[rose_surfer]

I had an '88 31 Open. The gasket was not a simple "O" ring and I would find it difficult to replace if I could even find one. If the silicone was just applied around the top edge and not on the gasket itself you may have a chance at slicing it open. If you can see it oozing through on the inside I would guess you are opening a can of worms. Then again if you do get it open and can't stop the leaks you can always re-caulk it. I always had the hatches closed when running to keep any spray out of the interior. Another choice would be to replace the entire hatch with a new one. Just my opinion. Capt George

Yeah he gooped it on pretty thick. It's going to take a bunch of scraping and cutting to get them open. I suppose I can just cut them open then like you say re-seal them if they leak. But I feel pretty confident he wouldn't have sealed them shut if they weren't leaking to begin with.

Any idea if replacement hatches are available?  I read one thread where a guy was looking into it but didn't see how it was resolved.  They seem to be a custom shape to match the profile of the deck and to give that recessed look. But maybe there's an aftermarket option?