Antigua 37: What Does Your Salon Door Look Like ?

[Ti' Punch]

Due to a recent problem with thieves, I'm looking to upgrade the salon door on my 1990 FP Antigua 37. The current door is basically just a 1/4" piece of plexiglass in an aluminum frame. Only one panel slides. The other side is fixed. There are no rollers or anything, strictly friction sliding along the frame. There is no way to secure or lock it at this time. I'm thinking of just putting on a hasp and padlock as a temporary measure, but that would look pretty cheesy.

I'm looking for something similar to a modern, lockable sliding patio door with double pane glass and a screen. After being laughed at by all of the local "custom" door manufacturers in the area, I thought why not ask owners of newer FP's what the factory is putting in now.

How about it? Does anybody know who is manufacturing the doors for the Mahe' or Oranas? Are they similar to what I'm looking for, or would I be disappointed with them as well?

Thanks,

Chris

[anjou]

Can you continue using the existing frame but put in toughened or laminated glass?

[Ti' Punch]

If I was just looking to replace the existing plexiglass with something a little stronger, that could probably work. What I'm really after though is something with rollers to make opening and closing easier as well as something with enough width to allow a proper locking mechanism to be installed. I should have gotten myself up to the sailboat show to see what the newer boats are doing, but just couldn't make it this weekend. Thanks for responding though.

[DotDun]

The first thing I think of when you mention rollers, is how fast the door would open or close when you hit the first big wave at the end of the channel and it wasn't latched (open or closed)! OUCH! if you had any fingers in the way! The friction slides (nylon on aluminum) on the Belize add resistance, but are very livable.

[Sonosailor]

I, too, have trouble with the door. Two problems, in my case. First, in the Caribbean, the door needs to be open to allow air through the boat, but it also needs to be a reasonable barrier to the thieving buggers who swim out to the boat at night. To solve this, I drilled a small hole from the inside, near the floor, through the door, such that the door can be pegged with a 1/4 inch bolt at approximately four inches open. Yes, a real bad person can beat or shoot his way in, but at least he is slowed down; and the more real threat - those who only want a quick snatch and grab - are truly slowed down or stopped.

The other problem is that my 1995 catamaran is slowly eroding the bottom of the plexiglass door; and now there is aluminum parts of the door that are scraping along the frame. I have just found a 1/8" thick bit of teflon tape here in New Brunswick, which would allow the door to move along much easier, without further abbrasion, and would also raise the door so that aluminum no longer drags along aluminum; but a one inch wide by 20 feet piece of it (the smallest available) costs $200, and requires a full day of driving from our home. I'm just thinking about that.

Any other ideas or sources of teflon out there?

[Ti' Punch]

Sonosailor, I had totally forgotten about posting this thread. I was just browsing the forum and thought, hey here's a thread about salon doors, maybe there is something I can use here. Imagine my surprise when I opened it up and found my own posts from two years ago.

I never did find a replacement door. I jury-rigged a hasp and padlock system that is ugly but effective for securing the door. I'm going to look into your teflon tape suggestion for improving the ease of opening and closing.

Thanks for a good laugh.

[Sonosailor]

Ti' Punch: Try this:

Buy Slick Strips 3 4 Width 1 32 Thick at Woodcraft

They have a number of products that might work, and I have ordered two to try.

Btw, if you like ti' punch, try a product called Shrubb, made by a number of Martinique distillers, La Mauny's being our favourite.

[rtbates]

sliding glass doors on a sailboat? For some reason that just doesn't sound right. FYI, a bb gun can and will shatter them.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by rtbates

sliding glass doors on a sailboat? For some reason that just doesn't sound right. FYI, a bb gun can and will shatter them.

A BB can shatter 1/4" plexi? You must have a badass BB gun...

[Ti' Punch]

Sonosailor, thanks for both tips! We inherited the name when we bought the boat. We thought about changing it, but it was the original commissioning name from when the boat was new, so we decided to just live with it. It has grown on us over time. I will definitely give Shrubb a try, and the slick strips too.

[Ti' Punch]

Originally Posted by rtbates

FYI, a bb gun can and will shatter them.

I'll take your word for it. I had a hell of a time getting a drill bit through them to install the new hasp for the lock. Based on your statement though, I'm going to do my best to avoid getting caught up in any BB gun wars in the near future just to be safe.

[micah719]

One blog I saw showed a custom grille made of stainless rod that slipped into the drop board slots...security and ventilation in one. Another solution I saw was a vertical sliding companion hatch, no drop boards at all.

My design notes call for bisalloy companion hatches and hinged stainless grilles, use depending on climate and necessity. Nice to be behind something that keeps bullets out if needed...the vermin can huff and puff and dodge their own ricochets outside, while little piggy No. 3 (me) is figuring out a suitable response. Making the hatches will be a pain, but worth it. Mental note....never lock the keys in, or lose the key overboard or ashore....chewing through the hull to get back in would be embarassing.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by micah719

One blog I saw showed a custom grille made of stainless rod that slipped into the drop board slots...security and ventilation in one. Another solution I saw was a vertical sliding companion hatch, no drop boards at all.

My design notes call for bisalloy companion hatches and hinged stainless grilles, use depending on climate and necessity. Nice to be behind something that keeps bullets out if needed...the vermin can huff and puff and dodge their own ricochets outside, while little piggy No. 3 (me) is figuring out a suitable response. Making the hatches will be a pain, but worth it. Mental note....never lock the keys in, or lose the key overboard or ashore....chewing through the hull to get back in would be embarassing.

Average thickness of a steel hull is 3/16" or less. Often less for topsides. No way that will stop even the smallest bullet. This is a fallacy I have heard repeated many times from steel boat owners. "Its bullet proof!" Please shoot at it first before making this claim, someone might actually believe it and get themselves killed...

[micah719]

Most parts of the hull will not be bulletproof. The hatches of 8mm bisalloy, with a couple of cleverly placed & angled panels in a couple of other spots to provide basic protection zones against low level threats. Not a pocket battleship, just a safe home that lowlifes will find just too much trouble to bother with.

[Sonosailor]

Ti'Punch:

After rereading this thread from the start, I realize I didn't answer all original questions.

Cat Tales, a 1995 Tobago, has a deadbolt-type lock that places the flat bolt behind a plate screwed to the top track. The keyed control sticks out through the door. I'll try to get a pic to you after we return to the boat on late November. Can't say it is a factory install or not.