Hurricane Hinge Question

[ToadSprockett]

I'm just starting on the sides, I want to make sure that I have the layout for the hurricane hinge set before I get too far long. I have found two types:

A frank bear one with an offset, and one without.

Any advice on which is better, and does anyone have measurements?, I'd prefer to spend the money on wood at the moment, I can get one but it will delay the sides for a bit. We are doing on the a super tight budget (it was an agreement for me to build this, don't ask )

I have a pretty good idea of how to lay it all out, but without measurements it's pretty hard...

Thanks
-Paul-

[Tomterrific]

I bought a traditional hurricane hinge because I thought it was a water tight design. It is not. I ended up putting a rubber cover over the hinge. Instead of the $60 I spent on the hinge I could have bought a much less expensive piano hinge. If I build another, I'll use a piano hinge with a rubber cover. My hatch stays open during rain without leaking with the rubber cover.

New Tom

[ToadSprockett]

I bought a traditional hurricane hinge because I thought it was a water tight design. It is not. I ended up putting a rubber cover over the hinge. Instead of the $60 I spent on the hinge I could have bought a much less expensive piano hinge. If I build another, I'll use a piano hinge with a rubber cover. My hatch stays open during rain without leaking with the rubber cover.

New Tom

Do you have any pictures, that sounds like an interesting way to go, how did you secure the rubber part over the hinge?

[tony.latham]

I fall into the other camp. I like hurricane hinges. I've installed three, all on traditional shaped teardrops, and haven't had a problem after about 50 nights of usage in the last three years. Seldom have we've had the lid up during rain. In August I lifted the lid up with a dew-wet hatch and no leaks. I use putty tape to seal my hinges. If I build a fourth teardrop, I'll use another hurricane.





I purchased my hinges from Grant at Lil Bear (and the putty tape). http://www.teardrops.net/teardrop_parts.html

He call's them "Better-Than-Hurricane" You need to have them overlap your width by about 3/8" on both sides to give them a drip-edge effect. If you order a 4' or 5', Grant will cut them to the proper length.

I never did understand the off-set hinge thing. I think it's for builders that are doing some other type of hatch than I have built.

Tony

[tlsallada]

On the teardrops I've built I used the hinge without the offset and have never had an issue with leaking with the hatches open or closed in the rain. As mentioned before, make sure is extends a little on both sides of the teardrop and use the butyl tape and you shouldn't have any issues.

[kayakdlk]

Yes I too found out that with heavy rain the hurricane hinge leaks. It isn't the issue of coming off the ends, the water runs through the hinge in the middle. On my first trip I had little streams of water flowing into the galley. I kept some towels under it to mop up the water when hatch was open. I think it is still a great hinge and better than piano hinge but there are some tips to make it work better. For my first trip I had missed the one about a small D weather strip seal to make it waterproof (read on)

First as others have said leave 3/4 over hang son each side so rain drips off the ends. Second I bought mine from Grant when he had his business and he sent hand sketched drawings for install and you need to drill a small hold in outer hinge piece and put a screw (you can see it in the picture), and cut a small slot for the screw to rotate in the inside hinge piece in one or both ends of the hinge otherwise it slides back and forth when opening and closing. Finally to make it water proof you need to install a small D weather strip (Picked one up from Home depot and use 1/2 of the double D weather strip) along the hinge. This picture shows the brown D weather strip. When the hinge opens it presses and seals tight against the hinge and the rain runs over the hinge instead of through it into the galley. It is easy to replace if needed

.

I didn't see any need for an offset so I went with the one without and mounted it flush. If you already have the offset one you can put a wood or aluminum spacer (usually 1/4") under the offset mount to make it level. All you need is about a 1/4" gap between roof and hatch lid for the hinge to fit when closed. Not sure you need any other measurements I bought mine a little longer than I wanted and mounted with a few screws tested it out then cut to length and then mounted with putty tape to seal.

I used one hinge on my galley and one on my tongue box. After the above mods neither leak. I do seem to have issues with the black screw cover shrinking (Must be the wide Colorado weather temp variations) as shown in the picture. I replaced it and left it long so one day I can trim and it will stay long enough. That strip is purely cosmetic and has nothing to do with the function of the hinge. You can also see where I trimmed the hinge ends to fit over the seal area.

Scroll to the bottom of this link http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?p=1045874 and you will see more info on correct placement of hinge and the weather strip to make waterproof

if you need more help just asked as I have other pictures I can post if needed. There are lots more on here also just search for hurricane hinge install.

Dan

[Tomterrific]

Here is a pic of the rubber covered hinge. The hold down strips are an 8ft. aluminum carpet transition cut in half. The hurricane hinge leaked by capillary action when dew flowed into the gap at the back of the hinge with the hatch open. Rain with the hatch open would have been a problem and we get allot of rain.

New Tom