Does anyone know of a manufacturer of plexiglass washboards for a Catalina 34? Everything I've seen online talks about owners who had them custom made. Thanks.
Looking for plexiglass washboards for a Catalina 34
- Thread starter neshanic-nj
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 24,511
Probably the quickest process would be to acquire them locally from a plastics shop. If you take wood washboards, they can be reproduced in plastic much quicker than if you try to order Marine Store units.
Here is a possible site. https://njplastics.com/
Here is a possible site. https://njplastics.com/
This kind of washboard ................... ?
First time I've heard that term used for hatch boards.
Hopefully, you've still got your original hatch boards which are likely plywood or jointed solid wood stock. If you're set up with a good workshop, you can use the boards as a pattern for a profile Dremel bit. For the horizontal joint faces between boards don't use a rabbet joint as the wooden boards use. Use a 45° mitered butt joint but along the two mating edges.
If you're not set up to fabricate your own from acrylic, my choice would be to take your original boards to anyone who sells acrylic stock and get them to copy the boards, dimensions, joint angles, the works. I know that many suppliers of acrylic stock also offer simple, uncomplicated machining of their products as a real money maker. A more expensive choice would be a Plexiglas fabricator using a C&C machine. My boat has three acrylic boards, factory installed, each 3/8" thick.
First time I've heard that term used for hatch boards.
I would presume that hatch boards are a custom fit for every individual Cat 34 (year unknown) boat as the dimensions for each companionway entrance are going to vary +/- 1/8." This would make for a poor fit if the boards were not custom cut for that particular boat.
Hopefully, you've still got your original hatch boards which are likely plywood or jointed solid wood stock. If you're set up with a good workshop, you can use the boards as a pattern for a profile Dremel bit. For the horizontal joint faces between boards don't use a rabbet joint as the wooden boards use. Use a 45° mitered butt joint but along the two mating edges.
If you're not set up to fabricate your own from acrylic, my choice would be to take your original boards to anyone who sells acrylic stock and get them to copy the boards, dimensions, joint angles, the works. I know that many suppliers of acrylic stock also offer simple, uncomplicated machining of their products as a real money maker. A more expensive choice would be a Plexiglas fabricator using a C&C machine. My boat has three acrylic boards, factory installed, each 3/8" thick.
Hmm. Washboards is a common term used interchangeably for hatch boards around here. I wonder if it is a geographical thing?
Anyway, if you had a pattern I would think most any local plastic shop would be able to make them up to your specs.
This kind of washboard ................... ?
First time I've heard that term used for hatch boards.
What's so funny
?There's no way we can fit a washing machine into our H-310 without permanently moving everything out onto the deck so this is what we use for laundry.
Ah, ain't sailing just grand ?
You might want to Register and ask here on the C34 Forum:
I made my own companionway doors. For my previous boat, a Catalina 30, I used Cumaru (Brazilian Teak). For my current boat I used PVC trim lumber. I measured again for my 36, but basically used this:
The Cumaru doors had removable slide in inserts for clear or opaque and also had carved dolphins. (My late wife loved Dolphins)
The current doors have permanent plexiglass and solid inserts for privacy.
The Cumaru doors had removable slide in inserts for clear or opaque and also had carved dolphins. (My late wife loved Dolphins)
The current doors have permanent plexiglass and solid inserts for privacy.
I built a frame out of mahogany to accommodate the thickness of the original hatch-board and using it as template made a framed clear "board" for the top board as a window to let in light and keep out weather.
Since the nice clear plexiglass was considerably thinner just put a rabbit on the insider of the frame about 3/8" and carefully epoxied the plexiglass to the wood before varnishing to match