Dorade covers?

[fred1diver]

Hello everyone, quick question, has anyone seen a dorade end cover?
I have a customer who wants a cover with screen, he tells me that there is nothing preventing bugs and other entering the cabin from the dorade,.
He wants a cover that he can open and close to prevent water and more entering ( yes he has dorade boxes for the water)
A simple screen is easy to make, I am just wondering about the cover?
Any ideas?
Any pictures of an existing model?

 

[dLj]

Hello everyone, quick question, has anyone seen a dorade end cover?
I have a customer who wants a cover with screen, he tells me that there is nothing preventing bugs and other entering the cabin from the dorade,.
He wants a cover that he can open and close to prevent water and more entering ( yes he has dorade boxes for the water)
A simple screen is easy to make, I am just wondering about the cover?
Any ideas?
Any pictures of an existing model?

Rather than a cover, I've seen screens put on the air tube inside the dorade box for this exact problem. I've also seen them out on the inside but those seem to be more fussy for several reasons. The better method I've seen is a screen on the top of the tube inside the dorade box. But it does depend upon the dorado design. Some designs this can't work.

Just food for thought.

dj

p.s. edited due to what either was a typo or some silly autocorrect....

 

[fred1diver]

Tu at is what I was thinking as well, I am waiting on my customer to get a better idea on what he wants, but that is basically what I was going to propose to him for the screen issue
Thank you so much

 

[PaulK]

It almost sounds like your customer doesn't know what a Dorade is or how it works. It sounds like he wants a cover on the outside air funnel. Or perhaps he has a funnel (without a Dorade box) and is calling it a Dorade by mistake because he thinks all air funnels are Dorades.

 

[dlochner]

Cut a circular frame from ¼" wood. Do this by using 2 hole saws one larger than the opening in the cabin and the second the size of the opening. Glue some screen over the hole and screw the whole thing to the ceiling inside the cabin. Use a nice bronze or brass screw.

If he has a proper dorade box, then he doesn't need a cover to keep water out, it will naturally drain out of the box.

Edit: The easiest way to prevent any water from entering or air flow is to turn the vent so the opening is facing downwind. This will keep driving rain out and will tend to draw air out of the cabin and not push air down into the cabin.

 

[capta]

Our dorade boxes had bronze screw in caps where the funnels screw in, for when we went offshore. When we removed the dorade boxes from the deck, for refinishing, we often changed the screens taped over the top of the tube going below.
At the very least, you should turn the funnels aft, so any water coming on deck, won't be funneled below, even on a day sail. That's all part of doing things properly, even when day sailing, like dogging all the ports and hatches. It only takes one wave from a powerboat wake, to do considerable damage below. If I don't have a good dodger on the boat I'm sailing, I will also keep the main companionway hatch closed at all times. Better safe (and probably hot & stuffy below) than sorry.