Custom screen hatch board

[chriscampbell]

I made this screen hatch board to replace the top board when we’re camping out on the boat. We got to try it out this weekend and it worked great.

 

[DArcy]

That looks nice. How did you attach the screen to the frame, did you cut a groove and use a spline or fasten it with a backing strip?

 

[chriscampbell]

That looks nice. How did you attach the screen to the frame, did you cut a groove and use a spline or fasten it with a backing strip?

My original plan was to rabbet the back like a picture frame and silicon it in with little retainer strips. But, I decided that would be a pain in the butt to replace when the screen inevitably gets damaged. In the end I decided to just glue the screen to the back surface, similar to the screen under the starboard lazarette.

 

[patbratton]

Very nicely done. I will have to copy it.

 

[chriscampbell]

Very nicely done. I will have to copy it.

@patbratton Pro tip - I think those hatch boards are custom fitted at the factory. At least in my case the board was not symmetrical. I drew around it on a piece of cardboard to make a template, and labeled the "outside" surface so I could keep track of the orientation. Mine is about a half inch shorter on one side.