tape this can catch you out, even if you think its stuck down well. hockey tape is even worse when its cold.
ask me how I know

[iridebikes247]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-2-in-x-100-ft-Interior-Exterior-Clear-Plastic-Weather-Seal-Tape-T96H/100175156?cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-100175156&skwcid&kwd=&ci_sku=100175156&ci_kw=&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969

That tape is sick. If you're running a boat at 50 mph I suggest running 4 hatch bolts. You could use 4 4mm counter sunk screws and over them just tape it down. You'll never lose a hatch or take on water this setup is proven in 100+ mph boats.

[NativePaul]

Cellpack 128 clear tape.

[Shovelnoserc]

I lost a DF33 Hatch with just tape, worse I lost my buddy's GPS as well (3M Electrical Tape)

When I got my Titan 29 I made a plexy glass lid (pre-lid) for the inside which I still use electrical tape for.

Then I got o-ring hatch locks (4) and placed them on each corner of the outer lid. It worked SUPER for a long time no water in the Hull and no more lost lids... Sad part, there were a few children @ the pits during the last local even Nov2013. I noticed them playing with the O-rings, when I caught them I asked kindly to not touch the boat and whatever. During the last heat, I flipped and when the boat came back, DRY but missing the outer lid.

So If you use O-ring, inspect them for over stretching or nicks, or change them once or twice a year. (I don't want to blame the kids, but they should not have been messing with my O-rings.)

[tlandauer]

tape plus so sort of hatch retention is the best bet, I lost a hatch once using only tape on a pursuit

yup!
I have yet tried to put a sealing gasket around the hull opening. For simplicity's sake, here is my arrangement on my Mean Machine:
DSCN2800_2264.jpg DSCN2962_2422.jpg DSCN2956_2416.jpg
All I need is to tape down the sub-hatch. Lid has front retention and rear locks. I tried vertical locks but on the V1 MM hatch it is simply too tall and takes too much space, IMO.
I do tape the outside if I feel like it, very secure.

[TheShaughnessy]

Tlandauer. That's a good lookin rig. Do you plan to race p limited cat at all this year?

I know it's a little off topic