Cork hatches

[Paul Davenport]

Greetings,

I wish to restore several older yachts, and give them the ability to sail
under 'vane' or R/C. In order to achieve this I need to cut circular hatches
into the varnished ply decking.

I obviously want to restore these boats sympathetically so I am reluctant to
use plastic hatch/covers.

In the good ol' days folks used to use cork under the hatch covers, because
it swells when wet and produces thus a watertight seal. Does anyone know how
to re-create that technology...maybe from bark pulp?


Paul Davenport

[William]

"Paul Davenport" <Davers00@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:bm9e2h$jk4$1@titan.btinternet.com...
>
> In the good ol' days folks used to use cork under the hatch covers,
because
> it swells when wet and produces thus a watertight seal. Does anyone know
how
> to re-create that technology...maybe from bark pulp?

They sell thin cork sheets for various craft uses - like covering the bottom
of something to keep it from scuffing table tops or as photo mounting
surfaces. It's also sold for musical instrument repair in a variety of
thicknesses
which may be of finer grain and more suited to model work (see the URL
below) and as gasket material at some hobby shops. -Wm


http://www.stentor-music.com/catalogue/html%20general/84.htm

[Fly Higher]

A good auto parts store should carry cork gasket material in bulk.
Especially a place that caters to older cars and restoration types.

F.H.

"Paul Davenport" <Davers00@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:bm9e2h$jk4$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Greetings,
>
> I wish to restore several older yachts, and give them the ability to sail
> under 'vane' or R/C. In order to achieve this I need to cut circular
hatches
> into the varnished ply decking.
>
> I obviously want to restore these boats sympathetically so I am reluctant
to
> use plastic hatch/covers.
>
> In the good ol' days folks used to use cork under the hatch covers,
because
> it swells when wet and produces thus a watertight seal. Does anyone know
how
> to re-create that technology...maybe from bark pulp?
>
>
> Paul Davenport
>
>