While we were racing in Southampton Water last weekend (13th January) in a force 6, somebody kicked the main hatch off the slides. I noticed that the screws had chewed their way around in the holes before parting company.

I managed to refit the hatch after the race with the help of Steve, the crew member who had slid under the wire (later incident) on the lee side in a hard broach after a gybe, and who was drying out in the heat from the Webasto. The screws are only brass No.10 by 1" so they bend quite easily and are of course completely unobtainable in the bijou surroundings of Ocean Village Marina Southampton.

We drilled new holes for the screws and straightened out the bent ones.

I did note the wear and tear in the aluminium slides.

A few years ago I decided that the brass screws hold the sliders onto Sundew's hatch were a bad idea. I removed them, drilled holes through and bolted with countersunk M4 or M5 stainless steel screws. Dome nuts on the upper face mean that the protruding fasteners look tidy and won't damage anyone or anything.