Sailing Umavideo
Keeping the ocean out: Portlights & Hatches installation | Step 454
August 31, 2025 · 33 min · 140K views
What this video covers
The crew of the 36-ft sailboat *Uma* installs new deck hardware, including Lewmar Ocean hatches and Atlantic series portlights, to ensure a watertight cabin top.▶ 3:34 To minimize potential leak points, the crew mounts the hatches onto pre-fabricated G10 pedestals, allowing them to thread and bolt hardware directly into the G10 rather than drilling through-bolts into the deck.▶ 4:19 They seal the hardware using polyurethane sealant, specifically avoiding butyl tape, which they report failed over time by remaining soft and causing hardware to loosen.▶ 11:59 For corrosion resistance, the crew replaces original A2/304 stainless steel bolts with A4/316 grade hardware and applies Tefgel to all connections where stainless steel contacts aluminum.▶ 11:24 The installation process also includes re-polishing existing stainless steel components like the bow pulpit, stern arch, and handrails.▶ 15:12 When mounting the bow roller, the crew corrects misaligned holes by over-drilling into the plywood core, filling the voids with epoxy, and re-drilling to ensure a sealed, structural fit.▶ 21:33
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