Rear deck hatch repair

[jon_goodrich]

Trying to post this again. I’m looking to see if anyone has done a rear deck hatch lid repair on a 57’ Tolly. Mine have seen better days and are pretty soft. I was hoping someone has already made a mold to make a new hatch lid or has used a fiberglass repair company they were happy with in the PNW.  I’m looking to fix the two fish box hatch lid. 

[Greg Gustafson]

If you want to save some money - no point in making a mold.  Just strip the back side clean of core and fiberglass.  Clamp the deck side skin to pieces of 2x6 that are cut to mimic the deck camber.  Apply new core (I'd use Coosa) and overlay with fiberglass.  You still might have spider cracks in the finished product, but they are aesthetic.

If you want to spend more money, have them make a mold off the original part.  You will get a better job because the gel coat will be new.  Color matching is an art. 

I realize you are not doing this work yourself, and my description actually lays out a process.  You can use that information when you shop for a yard to do the repairs and discuss the methodology.

To answer your other question, I'm sure the original molds for your boat are long gone.  I'm sure if someone made a mold, they would have discarded it once the project was complete.  It would have been a light-weight mold not suitable for pulling many parts out of.  I highly doubt anyone would have paid more than the minimum to get their project done, thus not spending a lot of money on a mold that isn't going to be used again.

Hope that helps.     

On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 2:58 PM 'jon_goodrich' via Tollycraft Boating Club Forum <tollycraft-boa...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Trying to post this again. I’m looking to see if anyone has done a rear deck hatch lid repair on a 57’ Tolly. Mine have seen better days and are pretty soft. I was hoping someone has already made a mold to make a new hatch lid or has used a fiberglass repair company they were happy with in the PNW.  I’m looking to fix the two fish box hatch lid. 

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[dan leenhouts]

When I got my 26, all we got was just the top fiberglass, gel coat skin. The hatches were made with a balsa wood core that had disintegrated, and the bottom was gone. All we could salvage was the top 1/8 in layer.  I took it to Pacific Fiberglass, one of our sponsors, in Ballard Washington. Doug made me a new one using the top layer, it turned out great. Several years later, because of much engine work and wear, the  whole deck was looking pretty sad. I went to them again, they said duplicating the old surface was very difficult. So the sanded it smooth sealed it and put down a textured surface that looks good and has served us well. 

On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 2:58 PM 'jon_goodrich' via Tollycraft Boating Club Forum <tollycraft-boa...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Trying to post this again. I’m looking to see if anyone has done a rear deck hatch lid repair on a 57’ Tolly. Mine have seen better days and are pretty soft. I was hoping someone has already made a mold to make a new hatch lid or has used a fiberglass repair company they were happy with in the PNW.  I’m looking to fix the two fish box hatch lid. 

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[jon_goodrich]

Thank you all very much for the advice and direction.  I have reached out to Pacific for a quote on fixing the hatches.

Jon

[Rick Evans]

Hi Jon,

 

I had a linear actuator lift put on my cover, works nicely.. those buggers are heavy /grin

 

Rick Evans

 

From: 'jon_goodrich' via Tollycraft Boating Club Forum <tollycraft-boa...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2025 10:10 AM
To: Tollycraft Boating Club Forum <tollycraft-boa...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Rear deck hatch repair

 

Thank you all very much for the advice and direction.  I have reached out to Pacific for a quote on fixing the hatches.

 

Jon

 

On Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 3:54:52 PM UTC-7 Dan Leenhouts wrote:

When I got my 26, all we got was just the top fiberglass, gel coat skin. The hatches were made with a balsa wood core that had disintegrated, and the bottom was gone. All we could salvage was the top 1/8 in layer.  I took it to Pacific Fiberglass, one of our sponsors, in Ballard Washington. Doug made me a new one using the top layer, it turned out great. Several years later, because of much engine work and wear, the  whole deck was looking pretty sad. I went to them again, they said duplicating the old surface was very difficult. So the sanded it smooth sealed it and put down a textured surface that looks good and has served us well. 

 

 

 

On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 2:58 PM 'jon_goodrich' via Tollycraft Boating Club Forum <tollycraft-boa...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Trying to post this again. I’m looking to see if anyone has done a rear deck hatch lid repair on a 57’ Tolly. Mine have seen better days and are pretty soft. I was hoping someone has already made a mold to make a new hatch lid or has used a fiberglass repair company they were happy with in the PNW.  I’m looking to fix the two fish box hatch lid. 

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