Your Favorite Companionway

[tropicalescape]

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.

MAN THATS A SWEET HATCH REALLY NICE WORK!I WANT ONE NOW.. JUST LIKE YOURS ..HOW MUCH?

[Cheechako]

Sliding door, one step down, Catamaran!

[barnakiel]

Boards. I like the companionway to be recessed, unfortunately this is not the case on our boat.

b.

[tropicalescape]

MY BOAT HAS TWO HATCH BOARDS AND ONE TEAK FRAMED SCREEN FOR THE BUGS AND THE SAME TYPE SCREEN FOR THE FORWARD HATCH WORKS GREAT AND FOR THE NOSEEUMS THAT GET IN I SPRAY THE SCREEN WITH A LITTLE OFF AND THEY WILL NOT COME IN FOR A WHILE..ZANN MANN SAYS OR SAID AS THE CASE MAY BE IN HIS BOOK FAIR WINDS AND FAR PLACES TO SPRAY THE SCREEN W/DIESAL FUEL..YUK..BUT SAID THAT HE WOULD SEE THE LITTLE BUGGERS ON THE DECK DEAD THE NEXT MOURNING SO IT MUST WORK.DVC

[James S]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

MAN THATS A SWEET HATCH REALLY NICE WORK!I WANT ONE NOW.. JUST LIKE YOURS ..HOW MUCH?

Thanks for the kind words...I really like these kind of projects.

There is a bug screen option as part of the plan...its simple second track and screened frame that slides up and down next to the door...I havent done it yet as I have no bug problem here.......so far!

[w1651]

I'm redoing my companion way with boards. My main reason is for security. I wanted to be sure if someone does want to get in they would have to work to do it. I am using 2 pieces of 3/4 hard wood with 1/2 bevel on both sides. I will cut a small hole for a very insignificant vent to keep some air flowing through it.As well as a very stout lock to latch it all shut.
I am replacing the trim wood as well and I am lining the companionway with 1/8 galvanized steel between the trim and the companion way edges.
I will use 4 bolts per side to hold the trim and metal in place and they will be stainless with a large safety head on them that lies flush with the trim. You will have to get inside to unbolt the trim as the outer heads will have no way to grip them. The real strenght is in the 1/8 galvanized steel lining that will not give way unless really stressed.
When I need to open the companionway to get comfortable I will velcro screening inside the companionway to keep out the lil buggers. if anyone comes onboard they will have me to contend with.

Am I paranoid or what?

[daddle]

Originally Posted by w1651

...1/8 galvanized steel lining...

Yes, paranoid. When the crooks come they will bring a crowbar. They will pry at things until they get in or go away. The damage will be extreme if it's impossible to get in easily. My suggestion is to do just enough to keep wandering cruisers out. Such as an easily pried off padlock hasp. I've seen thousands of dollars worth of companionway woodwork destroyed just to get a bottle of rum.

[zeehag]

i better teach bubba to go for the throat......


this hissing and waving claws in the air just dont cut it......

[Ironhorse74]

Mine has doors, with a groove just forward of them for boards. That way I can use the doors in the marina. Slide them off and use boards at sea. Best of both worlds. Besides the doors and the hatch boards, she also came with a single piece tinted glass, with a wood upper edge. Really can't figure out why I would want to put that in. Zee got me thinking. I ought to build a one piece screen to slide in place when I want to keep the bugs out.

[SabreKai]

Espie had a very nice small door. The measurements were something like 20 inches wide, by about 17 inches high. It was hinged on one side and the other side had the lock in it. It was a very nice set up and I liked it. It was tied open with a piece of bungee cord and worked well. The design was such that you could body slam it and get nothing more than a bruised shoulder. NO way a breaking wave would get through that one. It was 1 inch thick mahogany.



Sabre Dance has a single panel lift out. Its pretty thin, and I would think it wouldn't hold up against a boarding sea as well as Espies. I may change it. Somewhere in the distant future.


Sabre

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by daddle

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

Yes, I have a sliding patio door.

Yes a breaking wave could enter my cockpit. However I dont have a big lump of lead holding me down, and do have a lot of bouyancy at the stern, plus a double glazed door anyway. I also have some major sized drains in the cockpit.

[Boracay]

I laminated together some washboards for security with a door lock for Boracay.

When we are inside and need ventilation the bottom two are replaced by a Crimsafe security flyscreen.

[James S]

Good pictures...nice looking set-up.

[Jim Cate]

FWIW,

If all you want is mozzie protection and your boat has slide-in hatch boards, it is very easy to build a screen. Places like Bunnings (in Oz) or Home Depot in the states have light weight aluminium extrusions designed for household window screens. Also have various sorts of screen material. Cheap, easy to work with... just make up a frame with the same dimensions as your boards, use the spline material to secure the screen into the frame and Bob's your uncle.

The stuff isn't physically robust, but ours has lasted 8 years of frequent use. I suspect that some searching in the same stores would reveal stronger material that would do as a security screen as well.

A final note: When we first set out we had heard about the No-Nos in French Polynesia -- that they were voracious and could fly straight through normal screening. So, we bought some fairly dear "No-Seeum netting" from a camping supply store. It looked like regular fly screen with three additional very fine strands across each opening. It did indeed keep the little bastards out... but totally cut out air movement as well. We could have simply closed the hatches and had about the same effect!

Spraying your screens with various deterants does help, but enough of them get through to cause distress in the Admiral. We're still looking for a truly effective method.

Cheers,

Jim

[zeehag]

iwas thinking of placing skeeter netting on a nice set of doors made from something similar to MarkJ's security screen........ with internal and external locking abilities....just need the supplies and worker to get it done....