looking for low-buck solution to making a companionway screen.
Any insight / pictures or your solutions would be great.
thanks,
Any insight / pictures or your solutions would be great.
thanks,
anyone make their own companionway screens?
- Thread starter iSailor
- Start date
A yard or two of this netting might do your companionway & a forward hatch.
http://www.sailrite.com/Mosquito-Netting-Gray-54
Adhesive backed Velcro can be used to hold in place.
http://www.sailrite.com/Mosquito-Netting-Gray-54
Adhesive backed Velcro can be used to hold in place.
I used about 1 yard of netting tacked to a frame made of lattice strips and screen door strips. I made the lattice into a trapezoid to fit with angle brackets on each corner, then used screen door strip to staple/secure the screen to the frame. Finished it off with one screen door strip diagonal to add rigidity to the frame. The one piece frame drops in perfectly. Next I am going to make the same thing as a top slide, but for now, I just slide the lid closed so the companionway acts as a big window.
Attachments
I did the 1" white stick on Velcro and netting as well. It works well.
One thing I plan on doing is sewing a strip of folded material along the edges to give it a finished look.
No pictures as without the finished edge it looks kind of hillbilly cheap.
One thing I plan on doing is sewing a strip of folded material along the edges to give it a finished look.
No pictures as without the finished edge it looks kind of hillbilly cheap.
Here is an easy sewing project from sailrite for a companion way screen. http://www.sailrite.com/How-to-Make-a-Companionway-Cover-Video
I will be making one simular after finishing a few other projects on the bench. It serves as a screen and protects natural hatch boards as well. You can roll it up and store it easily, which is essential for small boats like ours. If you don't already sew, get a machine and start making your own custom products. Nothing like it! :dance:
jimmyb
I will be making one simular after finishing a few other projects on the bench. It serves as a screen and protects natural hatch boards as well. You can roll it up and store it easily, which is essential for small boats like ours. If you don't already sew, get a machine and start making your own custom products. Nothing like it! :dance:
jimmyb
We have a drop in companionway screen it works well except for quick access.
On a buggy night you have to remove the whole thing to go in or out - big hole open for winged varmits.
So we went with just loose baggy screen material with a rod at the top and a rod at the bottom. Pickup the lower rod for access and just drop behind you. It's not as pretty but we prefer the function.
On a buggy night you have to remove the whole thing to go in or out - big hole open for winged varmits.
So we went with just loose baggy screen material with a rod at the top and a rod at the bottom. Pickup the lower rod for access and just drop behind you. It's not as pretty but we prefer the function.
I cut a piece of bug screen a couple of inches larger than the hatch. Sewed (just wrapped thread around rope and netting) an old sheet around the edges and it works perfectly, just like the one for sale that is the same idea. About $3.50, if you don't count the old, used line. However, my sheets are 1", so if yours are a bit lighter, you might want to pick up some heavier line, but it certainly doesn't need to be hi-quality dacron or anything expensive.
Yep- sure have.Work great. I cut a rings of plywood to shape, cut out the center, stapled screen to that, then screwed on some varnished trim on each side. Two screens here. If you make them the same size as the solid washboards, you can use one, and use the solid wash board as the other, top or bottom, as needed.
You only need to unscrew trim from one side to replace screen. I used fiberglass screening
You only need to unscrew trim from one side to replace screen. I used fiberglass screening
Attachments
I'm currently sewing up a companionway screen with fiberglass screening and finished cloth edges. I installed some snap fittings to match the existing snaps on my companionway so that I can easily remove it and roll it up for storage. Sorry, no pictures at the moment....
We did the same for our small boat, using 3/16" plywood, some trim to hold the screen as described, and a horizontal cross-member to protect the screen a bit and as a handle. We also made a box frame to fill the top part, and put screen on that. And of course a screen for the front hatch.
With the dodger up, we have lots of cabin ventilation even when it rains.
This arrangement has stood up to intermittent use for about 5 years now.
I'm thinking of remaking the single companionway screen as two pieces, to make it more sturdy and easier to stow.
On Starbright, we fabricated a "soft" version by sewing fiberglass window screen in to a hem, or 'frame' of 2" wide sunbrella. Attached the hanging screen to the companionway cover with snaps and enclosed a length of chain in the bottom hem to provide weight. Now the screen hangs over the companionway and easily lifts out of the way for access, or we can simply open the slider and the screen follows it in to the cabin. When it needs to be out of the way altogether, we just roll it up and tuck on top of the slider behind the teak strip it is snapped to.
Also added a solid sunbrella cover over the screen, held on by velcro strips sewed in to the hem of the screen. Serves as a quick hide when we don't want to insert the hatch boards.
Also added a solid sunbrella cover over the screen, held on by velcro strips sewed in to the hem of the screen. Serves as a quick hide when we don't want to insert the hatch boards.
We simple bought a 'screen blanket' as West Marine many years ago. It is about 3ft by 6ft or so with weights, sewed in cloth around the entire perimeter, with ties at corners at one end. We simple lay it over the entire companionway, tie off the froward end to the port and starboard handles. When we need to go in or out we simple lift up one of the lower aft corners and then just lay in back. It is call bug busters, her is the link to their page http://www.sogeman.com/bugbusters-companionway-screens.html
I will be making one or two for my O'Day 25 with netting, some hem fabric, and some weights. I was thinking fishing sinkers would do nicely. Could probably do it for around $25. Really cannot justify the prices that are charged for these retail....
My 192 had loop Velcro already installed all the way around the inside of the hatch slider and drop boards. I bought no-see-um mesh from Campmor at $7/yard http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___61001 Then I rolled the edges over twice to make a nice hem with 1" seam allowances, and sewed 5/16" Velcro hook to it. I sourced that from cut to length rolls at JoAnn fabrics. Check their iPhone app for 50% off one item coupons.
It came out great.
For the forward hatch, I'm using a Waterline Designs screen: http://www.waterlinedesign.se/en/mosquito-nets/mosquito-net-for-hatches.html
I have found the stock cord lock to tighten the screen to the inside of the hatch rim didn't grip hard enough, so I replaced with a stiffer spring version from REI. http://www.rei.com/product/848877/gear-aid-ellipse-toggle-cord-locks
Brian
It came out great.
For the forward hatch, I'm using a Waterline Designs screen: http://www.waterlinedesign.se/en/mosquito-nets/mosquito-net-for-hatches.html
I have found the stock cord lock to tighten the screen to the inside of the hatch rim didn't grip hard enough, so I replaced with a stiffer spring version from REI. http://www.rei.com/product/848877/gear-aid-ellipse-toggle-cord-locks
Brian
I bought the extruded screen frame at Lowes, and some bug proof screen material. Along with four L-shaped corner pieces and the rubber strip to hold the screen in the groove. There is enough give in the corners to allow angles to the sides. Less than 20 bucks and you have a solid screen like in a house window that slides right in the companionway. I used the same materials to make solid screens for each opening hatch and used sticky back Velcro on each piece to hold those in place. Then for my dorade vents I bought sink screen strainers that fit and used double sided Velcro to install those. No more mud wasps in the boat and no mosquitos or no see ums. To close the hatches just yank down the screens. Very inexpensive and simple to make. You just need a hacksaw to cut the extrusions and a roller to roll the rubber strip in the frame. Some scissors to cut the screen and a tape measure and pen to mark the cut lines.
Roll-up, easy-store screen
We have been using a novel screen design for our companionway. It consists of two 1 X 2 pieces of wood with a piece of screen in between. The top piece of wood is sized and notched to fit across and into the drop-board slots at the very top of the companionway and it fits tightly under the aft end of the companionway hatch when it is closed. The bottom piece of wood slips into the slots at the very bottom of the companionway. A piece of flexible screen is tacked between the two wooden supports and is cut wide enough to overlap the sides of the companionway. We usually stuff the extra screen into the side slots to hold it in place or you could use a strip of foam gasket material. A strip of foam gasket makes a good seal at the top of the screen and under the sliding companionway hatch. When not in use, the whole thing rolls up and is easy to store. Of course, you have to close the overhead companionway sliding hatch to seal the opening against bugs.
This is a good winter project since it takes some time and careful cutting to get the top piece to fit tightly across the top of the companionway. I have finished and varnished the wood to match the teak on the boat.
We have been using a novel screen design for our companionway. It consists of two 1 X 2 pieces of wood with a piece of screen in between. The top piece of wood is sized and notched to fit across and into the drop-board slots at the very top of the companionway and it fits tightly under the aft end of the companionway hatch when it is closed. The bottom piece of wood slips into the slots at the very bottom of the companionway. A piece of flexible screen is tacked between the two wooden supports and is cut wide enough to overlap the sides of the companionway. We usually stuff the extra screen into the side slots to hold it in place or you could use a strip of foam gasket material. A strip of foam gasket makes a good seal at the top of the screen and under the sliding companionway hatch. When not in use, the whole thing rolls up and is easy to store. Of course, you have to close the overhead companionway sliding hatch to seal the opening against bugs.
This is a good winter project since it takes some time and careful cutting to get the top piece to fit tightly across the top of the companionway. I have finished and varnished the wood to match the teak on the boat.
Attachments
We use 1/2 cpvc pipe and fittings which slide into pockets sewn into fiberglas screen. The pipe fits in the grooves for the companion way boards. We have a sliding hatch above the companionway that a separate screen built the same way fits.
The cpvc is flexible enough to fit the tapered angle. I used 45 ells near the bottom with a short piece of pipe to fit the radius there. Wife hand sewed the screen with long stitches.
Everything breaks down and rolls up in tight roll for storage.
Had to use copper ells at top end to squeeze into groove.
The cpvc is flexible enough to fit the tapered angle. I used 45 ells near the bottom with a short piece of pipe to fit the radius there. Wife hand sewed the screen with long stitches.
Everything breaks down and rolls up in tight roll for storage.
Had to use copper ells at top end to squeeze into groove.
+1 on the Sogeman bugbusters. They can be purchased on this site. They aren't cheap but work really well.
http://shop.hunterowners.com/cat.php?17159/Ventilation
Our previous boat had a camper canvas and we just draped a mosquito net over it and let it drape over the companion way door. Not elegant, but cheap and got the job done.
http://shop.hunterowners.com/cat.php?17159/Ventilation
Our previous boat had a camper canvas and we just draped a mosquito net over it and let it drape over the companion way door. Not elegant, but cheap and got the job done.