Mexico and Sea of Cortez . . . Hatch Screens ?

[JimmyP]

I'll soon be heading south. Do I need screens for bug, no-seeums, mosquitos etc? Will I need screens?
Porthole and hatches have screens. Companionway has three hatchboards. Should I build a companionway hatch screen(s) for one, two or all three boards?

[Jim Cate]

Short answer is hell yes!

There are many sorts of insect pests in Mexico/SOC, and while not too common just now, dengue fever is around (mozzie borne, nasty disease). No-seeums or their equivalents also exist, but in our experience screens fine enough to filter them out also stops air flow pretty well. Hard decision... we now use normal fly screening, spray them with surface spray, and try to anchor away from shore far enough to eliminate all but the Olympic quality no-seeums. In Oz they are known as sand flies and they can be a real problem... Ann has a bad reaction to their bite. Flying cockroaches are best locked out as well!

So, I surely would advise the construction of screens for all openings, companionway (full size), ports, hatches, dorades and engine room vents. You will be glad you did.

Cheers,

Jim

[tropicalescape]

Everything Jim Cate said...Zane Mann wrote in his book" Fair Winds and Far Places" that he would spray the screens with diesal fuel and it would kill any and all flying teeth..you would have to like the smell I guess..

[svcambria]

Easier to sew up some soft screening - even bridal veil - with small fishing weights in the edge, then drape it over the companionway. Easy to placeand remove from inside or outside, takes up next to no room when not in use...

Michael

[SayGudday]

svcambria, Good suggestion

[jim_thomsen]

You will need screens somewhere! We bought at net tent at REI for around $20 and cut pieces for the different hatches. Then we put stick-um velco hooks on the corners of the hatches and this has worked great for a few years, cheap and easy.

See mosquito netting: Home Page

[JimmyP]

Really good imput. Thank you!

1) Ordered hatch screens.
2) have porthole screens
3) Designed and buiulding a screen the size of two hatch boards for the companion way. (third hatch board will stay solid)
4) Bought a ThermaCell bug repellent (reviews seem to indicate success)

[Bash]

Originally Posted by JimmyP

Really good imput. Thank you!

1) Ordered hatch screens.
2) have porthole screens
3) Designed and buiulding a screen the size of two hatch boards for the companion way. (third hatch board will stay solid)
4) Bought a ThermaCell bug repellent (reviews seem to indicate success)

Screens are good. However, it's better to figure out how you can anchor without having to resort to them.

The cruising guides will inevitable place their anchor symbols in the "best" spots to anchor IN A STORM. But what if it's not blowing much? Think about anchoring in a spot where you might not need to use your screens, and can therefore have a light breeze flowing through your boat.

Pay attention to the mangroves. If you can smell mangrove, you will get bugs.

For us, especially since we have plenty of wind/solar power, having a good set of 12v cabin fans is a huge anti-bug measure. Whenever we need to use the screens, we need to use the cabin fans. Period. So don't buy a cheap (noisy) set of fans. Get the best ones you can buy, and you may even sleep more comfortably than the fat cats on the air-conditioned boats.

Don't let anyone tell you that the Sea of Cortez is a buggy place. It's basically a desert ecology. Yeah, it's buggier than Seattle or San Francisco, but if you've ever been to Florida.....