TT Voyager

[HowardParticipant @howard79726]

I have a Thunder Tiger Voyager yacht and I was wondering if anyone out there has had problems (as I have) with the watertightness of the access hatch and what solutions, if any, they have come up with. My impression is that this feature of the model, which otherwise performs reasonably well, is rather over-designed and ambitious whereas a simpler arrangement might have been better. Howard.

[HowardParticipant @howard79726]

Sealing the hatch

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Having had a look at the manual http://mms.tiger.tw/upload/upload_file/Boat/5559%20VoyagerV2-manual.pdf it looks like an upsize of the TT Aussie arrangement – a moulded lid dropping into a channel moulded into the deck with a sealing strip to both keep weather out and help keep a good fit.  This worked OK on my Aussie, but the panel in sliders arrangement on my Victoria feels better.

 

Edited By Malcolm Frary on 01/08/2013 10:43:16

[HowardParticipant @howard79726]

Thanks for your interest Malcolm.

The lid carries a channel with a neoprene tube insert as a sealing strip that, as you say, fits onto a moulded locating frame set into the deck around the hatch with a raised ridge that fits into the channel and seal; all fastened by two locating lugs at the rear and a sprung clip at the front.

At present it does tend to let water in when a gust of wind dips the 'gunwales awash' but I'll follow up the idea of a smear of vaseline on the seal and a drain bung in the hull – simple solutions that may well be the best! I also reckon I could position and waterproof the receiver etc. more defensively.

Interesting that the instructions suggest that after fitting the lid self adhesive tape should be applied over the join; a fiddly and messy job at the pondside. I sometimes look enviously at the 'slide and lock' lid on a colleague's Robbe Estelle, but perhaps you only get what you pay for!

Thanks again, Howard.

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

When the instructions reccomend using ticky tape to seal the hatch, you just know that it needs help. I do remember watching the worlds best Marblehead sailers at Fleetwood years ago. They used lots of tape and most still had a scary amount of water to pour out between races, so try to keep it out, try to stop it wetting the electric bits, but have an easy way of getting rid of it.

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