Mike, good afternoon . . .
I just finished submitting a write-up on the Island Packet website. I created a gallery of photos to go with it.
I don’t know if you can access the forum entry or the gallery, so I will provide the forum text below:
Surely you’ve said to yourself, “There’s got to be a better way . . .” I would do that almost every time I had to remove or insert the hatchboards. During the cold or rainy weather at this time of year, that happens a lot. So, I finally decided to do something about it.
I had companionway doors on my previous sailboat. They worked well for me and I decided to do the same thing on No Moss. After seeing some examples in the forum, I contacted and eventually ordered a set of companionway doors from Cruising Concepts (http://www.cruisingconcepts.net).
I provided the required dimensions to Mike and he did an excellent job of building the doors. They arrived well-packed and undamaged. Included was an excellent set of instructions and the required hardware to put together and install the doors. Mike was very helpful and answered my phone and email questions in a timely and professional manner. You’d be hard-pressed to find better customer service.
My woodworking skills probably register at the low end of the “carpentry skill-level scale,” but I managed to finish the project with very pleasing results. Translation: if I can do it, almost anybody can.
One thing that I did (not in the directions) was to solve the issue I had with the Lexan panels having a very slight amount of play when inserted in the doors. (I chose the “permanent” Lexan panels installation versus the interchangeable Lexan and screen option.) I asked Mike about using silicone (or other caulking), but he said it wasn’t really necessary/recommended.
I opted to apply small felt pads (like those used for drawer and cupboard doors) to the edges of the Lexan panels to make them snug in the door. Also, I added a barrel bolt at the bottom of the starboard door for greater security and a tighter fit when the doors are closed. This probably wasn’t necessary, but I had the same arrangement on my previous boat doors and liked the option.
One added advantage of these doors is that they slide into the same grooves used by the hatchboards on the sides of the companionway. Thus, you have the option to go back to hatchboards whenever you wish — without retrofitting any hardware.
I have created a gallery of photos that will provide more detail. See the gallery “No Moss IP38 Companionway Doors.” If you have any questions, let me know.
Hopefully, the above plus the photos will create some business for you.
Best regards,
Neal
