With the winter season in full swing, we’re getting lots of inquiries from individuals doing maintenance on their boats, and of course, their hatches!  Being subjected to expected use, and over time, the gasket on our hatches eventually takes a toll and doesn’t perform like when it was new.  Should you find that your hatch is in need of a new gasket, your local boatbuilder, or boating supply retailer should be able to provide you with some.  Our Anchor Hatch gasket is a triangular neoprene gasket which is self adhesive.  The triangular neoprene compresses the right amount when dogged to keep your hatch secure and keep the water out.

If you are changing the gasket yourself, make sure the old gasket is removed, along with the old adhesive.  You can use a small handheld propane torch to warm it up a bit to allow for the old adhesive to soften.   Make sure it’s not warmed up too much with the torch, or that the flame is too concentrated  You’ll notice the moisture moving away from the edge. The hatch cover should be at least 80 degrees F for the new gasket’s adhesive to adhere (little bit more than room temperature).  A plastic scraper can be used to remove the bulk of the old gasket.   A screwdriver or metal scraper would not be recommended to remove the adhesive, as it may gouge the hatch and the anodized coating.   The new gasket should also be warm, at least to room temperature, for the adhesive to work well.  Lastly we normally use an adhesive to glue the two joining pieces to assure a good seal.