Lightweight, Removable Bug Screens

[Chotu]

I’m thinking soft, plastic screen material and Velcro.

What are all of you doing in this department?

Do you feel leaving the Velcro up around the windows looks ratchet and like shoddy work or is it ok?

How are you attaching the screen material to the Velcro if so?

[stulk75]

I have a much larger version of this type of thing.

Acelane Mosquito Net for Hatches Bug Screen Universal Fit Weight Band Easy to Use Marine Boat Deck Accessories https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087CKZ7MQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_A369Z5XE72X773BV4J23?_ encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Weights keep it in place.

But there are also ones that have a suction cup that holds a smaller screen to the hatch with a line, and then the screen itself is held tight on the inside.

I’ve also seen wind scoops that have netting.

I don’t think I would notice Velcro.

[thinwater]

Most opening hatches have a groove for a screen. More details.


For large areas, such as companionways and bridge deck areas, there may be few other choices that are gap free. However, a bolt rope or similar on one side can help (then just roll it up--I did this across the hard top on my cat).

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I’m thinking soft, plastic screen material and Velcro.

What are all of you doing in this department?

Do you feel leaving the Velcro up around the windows looks ratchet and like shoddy work or is it ok?

How are you attaching the screen material to the Velcro if so?

We used wedding veil fabric (very fine screen) with sewn on dacron edges (2" dacon slit tape used for sailmaking and sail repair. Folded in half it makes a good 1" edge with plenty of support for the screen material and the fasteners).

To attach the screen to the (hatch/port/companionway) we used either snaps or "lift the dot" canvas fasteners. When the screen is off only the stud or snap remains. It is much more attractive/finished than velcro. Since we only used a few fasteners per opening there could be gaps. To close those gaps we used foam weather stripping on the screen.

These screens are light and flexible for easy storage, the fasteners are unobtrusive, and they are effective. The original set of these screens we made have lasted for over 20 years and have kept mozzies, flies, no-see-ums and other critters out and the light weight screen material allows breeze to flow through.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Most opening hatches have a groove for a screen. More details.


For large areas, such as companionways and bridge deck areas, there may be few other choices that are gap free. However, a bolt rope or similar on one side can help (then just roll it up--I did this across the hard top on my cat).

I should clarify.

All the hatches have trim kits that include screens.

This is for opening forward windows and the large opening doors to enter the salon.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I’m thinking soft, plastic screen material and Velcro.

What are all of you doing in this department?

Do you feel leaving the Velcro up around the windows looks ratchet and like shoddy work or is it ok?

How are you attaching the screen material to the Velcro if so?

I think you are on the right track with that. A couple of things:
-Remember, you dont really need a screen for every portlite. They provide very little air anyway, so you dont need a ton of velcro all over.
-A large companionway screen simply with a weighted perimeter worked well for us so we could keep the slider open. It just lays over the opening. You could use snaps outside the track instead.
-All screen is not the same, the problem is there is screen that will stop no see-ums, but it lets little air through as a deficit. Compromises.
-For a lot of cooling the most important is to have screen for the foredeck hatch and companionway I think. You get a good wind tunnel that way.

[BobLoucks]

I had one that was netting weighted down by weights, it had fabric strings that tied to the handrails. see Sogeman.com

It worked great and stowed easily.

[zengirl]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I’m thinking soft, plastic screen material and Velcro.

What are all of you doing in this department?

Do you feel leaving the Velcro up around the windows looks ratchet and like shoddy work or is it ok?

How are you attaching the screen material to the Velcro if so?

I glued velcro around the frames, sewed velcro to soft screening. Have them on all 5 hatches. Those are for the summer. Then I made canvas ones for winter or for darkness in both berths. They look great, unobtrusive and switch out really easy from inside your boat. I tried to post pics but it didn't work.

[Russ]

Listen to tradrockat
My welder uses only his stick on by steel boat.
You’ll need TIG for stainless I have Miller stick / TIG suitcase tubs I’m 115AC. Works great
Nit cheap but it works. Don’t forget all the extras you’ll have to cart around mask gloves pliers etc. MiG requires gas. I don’t buy into that self contained no gas cored wire stuff. MIG plus gas is too big to have even on my 44ft Brewer.

[PaulSommers]

Originally Posted by BobLoucks

I had one that was netting weighted down by weights, it had fabric strings that tied to the handrails. see Sogeman.com

It worked great and stowed easily.

I have used the Sogeman "BugBusters" for 10 years on my companionway and forward hatch. They work great, and as the previous poster said they stow easily in black plastic cases you can stick anywhere. Works for mosquitos and small black biting bugs we have in some places in the PNW. I also used them in the tropics where the mosquito issue is serious as they can carry dengue and other diseases. For ingress/egress, you just flip the weighted edge aside, go through, and put it back. Easy peasy, no messing with snaps or velcro.

[zengirl]

Originally Posted by Russ

Listen to tradrockat
My welder uses only his stick on by steel boat.
You’ll need TIG for stainless I have Miller stick / TIG suitcase tubs I’m 115AC. Works great
Nit cheap but it works. Don’t forget all the extras you’ll have to cart around mask gloves pliers etc. MiG requires gas. I don’t buy into that self contained no gas cored wire stuff. MIG plus gas is too big to have even on my 44ft Brewer.

Was this posted in the wrong thread? Or am I missing something.

[Chris dCB]

We have had great success with Bowden cable (bicycle brake cable) outer. Angie pins a piece of mosquito screen onto a soft board (actually a piece of rigid foam insulation) then pins the cable in place, tacks the mosquito screen and finally sews it into place on her machine. She joints the cable outer with a used pop-rivet stick. The screens fit easily into Lewmar clips or just push into the small vents in the galley/heads etc.. Easily demounted when we are under way.

[Captain Puget]

When I got the boat it had old, nasty velcro to attach screens (gets gross/ discolored over time) and the glue was hard to get off). Choose to not use it again.

Check out mosquitocurtains.com. They are focused on porch coverings. Since it is not marine oriented company, no rich yacht owner tax

I got the material from them, cut it to size and used heavy duty, wide duct tape to wrap a border on the screen (lots of color options now). You can secure it by adding grommets or snaps easily. My companionway already had snaps for the Sunbrella Cover that now serve both purposes, and the fore hatch has hooks for the rainfly that serve both purposes with some bungees.

[rfinklegal]

Our sailboat came with mosquito screens on the inside of all the hatches and ports, so all we needed was for the companionway. We had a Bugbuster mosquito screen from our prior sailboat which we have been using. However, I hate trying to set it up from the inside, because the lead weights to hold it in place keep slipping and hitting me over the head and shoulders. For our companionway, our next project (already measured) we are ordering no see-um netting from Sailrite, along with Sunbrella for the edging. We will hold it in place with the twist lock fasteners on the horizontal portion, with just the bottom of the vertical portion weighted to keep it in place.

[Fortytwo]

https://www.defender.com/search.html...Port%20Screens