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Replacing Ski Locker Hatch


CraigSim

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Hey y'all...

I just bought a 2000 Response and the rear storage hatch is looking pretty rough. It broke at the hinges. Can you buy these hatches or do i have to make one myself.

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Thanks. I Googled Perko IIRC. Nothing I am looking for came up. Do you have a link?

I am looking to replace the whole hatch. Not just the hinges.

Edited by CraigSim
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OK - they is a bit more clear.  The hatches of that era were made of a Kleigecell core with some reinforcements (I had my 99 apart last year) so any similar composite is fine - Divinycell etc.  Or a lightweight marine board like Staroard Lite, etc.  Or call malibu - I am sure they will make you one, but it will cost s fair bit.  Not sure how someone could trash that thing though?

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Thanks! Yeah, not sure either, but it's pretty beat. The shocks are missing from it - those brackets rusted off. So I am guessing that it was being opened up to far...over time it just broke right where the hinges attach it.  

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  • 4 months later...

my 99 failed there as well.. struts were in place.. same material that was used for the floor panel over the mufflers.. that failed a while back.. used resin coated ply for that fix , but it is thicker and i worry about flex on the locker lid which is 1/2" thick  .. starboard is too heavy, but this starboard lite may be the ticket... haven't found a source for it locally, but i know campion boats uses it for current builds.

 

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  • 3 years later...

Hey all- waking up this old thread. I’m preparing to rebuild the ski locker covers on my ‘03 Response LXI. I had our local upholstery guy peel the skins off. Then I peeled away the foam and everything. I intended to use 3/4” marine plywood, sealed, and rebuild from there, but the existing honeycomb aluminum is only 3/8” thick. I don’t feel 3/8” inches thick plywood will be strong enough.

So wondering if anyone has rebuilt these doors with any other material? Otherwise I will probably do some sort of plywood with aluminum or stainless reinforcements. I work in metal fab so creating some ribs to screw onto plywood would be simple. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks!

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If one goes on the assumption you use the boat for skiing / barefooting, I would avoid making the new parts heavier than the originals.  Saving weight is not easy but well worth it once the boat hits the water.  You could source similar honeycomb material (sources range from McMaster-Carr to Amazon, simply google 'aluminum honeycomb) or another option if you want to go with marine ply, the 3/8" wrapped with some carbon fiber will give you a super stiff panel.  I built my platform using carbon fiber over a foam core, it is super stiff and feather light (9 lbs).

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@Woodski thanks for the recommendation. I hear you on weight, but I don't know if it's a huge concern. Even if I used 3/4 plywood (worst case scenario), assuming the covers are what, 24" x 36" roughly (don't have them in front of me), that'd be about 25 lbs extra. Worth considering, but not a deal breaker.

I have never done carbon fiber work, and I'm not sure if this would be a good place to start, both on cost and lack of experience, and I want this to turn out well. Question though, I remember conversing with an Echelon owner when I was working with a troublesome 454 we bought for our ski team. Are you the one that lives in the Wausau Wisconsin area? If so, maybe I could take a look at your work, and get inspired. I'll buy you a beer for the trouble.

I'm guessing some kind of aluminum weldment is what would work best in my situation. I work in metal fab and can get awfully creative. I built a fabbed aluminum platform after losing mine off my Tantrum (oops). It worked very well for me.

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25 lbs may not sound like much, a great way to verify is compare wake with an additional 4 gallons of fuel.  The key to maintaining good wakes is limiting weight in the transom area.

A relatively small, flat panel is actually a perfect place to start, added bonus you are covering the work so imperfections are hidden.  Unfortunately, not that person although have enjoyed many days of hammering around Road America and enjoying RA brats.

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If weight is an issue, this may not be for you but this really cleaned up the old dented hatch on my 2002 Wakesetter.

I was able to make it a perfect fit with the existing hole and really modernized the look when carpet was not on the floor.

https://www.boatoutfitters.com/starboard-deck-hatch-with-radius-corners

 

2gubfd0.jpg

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