Squeaky companionway cover

[AndyL]

On my 2004 Hunter 36 the sliding companionway cover squeaks when you slide it open or closed. It's so annoying that people on the dock have mentioned it so we try hard to minimize the noise by sliding it slowly - but that doesn't always work. A friend tried squirting some type of lubricant all over the slides and inside as much as he could and that did nothing.

I found one thread about this from 2012 but only one response and that was more about the cover sticking. Ours slides freely expect the horrible screech.

Anyone had this problem and found a fix?

Thanks,
Andy

 

[kappykaplan]

McLube SailKote should do the trick.

 

[dmax]

You can put down strips of HDPE like this: Rockler Nylo-Tape Friction-Free Drawer Slide Tape, 3/4" W x 10' L x 10 Mils | Google

My cover slides over teak so I just use drawer-eaze, a waxy lube, once a year.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Take a pic of the track. Sometimes the materials wear away over time and the vertical aft edge of the hatch will cause a lot of noise. Wrapping some velcro around that edge is one work around that worked when lubricant didnt

 

[JoeWhite]

The lanocoat I used on the track has fixed the squick for me

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Take a pic as says @Project_Mayhem . Show the inside of slide mechanism under the companionway cover.

I can't see them going cheap on the slide. Mine has two 1/4" Starboard sliding runners on a FG rail. Nothing could be slicker or quieter.

 

[AndyL]

Thanks for the replies. Only the front of the slides are accessible - the part that squeaks seems (can't be sure) to be under a large cover that I'm hoping I don't have to remove. But maybe that's the only option.

The slide mechanism is simple - it just slides against a metal rail. The dirt is dried lubricant that someone thought would solve the problem (and didn't).

I'll try a few things as suggested above and see if anything helps.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Certainly quite different from my 1999 H-310 :

Sorry I don't have a pic with the cover in the closed position. As mentioned, the cover has a Starboard runner screwed to the underside on each side. So the Starboard on FG is as slick as they come.

I would imagine that each of your aluminum slides is grinding a groove into the acrylic and as the groove becomes deeper, the noise becomes louder.

under a large cover that I'm hoping I don't have to remove. But maybe that's the only option.

If you are after a permanent solution, you may have to go that route. Once the cover is off, your options become much greater. Maybe a runner of Starboard to run on the aluminum strip ? Although the minimum Stbrd would be 1/4". Grind off the aluminum rail and replace with Stbrd ?

 

[Johnb]

Post number 2 above.

Slide it all the way forward. Apply sparingly to the aluminum then slide back and forth a few times. Repeat as needed.

 

[kloudie1]

My cover used to squeak but not from the side slides. It was from the "backstop", a piece of teak screwed onto the underside of the front edge of the slider . It keeps the slider from going too far aft ..I had to remove the sea hood to get at it... Attached picture is from a forum member's boat showing the sea hood off and clearly showing the marks of the backstop on the deck. My boat looked exactly like that.. The noise was made worse by the dirt and stuff trapped in the pocket under the backstop. I don't know if your boat has a similar setup, but with a little creative investigation, you should be able to determine exactly what is making the noise.. it may not be the side slides since lube on them doesn't have an effect.

 

[artboas]

On my 2004 Hunter 36 the sliding companionway cover squeaks when you slide it open or closed. It's so annoying that people on the dock have mentioned it so we try hard to minimize the noise by sliding it slowly - but that doesn't always work. A friend tried squirting some type of lubricant all over the slides and inside as much as he could and that did nothing.

I found one thread about this from 2012 but only one response and that was more about the cover sticking. Ours slides freely expect the horrible screech.

Anyone had this problem and found a fix?

Thanks,
Andy

Andy
Get a dog that barks continuously at all hours.
Then tell your boat neighbours you did that so they wouldn’t hear your hatch squeaking.