Companionway boards

Doug J

Doug J

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May 2, 2005
1,192
Hunter 26 Oceanside, CA
If anyone has replaced their OEM companionway boards with something new and nice looking I would love to see pictures. I'd like to get some ideas. Last weekend a crew member dropped one of the plexiglass (or whatever it is) boards overboard, never to be seen again. Of course it was not one of the wood pieces that would float! So now I have a new project. I'd like to make all new wood boards. I figure if I have to replace, I'd like to try to make it nicer than the original. I'm thinking a nice wood grain pattern. So, if anyone has pictures of your custom companionway boards, would you please post them? Thanks!
 
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pateco

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Mine were trashed when we got the boat
am420boat04.JPG


So I remade them in lightweight PVC Board
2014-09-28 09.40.39.jpg

Turned out pretty good.
2014-09-28 14.24.51.jpg
 
C

Crazy Dave Condon

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Jun 8, 2004
10,536
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Doug;
when making those companionway boards, make sure the bottom and top lips are angled upward to match each other so water will not go into the boat except for the very bottom board lip and the top board lip.
 
pateco

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Crazy Dave Condon said:
Doug;
when making those companionway boards, make sure the bottom and top lips are angled upward to match each other so water will not go into the boat except for the very bottom board lip and the top board lip.
Click to expand
I noticed that with my old boards, the angled cuts could cause the boards to wedge against each other and require a little effort to remove them. So, instead of angled cuts, I made 3/4" rabbet cuts half the thickness of the boards so that the upper board overlaps the one below by 3/4". This way the boards overlap well, but stay free in the track.
Woodworking-joint-rabete.gif


Water does not run up :)
 
flynhi4u

flynhi4u

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Oct 28, 2013
678
Hunter 20 Lake Monroe
I did the same thing Pateco. They sit nicely on top of each other.
20160824_183156.jpg

One thing I would do differently is that if your going to use wood, either epoxy the bottom edge of the bottom board or install some sort of bumper to get a small air gap between the wood and step. I did not do that and the bottom edge of the bottom board has drawn moisture up into and started to delaminate. I will have to fix that this fall when we get her home.

Sam
 
pateco

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
flynhi4u said:
I did the same thing Pateco. They sit nicely on top of each other.
One thing I would do differently is that if your going to use wood, either epoxy the bottom edge of the bottom board or install some sort of bumper to get a small air gap between the wood and step. I did not do that and the bottom edge of the bottom board has drawn moisture up into and started to delaminate. I will have to fix that this fall when we get her home.

Sam
Click to expand
Since I used PVC board, I didn't have that problem.
 
D

DJN51

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Oct 26, 2009
377
Hunter 23.5 East Chicago In
Made two sets of these ,one with screens,one with plexiglass.They have lift off split hinges and store them in abag I made.If I want i can removed strip and put OEM boards back in.
SUNP0064.JPG
SUNP0065.JPG
 
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Doug J

Doug J

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May 2, 2005
1,192
Hunter 26 Oceanside, CA
Yeah great ideas and nice looking too!

Crazy Dave, I did already cut a piece of plywood to fill the hole temporarily and I did angle cut the top and bottom, so at least it's secure and water shouldn't get in.

Pateco, I like your suggestion of the rabbet cuts, makes sense.

Sam, yours is in line with what I was thinking. I like the idea of beautiful wood grain that matches up from board to board.
I was thinking of putting a small window in the second board down.

DJN51, I really wasn't considering two hinged doors, but yours looks so nice, I may need to give it some thought.

I hate that now my boat is missing a OEM part. I know finding a replacement will be next to impossible. Unless someone has the second board down (plexiglass) for a H26 they want to part with! :)
I usually like things relatively stock. But seeing what you guys have done makes me feel like I may end up being happier with a custom companionway, better than OEM. Just another project to add to the list.

Did you guys upgrade yours because you weren't crazy about the factory boards? Or did one get lost like mine?
 
pateco

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Doug J said:
Yeah great ideas and nice looking too!
Pateco, I like your suggestion of the rabbet cuts, makes sense.
Did you guys upgrade yours because you weren't crazy about the factory boards? Or did one get lost like mine?
Click to expand
My boat was abandoned for multiple years in downtown Baltimore, and at some point it was broken into. I wish I had the original teak, but maybe in the future I can afford to replace with nice wood instead of PVC board.
 
Paladin27

Paladin27

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Jul 26, 2010
140
Hunter 23 South Haven, MI
Not a 26, but my Hunter 23 companionway hatch boards were pretty shot and most of my teak was looking bad and cracked so I hired a friend of mine who is a cabinet maker to build all new teak pieces for everything. He said some of the pieces on the boat weren't teak to begin with though... dunno if it was replaced at some point prior to my ownership or if Hunter cut corners. ;-) I did find out that teak is NOT cheap!

Since we were replacing everything including the tiller... he and I designed new lift out doors for the companionway because I HATED trying to get out of the boat with those stupid hatch boards to go to the marina bathroom at 4am. :)





 
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Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

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Jul 7, 2004
8,542
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Doug J said:
Oh Yeah! Those swing out doors are awesome looking!
Click to expand
if you mean the zarcors, yeah they are gorgeous. A couple boats in the club have them. The inserts are changeable. Screen and clear panels come with them.
 
Doug J

Doug J

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May 2, 2005
1,192
Hunter 26 Oceanside, CA
Yeah, those Zarcors look like the ultimate. But I was also referring to Paladin27. I'm a little partial to wood with the natural grain look.

I decided to go the easy route and keep the boat stock. I found a place here in San Diego that can make a new plexiglass piece for me. I don't know the price yet, but if affordable I will have both plexiglass boards replaced. The one I have left is scratched up pretty good, so new ones would be nice. I have tried to cut plexiglass before and didn't get the results I wanted. So I figure I'll have professionals do it. I expect the boards to be just like factory.

Maybe someday I'll make some of those hinged doors. For now I'll keep it stock. I like the Hunter look!

download.jpg
 
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Mary Farrelly

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Nov 8, 2015
4
Catalina 25 Patrick Air Force Base Fla
New to the forum yet I have refurbished the original teak entry way panels. I use epoxy to hold pieces together . which works well. My top piece has vents pointing down for no rain entry. Also reinforced the frame and edges for secure fit. Heat just may expand a little here in FL but it works. I have pics somewhere will look
 
dehler25

dehler25

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Sep 10, 2012
231
Hunter 450 Gulfport, Florida
The cost for manufactured doors was high to me, so I crafted these for about $60 hooray for Marine Surplus Starboard. They only have one set of inserts as I decided to skip the complication of making the m removable. I did keep the hatch boards as they are far better for lockable security and the doors are far more convenient.
 

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Doug4bass

Doug4bass

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Jun 9, 2004
615
Catalina 385 Marquette. Mi
Dont have a pic, but my C-270 came with OEM gray Starboard boards, and I really liked them. They were 2 piece.
 
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