We recently purchased a 2002 MK-II. We really like the boat, with one exception......when ever you sat or stepped on the starboard cockpit hatch it made a terrible screaching noise. I discovered it was caused by the front section bending outward on the mating support surface below. I removed the hatch and ground all the paint off along the front lip back to the thick portion reinforced with plywood. After this area was all preped down to the bare fiberglass, I installed multiple layers of 2 and 4 fiberglass tape using WEST epoxy. The original fiberglass was only about 1/8 thick. I built it up until it was about 3/8 thick, or slightly more than double the original thickness. After it all cured, I block sanded the bottom to match the mating surface, and no more screaching! The hardest part was grinding the paint off. Catalina really put on a heavy coat of enamel!

Don