Living For Sailvideo

Removing this Hatch Did NOT go According to Plan!

November 30, 2025 · 21 min · 9K views

What this video covers

John, the owner of a 1989 Liberty 458 named Antidote, continues a deck restoration project by removing a stubborn, corroded hatch and addressing water-damaged balsa core.0:07 After consulting with Andy from Boatworks Today, John decides to cut out the entire raised hatch lip rather than attempting a difficult repair from below.8:18 He uses an impact driver to remove the hatch fasteners and a heat gun and pry bar to break the adhesive seal.12:49 The removal process proves difficult due to thick layers of polyester resin and fiberglass, confirming that attempting the job from the cabin ceiling would have been impractical.17:14 Upon removal, he discovers significant rot in the underlying balsa core and a fiberglass layer extending under the coach roof.19:57 John plans to rebuild the entire area with new core material and a custom-fabricated rim. He uses Divinycell foam for core replacement and secures his work area with Dr. Shrink preservation tape.6:34

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Boats in this video

Liberty 458Their boat

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