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Old 20-04-2010, 15:22   #1
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Companionway Sliding Hatch Ideas

Well..It's time to replace my sliding hatch in the companionway. I just had a new companionway door made up, out of some 3/4 material that looks like white starboard, only more rigid and it has some clear windows in it as well...

I need to rebuild my companionway hatch (typical slider) and was considering options that would make it more "water tight". Has anyone replaced their sliding hatch with one that does not slide but simply has a hinge on one end or side that allows it to be raised like a normal hatch and dogged down as well? Almost like a hinged lid on a box.. I really hate the water that comes in when the wind pipes up, and thought that having a clear hatch embedded within a wooden or aluminum frame that is simply hinged would be much simplier, more secure and less likely to let water in. BTW My sailboat has a pilothouse, with boom vang, so the boom is not an issue....

Any thoughts?
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Old 20-04-2010, 17:25   #2
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I built the sliding hatch on my last boat. It slid on a track and just before it hit the closed position it dropped into a recess so the whole hatch dropped about an inch compressing a rubber seal. It was virtually waterproof.
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Old 20-04-2010, 18:16   #3
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I labored over the same issue for way too long, so I hope what I have to offer helps. Your mention of water coming in when the wind pipes up tells me you may not have a sea hood over your sliding hatch. Regardless, tell us more about what you do have. that may be a good place to start.

My boat had no sea hood. I basically turned the old sliding hatch into a sea hood and made a new hatch out of 1/2 poly. Strong and slides much easier than the other options I experimented with. The new sea hood keeps out the bulk of the water and the way I designed the rest of it pretty well shingles out the rest. And it all came out more handsome than I'd hoped for.
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Old 21-04-2010, 00:08   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by forsailbyowner View Post
I built the sliding hatch on my last boat. It slid on a track and just before it hit the closed position it dropped into a recess so the whole hatch dropped about an inch compressing a rubber seal. It was virtually waterproof.
Very nice idea; I suppose you can dog down the sliding hatch onto the rubber, or is it a friction fit (any chance of a photo?).

Another thing that can allow water in when in southern ocean or Biscay conditions, is the interface between the sliding hatch and the traditional washboards. A bit of a knockdown and you'd get quite a few gallons through that gap. My batteries are low down, I don't want them wet. Forsailbyowner and Minggat, did either of you try to mitigate that?

Martin
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Old 21-04-2010, 04:48   #5
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Thanks - Here is a similiar hatch. Same rails

I'll take some pictures this evening and post them online tomorrow. For now, the attached picture is of a sister ship that has the same hatch arrangement as I have.
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Old 21-04-2010, 18:10   #6
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A good friend of mine had a similar arrangement on her Fuji. She looked and looked for a sea hood from the local yacht salvage and anywhere else she could think of. She finally went for a new from scratch sea hood out of teak. It turned out absolutely beautiful. She lost the boat and nearly some lives off of Catalina Island last year. Heartbreaking.

But you already have a pilot house over yours? Would a sea hood even fit? Does the hatch slide outside of the pilot house?

Pics.... pics....
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