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DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=46323
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Author:  Deepbluesilence [ Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

ok here is the seal that should come with the boat from the factory....an airtight one...keep everything dry :mrgreen:

what you will need:
all purpose silicone
cornstarch
acrylic paint(if you want to color your seal)
some sort of spreader (the yellow one pictured makes life SOOOO much easier)
some ziplock bags

if you source most of the stuff from what you have like i did should be about $4...$3 for silicone and $1 for cornstarch

DO THIS OUTSIDE THE SMELL THAT COMES OFF DRYING OOGOO IS NASTY AND WILL GIVE YOU A HEADACHE

STEP BY STEP

1. go to this site and learn all about oogoo http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To- ... ing-Oogoo/

2.realize all the possible uses of oogoo :shock:

3.clean around you hatch seal....my lip seal that goes around the hatch lid had been removed....this is how this whole idea came about....im cheap and instead of buying the $9 or so worth of seal trim for it i came up with this

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4. tape around the hatch opening trim....you will also have to come up with a solution for the seal around the hatch lid if you dont want to remove it....either tape it back or take it off or if you think it wont get in the way just leave it(mine was off when i did it so im not sure if it will get in the way or not).....this is do at your own risk dont blame me if you screw up ur hatch lid seal taking it off(even tho you really dont need it with this seal :mrgreen: ...im sure with it on the seal will be even better tho

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5. take silicone out of tube...easiest way is to cut whole top off with razor blade where the pointy tip is then push out with screw driver

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6.choose color

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7.add color i used about twice as much is pictured here...alittle goes a long way....MIX COLOR THOROUGHLY BEFORE ADDING CORNSTARCH TAKES ALOT OF MIXING TO GET IT IN THERE EVENLY

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8. add cornstarch...i used about 3 or 4 to 1 (silicone to cornstarch) gives about ten mins working time until its like playdough

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9. MIX THOROUGHLY!!!!!this is the finished product ready for application

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10. apply around the hatch seal EVENLY....try to think of making an L shaped seal around the hatch lip so the hatch lid both rests on top and the silicone also seals around the sides of the hatch.

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11. apply your bags....polyethelene will not stick to oogoo ONCE IT HAS DRIED so technically you could just throw the lid on and mold it then once dry it would peel off......this step is so you can apply the hatch lid do the initial molding then take the lid off WHILE OOGOO IS STILL WET and check for an EVEN SEAL...you can tell this by simply seeing a flat molded surface all the way around
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12. mold with ur hatch lid.....after you have checked for an even seal and for an even gap all the way around the lid then let dry for about 2 hrs
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13. This is the dried seal just after curing

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14. trim to ur liking and remove tape



DONE!!!! this seal is very durable if you take it off, which i dont suggest, its like a giant rubber band...i have yet to feild test it for a long time but i feel it will last forever....if it doesnt hey its only $4 right :mrgreen:

Hopefully this helps you guys....I did this write up in appreciation of all you other guys on the net that have helped me in the past not only on this site but on the many other sites dedicated to the AI and TI's....just got mine and look forward to years of fishing fun!!....also just finished my roll bars :mrgreen: just one example of an idea i got from the net

also i want to thank the guy who invented oogoo....i have simply repurposed an existing idea :mrgreen: and hopefully sparked some imaginations for different uses

thanks!!

-Jeff

Author:  Deepbluesilence [ Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

Tested it out today and its water tight :mrgreen:

Author:  KayakingBob [ Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

Now that's a great custom hatch idea! Good work!

Author:  stringy [ Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

Very clever DBS! 8)
This would solve the problem with the variations in hatch shape that the rotomolding /hand trimmed process produces.

Author:  Chekika [ Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

Interesting approach. May solve a lot of problems.

Keith

Author:  Deepbluesilence [ Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

Thanks guys this is the best solution ive found.... This seal is done with 10oz of silicone....i think 20oz which is two tubes would be hands down no messing it up air tight every time :mrgreen: ...... You could basically make a seal with a small grove around it for that hatch lid to fit in

You can add wet oogoo to dry oogoo at any time so ill probly add another tube to mine for good measure...ill post some pics

-Jeff

Author:  Kal-P-Dal [ Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

Very interesting! I think I will try this.

br thomas

Author:  Kal-P-Dal [ Mon Feb 04, 2013 6:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

I am working with this idea and it could actually be the right way to go. The stuff you need is really cheap and if one try does not succeed, it is very easy to peal off and start a new one.

As long as the ice is laying on nearest water there will be no real testing unfortunately...

br thomas

Author:  Deepbluesilence [ Mon Feb 04, 2013 9:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

hopefully it will work for you! Like you said its very easy to redo if you mess up......my comments about needing to tape the seal can be ignored, i added a second layer and the oogoo doesn't stick to the trim...also buy two tubes of silicone to begin with one tube will do the job but two makes a serious gasket :mrgreen:

also make sure when your applying the bag it is flat and even....there needs to be a perfectly molded seal all the way around and folds or wrinkles in the bag will prevent this......although like mentioned above just mix up another batch spread it over any small gaps and reapply the hatch cover and ull be fine


-Jeff

Author:  SailingandSuch [ Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

This looks like a great idea. How is it holding up?

For some reason I can't see all of the photos, is it just me?

Author:  Chekika [ Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

Kal-P-Dal wrote:
Very interesting! I think I will try this.

Kal-P-Dal has posted his own, water-tight seal recently. http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=50166 He seems to have used material very similar to that which I used in my Roids seal, http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=46308 My Roids seal is still "like new" after 1 yr of use. It has been 100% effective for preventing leaks through the front hatch on my boat.

Keith

Author:  Deepbluesilence [ Wed Jan 08, 2014 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

Holds up great! Silicone keeps its elasticity very well, so as long as your mold job came out well and your hatch straps are in good shape your good to go for a long time.

Two things....
This seal and the hatch seal cam cleat mod that was done on the bird of prey AI would be the ultimate hatch!

Second i would probably mold it in reverse if i did it again...take about three tubes of silicone mix the apply around the lip of the hatch lid....then position it as evenly as possible over the opening and let set.....if that makes sense

-Jeff

Author:  TheFlyingNorthman [ Tue Apr 14, 2015 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: DIY 4$ airtight Custom molded silicone front hatch seal

could the pictures be re-posted as i am not able to see them?
Also has anyone looked at the bungee set up that holds the hatch down, feel that in rough conditions the hatch lifts and that is
when most water will get in.

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