Lewmar aluminium frames

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   Pretty much all the Lewmar hatch frames on my 2016 455 have started to bubble; clearly corrosion has taken place beneath the powder coating. This is disappointing as I've always taken great care with washing down etc. 
The issue is - at this stage - more cosmetic than anything else but will doubtless get worse. 

Any warranty expired a long time ago (I did check).

Am I alone with this? I suspect that the powder coating was a deficient batch when it was carried out. Any thoughts as regards rectification? Remove hatch surrounds - have them sandblasted - then re powder coated? Altenatively just hand sand and touch-up as best as possible (although I don't think that this treatment would last very long). Or start with new hatches? Will be a big cost..... 

Many thanks

Richard

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Richard M Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Commadore Joined: 06 November 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 376	Post Options Post Reply Quote Richard M Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Lewmar aluminium frames Posted: 17 November 2021 at 12:58
	Pretty much all the Lewmar hatch frames on my 2016 455 have started to bubble; clearly corrosion has taken place beneath the powder coating. This is disappointing as I've always taken great care with washing down etc. The issue is - at this stage - more cosmetic than anything else but will doubtless get worse. Any warranty expired a long time ago (I did check). Am I alone with this? I suspect that the powder coating was a deficient batch when it was carried out. Any thoughts as regards rectification? Remove hatch surrounds - have them sandblasted - then re powder coated? Altenatively just hand sand and touch-up as best as possible (although I don't think that this treatment would last very long). Or start with new hatches? Will be a big cost..... Many thanks Richard
	Richard M (S/Y BrightStar - H 455 #90; ex S/Y Providence - H 400e #290)

Carlosailfan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 06 March 2014 Location: Belgium Status: Offline Points: 194	Post Options Post Reply Quote Carlosailfan Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 November 2021 at 15:32
	Hello, same problem on our H385 2014, had to replace already 5 of them by new. Think to recover the old hatches by sandblasting and powder coat them again. Not yet done due to lack of time and priority :). At the early beginning you have no corrosion under the loosing paint, looks like the paint is not well glued to the metal. When i removed the peeling paint the aluminum looked brand new :). So quality issue out of warranty :(.
	Best regards /C

Richard M Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Commadore Joined: 06 November 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 376	Post Options Post Reply Quote Richard M Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 November 2021 at 15:44
	Hi Carlosailfan I suspected that I wouldn't be alone! The symptoms that you describe are exactly the same as mine. I wasn't too clear - are you saying that you have already replaced 5 hatches with new ones - and in future you will sand blast and have re powder coated? Best wishes Richard
	Richard M (S/Y BrightStar - H 455 #90; ex S/Y Providence - H 400e #290)

350Bob Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Captain Joined: 24 August 2015 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 184	Post Options Post Reply Quote 350Bob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 November 2021 at 17:27
	We had similar problems about 3 years ago on our 2009 350. We were advised to get them sand blasted and chromed; three years on they are still looking good with the occasional wipe down and polish. Bob
	H350 #205

Butcherboy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Sub Lieutenant Joined: 06 July 2021 Location: Devon Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote Butcherboy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 November 2021 at 23:17
	Hi, our H385 from 2016 is showing signs of flaking of the powder coating, I’ve rectified the two aft cabin cockpit frames which are black by rubbing down etch priming and spraying satin black to match,no problems since. Next spring I’ll set to and do the side coach roof frames that are covered by the Perspex opening hatches, removal of the frames would be quite involved so masking up and spraying in situ (once the Perspex openers are removed) before they get to bad is the way I’m going ,if they corrode badly they may well cause leaks by not allowing the rubber to seal against the corroded area if indeed the corrosion extends far enough. Talking to a mate who’s Lewmar hatches on his Bavaria motorboat have corroded badly, he’s bought one hatch frame at an extortionate price and removed one at a time and had them re powder coated locally at a very reasonable cost £10 each! The powder coater noted that no primer was applied to the alloy originally which is why the coating breaks down ….so I’ll see how they fare in the course of time! It amazes me how many powder coated frames corrode in such a short time if it was on a car there would uproar, the salty air has it’s part to play and design esthetics has moved away from anodised frames which is much more durable or is it cost cutting? Andy .
	Andy 385

415 Singapore Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vice Admiral Joined: 23 September 2013 Location: Singapore Status: Offline Points: 935	Post Options Post Reply Quote 415 Singapore Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 November 2021 at 01:20
	Hi Andy From our experience, if the powder coating is starting to flake off the outsides of the frames, it will be flaking off the underside of the frames too. If this happens the paint sticks very nicely to the sika seal but not the frame and you will get leaks. I too was worried about removing the frames as they are quite flimsy, but it turned out to very easy as the was no bond between the frame and the sika, I took out the screws and just lifted the frames out, indeed if the boat had been upside down they would have fallen out! We then cleaned up the old sika and re-bedded the frames in new sika. No more leaks. I wouldn't recommend spraying in-situ as you will not solve the real problem that will cause leaks in the future. There are various threads on this site about this if you use the advanced search function and change the date parameters (default is last six months) Good luck Paul
	Paul - Night Train - 415 #136

Wild Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vice Admiral Joined: 18 March 2010 Location: Turkey-Greece Status: Offline Points: 937	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wild Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 November 2021 at 08:58
	hello Andy, In the search function “Lewmar painting “ in the year 2018 “I put a tread about this problem with the FLUSH HATCHES LEWMAR in 2012. A few years later the same problem with the new 2 generation one’s . Lewmar changed the Flush hatches 3 times since then : Original then 2 Generation and later the 3 generation( other frame and rubberseal)????? A few years later the black LEWMAR MITRE PORTLIGHTS( same as they put in the Bavaria) of the 2 back cabine’s starts the same problem. No warranty. Lewmar make me a price just for the frame (900x270 custom made for Hanse they say) of 950 euro per piece????? I try to take them out .Mission impossible without destroying the frames. I sand all the paint and dirt off in-situ and put special primer and 2comp paint on. Now after 5 years the painting start coming off again. IMO the corrosion of the alu is to deep and very difficult to sand completely out.
	Wild and Wet Belgium 545e#268

Richard M Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Commadore Joined: 06 November 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 376	Post Options Post Reply Quote Richard M Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 November 2021 at 09:40
	Hi Bob Chrome plating is an interesting thought. May I ask how much the plating (and sanding?) cost per frame? I realise that we are in different countries..... Many thanks Richard
	Richard M (S/Y BrightStar - H 455 #90; ex S/Y Providence - H 400e #290)

Richard M Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Commadore Joined: 06 November 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 376	Post Options Post Reply Quote Richard M Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 November 2021 at 09:44
	Hello Paul When you had removed the old frames what did you do? Install new ones - or clean and powder coat or something else. Thanks Richard
	Richard M (S/Y BrightStar - H 455 #90; ex S/Y Providence - H 400e #290)

415 Singapore Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vice Admiral Joined: 23 September 2013 Location: Singapore Status: Offline Points: 935	Post Options Post Reply Quote 415 Singapore Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 November 2021 at 10:18
	Hi Richard, no we just wire brushed what was left of the original powder coating off, sanded, cleaned and spray painted the old frames. It was quite obvious that Lewmar hadn't used any primer as what paint there was on the frames almost fell off. When we took them out, all the original paint on the bases of the frames was still neatly stuck to the sika, like powder coated mastic! All the best Paul
	Paul - Night Train - 415 #136



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