Magnetic door stoppers

[nuru05]

we currently have the old style hook and eye bolt door stoppers/catches but our 7 year old is unable to operate them because they are too high. Does anyone know where we can buy those nice new magnetic ones all the manufacturers are using? The ones that have a shock absorber built in?

[Cheechako]

I dont. They are available as hardware store items though. Magnets do rust eventually though.
They are very strong, require a pretty good pull.

[nuru05]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I dont. They are available as hardware store items though. Magnets do rust eventually though.
They are very strong, require a pretty good pull.

I've seen various ones at hardware stores but I can't find the ones that have the nice spring shock absorbers built in

[AiniA]

I got some on Amazon.

[Rumrace]

Lee Valley Hardware

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by nuru05

we currently have the old style hook and eye bolt door stoppers/catches but our 7 year old is unable to operate them because they are too high. Does anyone know where we can buy those nice new magnetic ones all the manufacturers are using? The ones that have a shock absorber built in?

Borrowing an idea from the Orca thread, you could also get ones with shockers on them to deter 7 year old from coming in when mommy is on the pot.

[accomplice]

We found these latches on eBay 8 years ago.
https://southco.com/en_us_int/latche...window-holders

We have been happy with them. I have not found the lack of a spring to be an issue; however, in very rough conditions I also attach the hook/eye latch to hold the door open.

[Nekton73]

Just a thought, adding door stop magnets to your vessel will impact your steering compass. Same goes for audio speakers, a common cockpit or saloon addition, or any ferrous material for that matter.


If you have a remote fluxgate compass nearby (for your autohelm say) that would also be affected.


I was amazed one day to find my boat veering off course as I was motoring merrily along on a calm windless day with my ancient autohelm 2000 in control. (It can't hold a course with any real wind up but it's good enough for motoring.) I leaped back to the wheel only to have the boat veer back on course. "What the..?" I thought. Took me a bit to figure out I had been leaning against the head unit (which has a self contained fluxgate compass) with my phone in my pocket pressed up against it. Although small, that was enough to send it spinning. I tried bringing my phone close to my steering compass, same result. My phone now has a dedicated spot just inside the companionway where I can reach it if I need it.



If you do go ahead with adding magnets, and still want to have an accurate steering compass for 'just in case' you may want to swing it and update your deviation card afterwards. I have since done that with all my electronics on board, turned on, and in their usual homes.

[accomplice]

Originally Posted by Nekton73

Just a thought, adding door stop magnets to your vessel will impact your steering compass. Same goes for audio speakers, a common cockpit or saloon addition, or any ferrous material for that matter.

The general guideline (& NMEA) is to keep anything magnetic at least 3' away from a compass. Our closest magnetic door stop is over 12' away and has no discernable effect on the compass.

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by Nekton73

Just a thought, adding door stop magnets to your vessel will impact your steering compass. Same goes for audio speakers, a common cockpit or saloon addition, or any ferrous material for that matter.


If you have a remote fluxgate compass nearby (for your autohelm say) that would also be affected.


I was amazed one day to find my boat veering off course as I was motoring merrily along on a calm windless day with my ancient autohelm 2000 in control. (It can't hold a course with any real wind up but it's good enough for motoring.) I leaped back to the wheel only to have the boat veer back on course. "What the..?" I thought. Took me a bit to figure out I had been leaning against the head unit (which has a self contained fluxgate compass) with my phone in my pocket pressed up against it. Although small, that was enough to send it spinning. I tried bringing my phone close to my steering compass, same result. My phone now has a dedicated spot just inside the companionway where I can reach it if I need it.



If you do go ahead with adding magnets, and still want to have an accurate steering compass for 'just in case' you may want to swing it and update your deviation card afterwards. I have since done that with all my electronics on board, turned on, and in their usual homes.

Phones and iPhone in particular have very strong magnets in them

[nuru05]

Originally Posted by Nekton73

Just a thought, adding door stop magnets to your vessel will impact your steering compass. Same goes for audio speakers, a common cockpit or saloon addition, or any ferrous material for that matter.


If you have a remote fluxgate compass nearby (for your autohelm say) that would also be affected.


I was amazed one day to find my boat veering off course as I was motoring merrily along on a calm windless day with my ancient autohelm 2000 in control. (It can't hold a course with any real wind up but it's good enough for motoring.) I leaped back to the wheel only to have the boat veer back on course. "What the..?" I thought. Took me a bit to figure out I had been leaning against the head unit (which has a self contained fluxgate compass) with my phone in my pocket pressed up against it. Although small, that was enough to send it spinning. I tried bringing my phone close to my steering compass, same result. My phone now has a dedicated spot just inside the companionway where I can reach it if I need it.



If you do go ahead with adding magnets, and still want to have an accurate steering compass for 'just in case' you may want to swing it and update your deviation card afterwards. I have since done that with all my electronics on board, turned on, and in their usual homes.

I never would have thought of that. We do have one, but all the electronics are getting replaced next month so it will be gone.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by nuru05

I never would have thought of that. We do have one, but all the electronics are getting replaced next month so it will be gone.

I'd be surprised if your new electronics don't also have a compass so be careful where you put the magnets (and other metal items. This spring a new propane water heater messed up our B&G compass and we had to move it.)