new companionway doors

john2

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Nov 26, 2022
38
Catalina 310 58 Leimuiden
Last winter i made a set of doors, The sliding boards are gone! So much easy opening/closing.
it has a garage door lock build in, a no lose lock needed. The windows can be changed with screens.
finally i found the perfect place for storage when sailing.
john.
 

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JBP-PA

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Apr 29, 2022
409
Jeanneau Tonic 23 Erie, PA
Very nice. Where do you store the screen panels? My screens suffer a lot from my abuse.
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,534
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Last winter i made a set of doors, The sliding boards are gone! So much easy opening/closing.
Really nice! Very innovative lock mechanism. I have intentions to fabricate a set of removable doors; however, it's at the bottom of the priority list!:waycool:
 
Apr 5, 2009
2,827
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
I prefer the bifold doors to seperate doors. So much easier to just fold the door away. On My C30 the bifold doors have captive hinges with spring mounted pins so that they cannot come loose unless you pull up on the knerled knob to release the pin. They also fit into the oringinal hatch board track so that I can install the old drop boards for winter and keep the pretty ones at home.
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,748
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Wow, very nice work, both of you! Yes, the whole companionway is a design mess in general on contemporary sailboats, in my opinion, and mine is like a half-finished design. I have very nice, solid teak hatch boards but the are unwieldy. I also have a 'smoked', one piece acrylic piece. But the sliding hatch is a mess, also smoked acrylic, 1/2" thick (strong enough to stand on), but there's no handle inside or outside to open or close it; and the locking tab was always stabbing me in the back so I just removed it. I wish I had a solution!

I have often thought that a pair tambour-style doors would be cool.
 
May 11, 2014
34
Catalina 310 Lake Texoma
Thank you for sharing your projects. Both are very nice. I'm impressed that the doors can hang between the engine cover and the wall of the head.
 
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Likes: Alansails
Apr 5, 2009
2,827
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
Here is a video of my bifold doors. Note that they use the original drop boark slides so they can be replaced with the boards for storage without modification.

The hinges are captive quick release.
 
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john2

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Nov 26, 2022
38
Catalina 310 58 Leimuiden
Thank you for sharing your projects. Both are very nice. I'm impressed that the doors can hang between the engine cover and the wall of the head.
thanks, there are more ways to go. after the summer holiday storing the doors on the v-berth bed. i tried if they would fit there.
A simple sponge keeps the doors free from the engine cover
The old boards are still usable in winter storage.
The locking hinges are a good idea. our opened doors can jump out when heeling over.
 
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