J/22 Hatch Cover Replacement

[Guest JD DeSantis]

Is anyone making replacement hatch covers for the j/22?  The fixed cover where all of the control cleats are located (and not the slider).  Mine's gotten water in it and is pretty soft.  Thanks in advance.

[ghurwitch]

It's an easy repair. I've done three of them so far. The balsa core will essentially fall out.

1) Remove the old hardware

2) Turn it upside down

3) Cut the area open where the core is, it stops about 2" from the edges but you should be able to see the core

4) Scrape then cut/sand the old core out

5) Let it dry for a day or two

6) Sand the inside of the top skin thoroughly

7) Bond in new balsa core with an adhesive filler in the resin

8 Glass over the core 

9) Re-mount the hardware using the old holes as templates from above