Seeking Guidance For Damaged Hatch Support

C

Cameron Brooks

Newbie
We have a 2013 550 Ultra and have recently learned that a leak has severely damaged one of the arc-shaped wood supports for the hatch. It is warped, disintegrating and separating from the hatch cover. I'm trying to determine what a repair for this might involve and whether it's within my and my (more-handy) 18yo son's scope of ability. I've attached some photos to illustrate the extent of the damage. Essentially, I presume, it would seem that we need to pull the wood piece off of the galley hatch, insert new pieces into the support piece, re-glue it all together, flatten and sand it down, apply coating, reattach and seal it up. Has anyone done this or something similar? Any guidance? Or, does this require fabricating a new piece entirely?

Thanks for any tips, suggestions or comments.

Cameron
303-957-7667
 

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I'd call Campinn...I think they were using CNC and they may be able to cut the part for you.

Don't let the purple monkey get ya, it may not be as bad of a repair as you think it is. It has been my experience that Cary, Craig and the rest of the team will take good care of you....
 
Craig saw your photos. You will need to replace it with a new hatch frame bow. Call 608-565-7443 and speak with Craig or Cary. They can get a new bow to you along with instructions on how to replace it. The leak will also need to be fixed. They can provide instructions for doing that, as well.
 
Cameron - I also have some damage to the same piece of wood on my trailer (not structural, just cosmetic), and would be very interested in how this works out for you.
 
As an update, I spoke with Cary last fall who gave us good directions for how to order a new hatch bow and instructions for installing (mostly clamping using shoe goo as an adhesive). I waited until the warmer weather and have it installed. Thank you!

One follow up question: there is a black sealant along the seam of the hatch bow. I may not have been listening well enough, but I don't know what that is and would like to be sure that we take care of it.

Beyond that, we have a persistent leak and now I'm seeking guidance for how we might address the leak. I believe that there may be three main contributors to the leak (in order of suspected impact):

1. Hatch hinge is not snugly sealed: the long hinge that attaches the hatch to the trailer is not fully sealed at the left side corner. The bolts will not tighten any further (and a couple of them just spin). I'm wondering if this can be repaired *without* taking off the entire piece. Is it possible to replace the bolts with larger ones? Is there any kind of sealant that can be sprayed into the gap? Can more bolts be installed to make it snug?

2. Gap at corner: At the very top of the opening, it seems like there is just some space that is more open than it should be. Any thoughts on how to seal up the very top of the opening?

3. Cracked Gasket: The gasket that runs along the side seems to be worn out and cracked in places. It seems like it's firmly set, so replacing might not be easy, but wondering if there are any retrofits or other ways to bolster the seal along the side.

Lastly, the left side (where it leaks) has a gap of 1/4-1/2", whereas the right side has no gap. I suspect this extra exposure isn't helping, but not sure if anything can be done.

I'll be reaching out to the Camp Inn gang I'm sure, but would welcome any insights and am posting photos here.

Thanks!
 

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Cameron one thing I noticed is the one side of the galley is tight to the right. The galley should slide left and right and should be centered with a slight gap channel between each side. I’ve had to keep an eye on it and keep it centered on my mine. It’s really easy to have it slide to one side or the other when camping or I should say it always does
 
Thanks, Carl. Although, I'm a little confused. Our galley hatch does not slide left to right, unless I misunderstand what you mean. It is fixed in position by the hinge that runs across the top and attaches to the main body of the trailer. Can you say more about how you keep it centered? I don't see a way for us to adjust where the hatch falls.
 
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