Sail Lifevideo

Sail Life - Companionway hatch & don't buy Fischer Panda! 🤬

19 November 2023 · 21 min · 68K views · Trinidad

What this video covers

Mads, owner of a 1987 Warrior 38 named Athena, performs maintenance on the boat’s companionway hatch and details a five-month warranty dispute with Fischer Panda. To restore the underside of the companionway hatch, he removes old hardware, sands the fiberglass, fills imperfections with polyester putty, and applies Epiphanis multi marine primer and mono urethane topcoat.4:28 He also replaces the backing pad on a Bosch 150 Turbo sander, noting that using pad savers significantly extends the life of the $50 backing pads.2:24 The primary technical grievance involves a faulty actuator on a Fischer Panda 5000i PMS 230V genset.9:24 After experiencing low voltage alarms and black smoke, Mads spent five months navigating poor communication and shipping delays to secure a replacement part.10:00 He identifies the actuator as a $52 component available on Amazon.com, advising owners to bypass the manufacturer’s warranty process for such repairs.18:28 Additionally, he commissions a local machine shop to fabricate a replacement bow roller part for approximately $100.19:14

Watch on YouTube

More from Sail Life

The road back to boat work: moving into the workshop & our conex moving choices. Ep. 690Aug 2026The road back to boat work: The bunker, hidden bookcase door & bad news. Ep. 689Aug 2026The road back to boat work: Trash pit and new a $%*& gorgeous DIY dining room table Ep. 688Jul 2026The road back to boat work: Floors, paint, and tool trailer Ep. 687Jul 2026

From Sail Life — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.

Report an issue