Anyone replace the black round hatch in the splashwell with a larger rectangle access hatch?

[jbozzelle]

I have an '03 2400V and I'd like more access to the bilge area than what the round, smallish black access hatch offers.  Has anyone replaced it with something larger?  Maybe a rectangle hatch?  I notice the splashwell is made with a rounded area for the round hatch to sit in as well as it has some curve to it.  I could really use some more access to the fittings and pumps down there.

[Gulfcoast]

Many including myself have put in a TH Marine hatch.  Mine is a different boat but the concept is the same.  I needed more space as well.  It requires some cutting but not bad once you get it laid out. I don't know if I have a picture or not but I will look and see. I went with this style so that I could remove the whole hatch lid as opposed to trying to prop it open when I am working in the bilge http://thmarine.com/th-marine-products/access-hatches-doors/access-hatches/designer-series-access-hatches/designer-series-hatches-removable.html

[JEM]

T-H Marine with the four latches.  An absolute must in order to have decent access to your thru hulls, etc..  Mine is a 2007 2200V.

[jbozzelle]

Something similar to that is what I'm wanting to do except my splashwell has a nice curve to the top of it so a custom curved and shaped hatch would be necessary.  I'm sure if I scribed a template of the curve and sent it to boat outfitters they could fabricate a custom deal... 

[Williep]

Ditto on T-H Marine.

.

[jbozzelle]

Those all look nice except my splashwell has a nice curve to the top and taperes down as it meets the transom so a custom curved and shaped hatch would be necessary.

The area I want to put the hatch is not perfectly flat.  You can see it in the above pics.

[JEM]

Shape some starboard or plastic trim to the curves, attach the trim with screws and 4200 to the motor well, then fit a hatch to the flat topside of the trim.  If you are a handy finish carpenter, or have a shop that is, maybe that would work for you.  That is the only way I see to mount a stock, pre-made rectangular hatch in your motor well.  This would be a lot of additional work to accomplish what was a simple upgrade for the rest of us. 

[Bamaskeet]

TH Marine doesn't make the removable hatch anymore.  Pathfinder might have some left but I asked two dealers for a price and didn't get a response from either one.

I bought a Tempress hatch on eBay for about $75.  The lid is designed so it can be removed because the snap in style hinge.

its a easy job to install the hatch.

[JEM]

Master Repair had a pretty good supply of them earlier this year.   Might check with them.

[craSSh]

I'm gonna do this too.  What size hatches is everybody going with?

[Bamaskeet]

The factory hatch is 13"X17", but you could go a little smaller.