I have a mod 1 missing the hatch cover. Can anyone describe or send pics of the hatch cover? I will try the local dealer next week, but am wondering about ideas for an "improved" cover as I am told this was a primary weakness of the mod 1.
My boat is a 1984 , hull number 352. my hatch cover measures 17 5/8 by 12and seems to be made of 1/4 inch plywood. attached is a picture. I do not know if it is original or not but it fits. I do not have any hardware on it except for the handle at present. Hope this helps.
My hatch is missing altogether so I don't have a pattern with which to work. Yours is very nice. I looked at the Taco Marine site and their product should be available at West Marine here in Dallas.
I use the old hatch as a template, but you could make a pattern out of cardboard. I bought my board at West Marine too, and I believe it cost about $30.
I have researched making the hatch and have another question. Is there a "slide in" box that goes into the hatch opening or is it just open to the inside of the hull? I believe the hatch will greatly slow water flowing into the cuddy if I turn the boat over, but it will not be watertight.
Yes, there is a "box insert" which was used on the model 2's, although the model 1 and 3 design, with the entire forward hold area accessible is far better. My original model 1 hatch cover was looking pretty tattered. They are made of what appears to be marine grade plywood, with the exterior layer being teak. Mine was well weathered so I carefully removed the top layer of plywood, and laminated a piece of Formica to it, (same color as hull, using contact cement as an adhesive). Formica is a weatherproof and quite durable surface laminate used in cabinet work. I went to a local cabinet shop and searched through the scraps for a remnant. It worked great !
So, If you can come upon a used cover, even if it is fairly beat up from sun damage and general use, you can have it looking factory fresh with a little time and effort plus a small piece of Formica
Best of luck
I went to the Strictly Sail boat show in St. Petersburg last weekend and saw several boats based on the Capri 14.2 design. The new Expo is pretty cool. My 87 model is missing the hatch and I took a good look at the new hatch that is used on the latest models. The entire assembly is plastic and the hinges are integrated into the frame. It also features a pocket net on the outside and seems to be a good upgrade. I didn't have a tape measure with me but it looks like this is a perfect fit for an older model. The size seems to be within an inch or two in any direction.