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Here is another hatch project. Thankfully this time it was not a complete dissection to replace a rotten core.
What is shown above is a crack in the hatch where the hinge is located. Inside the hatch panel, there is a small aluminum plate (which will be seen below), this plate is what the stainless steel screws are screwed into. I believe that the two dissimilar metals begin to corrode. As the aluminum plate corrodes, the corrosion expands inside the laminates causing this crack to form. Once moisture can enter, the process really speeds up.
The cracks were ground out using a dental acrylic bur in a dremel tool, but the cracks went much deeper. The aluminum plates were full of corrosion and the fiberglass laminate was damaged all around the plates.
The aluminum plates were removed, sand blasted, and etched.
A batch of epoxy thickened with cabosil and microballoons was injected into all of the voids accessible from the cut outs, the aluminum plates were then bonded back into place and covered with two layers of fiberglass mat. The area was then clamped down.
Here is a shot of the fairing process.
Gelcoat was brushed on and left to cure. Once cured, the gelcoat was sanded and reapplied.
More coming soon
