Head Door "Sticks"

May 7, 2018
6
Catalina 315 043 Wickford, RI
The head door on my 2015 C315 will not close - it binds at the top center. The door on the opposite hanging locker will close but has a milder version of the same problem. Can the tops of these doors be planed or are they a veneer that's too thin for that?
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Is boat in the water? Is the rig too tight? Are you experiencing unusual humidity? Doors that used to close and don't any longer are sometimes caused by one of the three reasons listed above. Others may have other reasons. Planing the door is a last resort.
 
Oct 3, 2011
825
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
The Door to our Forward berth does not and has not closed all the way since we have owned her and I was told that there was a problem with the settling of the coach roof and one owner put a floor jack under neath to jack it up so it would close!
 
Jan 17, 2013
439
Catalina 310 St. Simons Island, GA
The door to our V berth did not close when we bought the boat. Not sure why the surveyor missed it except that he was terrible... Anyway we verified the rigging was OK and not too tight (had a rigger inspect it) and then I planed it down so it closed easily. Doesn't matter now because we removed the door and have no plans to use it again. Same with the large salon table and the aft cabin cushions.
 
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Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
Definitely make sure the boat is in the water for a while before making any adjustments. When My boat is on the hard, the bilge hatch does not sit level, but is fine in the water. Same could be true for doors, cabinets, etc.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I posted on another thread about a crew member on my friend’s Tartan 37, who got stuck in the head. She texted the cockpit to get help to get out. Well I was sailing this week and got stuck in the head of the very same boat! As I was banging in the door I had the realization that it was head door in the story. I had no cell phone so I opened the window and Hollerred at the cockpit. The owner came and showed me the trick. The other crew guy on board did the same thing 2 hours later.