Your Favorite Companionway

[otherthan]

Boards or doors? some even like see true lexan!!!

share your opinion on what works for you

[James S]

I built mine from teak and put a window in it.
It slides down into a sump under the cockpit grating.
The latch took some doing but allows me to release the "cane/barrel bolt" type lock on each side with one action with one hand.

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by James S

I built mine from teak and put a window in it.
It slides down into a sump under the cockpit grating.
The latch took some doing but allows me to release the "cane/barrel bolt" type lock on each side with one action with one hand.

seen your hatch yesterday...awsome!!

also seen your dragon

cheers

[zeehag]

steeve--i like my teak doooors.....i have hatch boards in my ericson--i like the doors in my teaky better--they lock best. they look best.they work well. i ahve brass fittings on mine--i like that with our kindsa boats.....is puuurrrty....james s--yours is nice too--is a good design...

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by zeehag

steeve--i like my teak doooors.....i have hatch boards in my ericson--i like the doors in my teaky better--they lock best. they look best.they work well. i ahve brass fittings on mine--i like that with our kindsa boats.....is puuurrrty....james s--yours is nice too--is a good design...

hello zee nice to read you!!

one of my doors is missing from the storm I guess?
on my other boat I have 2 hatch boards...dont like them...I think as a future liveaboard I will prefer doors???

why I asked

zee id like to pm you...want to talk about our boats...I have issues and I think your experience may help me...if its alright with you.
rgds

[S/V Alchemy]

I've designed my own and will likely fabricate it this year. It's premised on the strong impression that Everybody Poops.



Logic outlined here: The World Encompassed: Capsizing the Better Way

[Unicorn Dreams]

We have folding doors on UD.

We also have a backup solid non folding door to back the main foor in case of extreme weather.

[zeehag]

jobi--- no problem-- and on leaky teaky also-- i am available to you --we have similar problems in similar boats. siblings by float.
these have been pooped ff catalina in pacific-- we have enough freeboard to keep mose all seas off, and the deck is designed on mine to have flow of any water to either side wherein htere are water pathways for such events.
i really wished i had this boat when i was sailin gth gulf and was pooped by a smallish sea-- would have only smakked my quarter in htis boat. i have at least 3 1/2 more ft of freeboard than that lil sloop did. i like it.
the center cockpit ones i have never heard of being pooped while under way.
so, in our cases, doors are ok. mine are designed to keep water out.

[psk125]

Doors can be pretty, but the construction is inherently weaker than hatch boards due to the vulnerable hinges and long joint running down the middle. (You were talking about double doors, weren't you?) Throwing a crew member against them could break them. The long joint is difficult to keep from leaking due to rain, spray, or waves aboard. They also take swinging space out of the cockpit. Hatch boards are much more secure, easier to keep from leaking, and cheaper.

[four winds]

The previous owner of my Pearson had a thick, dark Plexiglass board cut to fit the companionway. He added a storage slip pocket of Sunbrella fabric next to the opening on the cabin as well.

I'm a newbie, but it seems pretty slick to me. Unlock the door, slide it out and move it laterally to the slip pocket and slide it in for secure storage. Yet it is handy to retrieve and put back in place when needed.

[S/V Illusion]

If you routinely air condition the boat, doors are your only practical option. Regardless, you can easily have the best of both worlds by making doors which have a Lexan or similar insert which could also easily be made to slide out with replacement screens. If I can do it, anybody can. There are a variety of removable hinge pins available such that the doors can be pulled and stored as quickly as you read this.

[yachtdaemon]

Our boat is too small for doors so we have hatch boards. We have a wooden bottom board and the top half is lexan for light below but we replace it with a security screen top half to keep out insects and intruders during the night if we are in a dubious area.

If we leave the boat for long periods we leave the screen in and tie a cover over the cockpit, so some air circulation occurs but rain can't get in.

[zeehag]

i found the dire need to make or find screen doors and hatch covers for my formosa---- i havent seen anyhting premade as yet--- but i am chewed up totally by my evil teensy nocturnal invaders..... and bubba wont kill 'em....lazy kat....

[daddle]

For safety you really need hatchboards rather than a hinged door unless the companionway is somehow otherwise invulnerable to seas entering. Consider knock downs and big seas boarding from astern. The hatchboards need to be retained onboard with a lanyard. They need to latch into place. They need to be stored where they can be used in seconds. They should be spilt in such a way that the lower board offers significant protection from seas entering yet can be easily climbed over to enter and exit without removing it.

All these considerations are be more important than convenience and decoration.

Rather applies to multihulls too, but we'll never reach those dreamers with their sliding patio doors.

[zeehag]

my boat has locking doors--is difficult for me to figger out ho wto make my gorgeous doors into hatchboards without killing my boat.....is a formosa, after all, and has fastenings for securing when i am inside to keep others out. the overhead hatches are more of a threat than my doors are at this point. i just need to make screen doors and hatch covers that keep out teensy killer intruders who look for blood not money and then i can fix em so they cannot be opened from outside easily. that part is easy--is the screen part i have to figger.... want air in and bad stuff and bad guys out. i coul dmake a pair of doors with security screen and mosquito netting over that---we willsee.... i liked markj's security hatch screens... just gotta make em for doors....