sailboat companionway hatch

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Building a New Sailboat Companionway Door

• By Roger Hughes
• Updated: September 25, 2019

For some time I had planned to repair and modify Britannia’s front door, or to use the more-correct nautical term, companionway. The hatch housing leaked, al- lowing rainwater to seep into the plywood sliding top and causing it to delaminate. My wife and I were also heartily fed up with the two heavy washboards used to close the opening. When in place, the two teak boards completely blocked all light through the entrance.

First the hatch-housing leaks needed sealing, then the hatch itself needed to be repaired. I also had an idea about how to be rid of the horrible washboards and improve the actual companionway access.

Sealing the cracks in the large teak housing was easy enough. I sanded off all the old varnish, filled the cracks, and then rolled on four coats of Cetol Marine Natural Teak from Interlux paints. The Natural Teak is a brownish color, and I think it enhances the deep color of teak. More important, by not sanding be- tween coats, it created an excellent nonslip surface in an area where I frequently stand when working at the mast.

The large sliding hatch had been built as a permanent structure. By that, I mean it could not be taken out with- out one side of the slider guides first being removed. It came as no surprise to find the guides weren’t just fastened with self-tapping screws like 90 percent of the rest of the boat, but rather they were bolted through the fiberglass deck with 1⁄4-inch bolts, whose nuts were encapsulated in the fiberglass underside.

Down below, I had to re- move part of my new saloon ceiling panels to be able to chisel the resin off around the nuts before I could hold them with vice grips to unscrew them.

To make matters more challenging, the hatch frame was built to where I couldn’t reach all the fasteners, so I had to cut the guide in half with my oscillating saw before I was able to lift the hatch completely out. Who was it who said, “Working on boats, one job leads to another”? Oh yes, it was me!

I lugged the deceptively heavy hatch to my garage workshop, where I dismantled it by drilling out all the wood- en plugs and withdrawing the long stainless self-tapping screws holding the four sides to the top.

The top was made of 1/2-inch marine plywood with another 1/4-inch teak-faced plywood sheet glued on top. The layer of teak had rotted and was beyond repair, but the 1/2-inch- thick base was still good, except for some delamination around the edges. I wanted to reuse it to save having to curve a new sheet into the same shape. Using screwdrivers as levers, I pried open the damaged edge laminations, one edge at a time, then squirted wood glue into the seams. I then clamped the panel in my woodworking bench vice and left it overnight.

The next question was what to replace the rotten wooden top with?

Having dismantled the hatch, I made short work of the flaking varnish on the sol- id teak sides and stringers with my belt sander.

I then took all the parts back to the boat because I wanted to see if it was possible to make the hatch slide farther into the housing, to give more companionway headroom. I also wanted to sand and varnish the companionway surround, which was now much easier to get to with the hatch removed.

By trial and error, I found I could cut 2 inches off the back of the hatch so it would slide that much farther into the housing, and provide more headroom when descending or ascending the ladder. The hatch was then carted back to my workshop for modification, reassembly and final finishing.

At Lowe’s I bought a sheet of fiberglass paneling made by Crane Composites (cranecomposites.com). It’s a little more than 1/8-inch thick but very strong and completely water- proof and mold-proof. One side is dimpled and the other smooth, so I used the smooth side uppermost to match the surrounding deck. This would waterproof the top and prob- ably be stronger than the original plywood. I glued the fiberglass sheet to the plywood using Loctite Power Grab adhesive, a type of waterproof glue suitable for fiberglass and wood. After the glue set, I trimmed the new top flush with the edges of the renovated underpanel.

Luckily, the underside of the original 1⁄2-inch plywood panel that I was able to reuse had a teak-veneered face, so I care- fully sanded this before reassembling the hatch.

I reattached the hatch trim pieces with waterproof wood-working glue and fastened them using the same stainless screws I’d taken out. The original assembly appeared not to have been glued, which I think allowed water to eventually seep into the end grain of the plywood. With its fiberglass top and glued sides, that won’t happen again.

Completing the job required quite a bit of finishing off by hand. I sanded the side trim flush with the new top, and then glued 28 teak plugs into the screw holes and sanded them flush. As an added touch, I ran a molded edge along both sides of the top using my hand router.

After masking the top panel, I applied a coat of Cetol NaturalTeak to the sides.Then I turned the hatch over and rolled Cetol on the teak underside. I then applied three coats of Cetol gloss all over, rubbing down between coats with 250-grit sandpaper. This produced a beautiful glossy finish that further enhanced the appearance in the saloon when the hatch was closed.

The finished hatch sat in my workshop for a week while the Cetol hardened, and I sanded and varnished the remainder of the teak surrounds framing the companionway.

When everything was thoroughly dry, I simply lifted the hatch back into the left-side guide and refitted the right guide—but this time I used 1⁄4-inch stainless self-tapping screws to fasten it to the deck, bedding it with 3M 5200 adhesive caulk. This will be more than adequate, since the guides carry no load, just acting as guides for the hatch. I filled the screw holes with 1⁄2-inch teak plugs, and the hatch was finished.

Next up: Make new weather doors.

Originally the companionway had two large sol- id-teak washboards, which stacked one on top of the other in slots. As I said, they were heavy and cumbersome, and my wife could hardly handle them. Then, when they were out, there was nowhere to store them in the cockpit.

The washboard concept is part of a traditional design, which hypothesizes that if a giant wave floods the cockpit, the boards would stop water from entering the saloon. That, of course, presupposes the boards would actually be in place. In practice, they are nearly always removed when we’re aboard because they completely prevent access to and from the cockpit. For a short-handed crew, I consider semipermanently closing off the companionway in this way to be actually dangerous, because it effectively prevents quick access, both in and out. Also, the prospect of a total cockpit flooding is remote, especially on a center-cock-pit boat like Britannia , with its high freeboard and coamings that are 7 feet above the waterline.

I used the 3⁄4-inch solid-teak boards to make two doors, which I hung with piano hinges on either side of the companionway. One side locks with a sliding bolt into the bottom sill, and the other with a heavy deadbolt into the solid beam of the sliding hatch. We can now easily close one door, or both, as we wish. To complete the job, I bought two oval glass panels of light- houses from amazon.com, and recessed them into each door, adding a touch of elegance when daylight filters through.

In addition to now having a waterproof companionway hatch, the refurbished entrance presents a very classy appearance. It’s our new “front door”.

Roger Hughes is a dedicated do-it-yourselfer and a frequent Hands-On Sailor contributor.

Supplies and Costs:

• Cetol Natural Teak: Johnstown Distributors, $30
• Fiberglass panel: Lowe’s, $39.20
• Adhesive: Lowe’s, $7.99
• Piano hinges for doors: Lowe’s, $15
• Oval glass inserts for doors: amazon.com , $85
• Total: $177.19
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How to build sailboat companionway doors..

3 comments:

Great way to upgrade your boat! I love when simple upgrades that you can do yourself make a huge difference.

Thanks for the inspiration. I just rebuilt my Companionway doors based on your project. Thanks again!

Hello, I love your post. The DIY/anarchist/punk sailor tendency has been increasing, so it's time we get together. In this time we can share skills, tell stories, have races, exchange plans, swap charts, and really, anything we want. So come down overflowing with ideas, stories, challenges, discussions, and anything else you'd imagine welcome. thanks a lot!~ Wayne Williams

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The Ultimate Companionway Door and Hatch Design

Discussion in ' Boat Design ' started by Asleep Helmsman , Dec 8, 2019 .

Asleep Helmsman Senior Member

We're building new doors for the Person. The idea is to make it completely sealed against water. It sound easy. What do ya'll think?  

TeddyDiver Gollywobbler

I'd suggest hinged insted of sliding ones as it's easier with gaskets..  

fallguy Senior Member

I recently purchased doors from Bomon. They are not fully waterproof, but very close. The quality is exceptional. There is room on the front edge of the slider for a drip edge they did no include. I plan to make one from clear acrylic. Room meaning clearance as the drip edge will slide over the hinge door. The leading edge also needs a seal at the corners of the forward labyrinth. Since that location is in the margin between the labyrinth and the sliding track; it will be tricky. A tiny rubber sweep may work. That is on the edge of a well designed wave breaker. A waterproof option might be another wider sweep atop the lead edge, but the aesthetics would suck and a breaking wave might bend or break it in horrible seas. These were $1600 per side for cat hulls for both the slider and hinge door. About my only complaint is I told him my opens were 18" wide and he built to 18" and a hair. In home construction, a rough open is sized larger than the doorway for insulation/install clearances. I am lucky as it appears to not be a problem for the moment, but I did need to open up the opens about 1:16" each side. To not end on a sour note, I am buying more stuff from them for the cabin and I highly recommend them. Great guys...a little surly, but only because they understand the business better than me.  

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JosephT Senior Member

I agree with the previous suggestions on the hinged doors. To get a totally waterproof seal you'll have need a nice gasket hatch that doesn't distort too much under heavier loads (fun sailing conditions). Ideally, one that fastens evenly on all sides to ensure it's water tight. Sliding hatches that try to achieve 100% water tight seals usually get stuck/jammed in place at some point. Fair winds /) /) /)  

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A more companionable companionway

Posted by Jim Shroeger | Hull & Structure , Projects

Dropboards give way to user-friendly doors

Companionway dropboards are cumbersome to remove and replace and inconvenient to store. When you need them, they’re often buried deep in a locker. What’s a sailor to do?

My solution on Sundew, our Watkins 27, is simple: companionway doors. They’re quick and easy to open and close and, because they’re always in place, storage isn’t an issue. Mine have screened inserts for when we want ventilation and solid closures for when we don’t. Using primarily scrap lumber, I built a set of companionway doors for less than $100.

I started with a trip to my local Home Depot, where special-order windows from Asia often arrive on Philippine-mahogany pallets that usually end up being discarded. I obtained all the lumber I needed for just the labor required to disassemble the pallets.

First, a pattern

To construct the doors, I first made a pattern. I put the old dropboards in place in the companionway to serve as a surface upon which to create the pattern, then cut and taped together pieces of tagboard (similar to posterboard) to make a single sheet that extended past the perimeter of the companionway opening. Using a Sharpie, I traced the exact perimeter of the companionway opening and drew a vertical centerline where the doors would meet when closed.

Each door was to be constructed from four pieces: two sides (stiles), a top rail, and a bottom rail, for eight pieces total. I took measurements from the pattern to determine the total length of dimensional lumber I would need. After deciding on 2 x ¾ inch for the door frames, I used a 10-inch table saw to cut some of the mahogany salvaged from the pallets to the desired thickness, then to trim them to the 2-inch width. (An alternative would have been to purchase nominal 1 x 6 mahogany boards, which are actually ¾ x 5½ inches.)

The centerline I drew on my template indicated the inboard side of each door. I laid each piece of each door, one at a time, onto the pattern and marked the ends where I’d have to cut. This method is especially useful for easily and accurately marking the angles at the tops and bottoms of the outboard stiles. It was my intention to join the pieces with lap joints, which maximize the gluing surface and eliminate the need for fasteners, so I marked each board to span the entire width or height of the individual door.

Jim assembled his companionway door frames with lap joints. The joints are easy to cut, present large gluing surfaces, and don’t need fasteners.

After cutting all eight pieces to size, I began work on the joints at the corners of the doors. I started by placing all four stiles (an inboard and outboard stile for each door) in their proper places on the pattern, then laid the rails on top of and overlapping the stiles. Where they overlapped, I would be cutting away half the thickness of each piece to make the lap joints.

I marked the boundaries of the overlap on each piece, outlining the area of the joint. Once I’d marked all the pieces, I set the blade height of my table saw to half the board thickness ( 3 ⁄ 8 inch). For each lap, I made a cut 2 inches from, and parallel to, the end of the stock, followed by several more passes between that cut and the end of the board. The material that remained between the cuts I removed with a ¾ -inch wood chisel. I repeated this process at the end of each board, creating clean notches that allowed the pieces to fit flush together.

With the joints cut, I assembled the door pieces directly on the pattern again. It was still possible, at this point, to make minor adjustments so the doors would exactly match the pattern. Once I felt all the boards were cut and chiseled perfectly, I prepared to assemble them.

Pattern board

The first step in assembling the doors was to make a pattern board. I took a piece of 3 ⁄ 8 -inch plywood big enough to fit under the entire pattern. At each corner, I attached a 4-inch-long leg cut from a 2 x 4. I then attached my tagboard template to the pattern board (glue or staples work well).

I assembled one door at a time. After covering the pattern with wax paper, I clamped the door stiles in posi- tion on the board with 4-inch C-clamps. Next, I applied waterproof glue (Titebond or Gorilla Glue work well) to the joint areas and then clamped the top and bottom rails directly to the pattern board.

After the glue had fully set, I removed the assembled frames from the pattern board and sanded each joint smooth. I now had two frames into which I would build permanent screens and channels to hold removable wooden inserts.

The battens that hold the screening in place are on the inside of the door. Fastened with brads, they can be removed if necessary.

For the screens, I used black nylon screen stock held in place by battens fastened to the inside edges of the door frames. Using the table saw, I cut lengths of mahogany with a ¼ x ¾-inch cross section. From this material, I cut eight pieces, one for each inside edge.

For each door, I cut a piece of screen stock larger than the inside opening of the door (large enough that the excess would extend beyond the battens once they were in place and I could cut it off with a utility knife). While holding the screening so it would be flush with the outside of the finished door, I used ¾-inch brads to fasten the ¼-inch stock to secure one edge of the screen to the inside of one of the door stiles.

With one side secured, attaching the other sides was easier, but I found it important to stretch the screen stock as I installed it to prevent sags or loose spots. I used brads, rather than glue, to attach the ¼-inch stock, to make it easier to replace the screen should it get torn.

At this point I had two doors that were smoothed and screened. The next step was to create solid panels I could insert into each door when we didn’t want ventilation.

Jim hung the doors on drop-in hinges

Jim fitted a barrel bolt so he could secure them

Removable panels

For the solid panels to be removable, I needed to fashion channels on the sides and bottoms of the door frames for them to slide into. I did this by fastening lengths of L-shaped mahogany to the interior faces of the frames.

Imagining panels that were just a bit taller and wider than the screens, I measured the lengths of the sides and bottoms of the doors to give me an idea of the total length of channel I’d need. I then ran a long length of ¾ x ¾-inch mahogany through my table saw to create an L-shaped cross section (like a corner molding) with a ¼-inch wall thickness on both legs.

After making precise measurements of the sides and bottom of the panel I wanted, I cut the pieces I needed from the length of channel. I then pre-drilled the channel pieces and fastened them to the doors with 1-inch finish brads.

Jim made removable solid panels to fit into channels on the inside of each door.

Once the channels were in place, I measured the space they defined, side-to-side and top-to-bottom. I transferred these measurements to a piece of 3 ⁄ 16 -inch floor underlayment I bought at Home Depot. One side of this underlayment is finished Philippine mahogany, also called Lauan. I cut out and trimmed two inserts to fit the openings.

He can slip them into place when he wants to close up the boat or remove them in fine weather when he wants some ventilation.

Next, I attached a small handle at the inside top of each insert to allow for their easy removal. I made my own handles from 1 x 1 x 3-inch blocks of mahogany, but purchased handles would work too. Finally, to complete the panel, I used the ¾ x ¾-inch square stock to make a trim piece that I attached to the top. I cut the ends of the trim piece at the same angle as the panel sides so that, when the panel is inserted, the trim lines up with the top edges of the side channels.

Finishing touches

The complete assembly: Jim can still get ventilation without bugs while not exposing the boat’s interior to the view of passersby in the marina.

Next, I installed a 1/4 x 1 1/2-inch striker board on the inside of the starboard door. it extends past the inboard edge by 1/2 inch, creating a surface for the port-side door to close against. The unfinished door assemblies were now complete and ready for me to install them and add the finishing touches.

I hung the doors with two pairs of 3-inch drop-in hinges that I found at Hamilton Marine. I attached one side of one hinge to the door 3 inches from the top and another 3 inches from the bottom. While holding the door in place, I marked the position for the second half of each hinge on the companionway frame. After I’d secured all the hinge pieces, I was able to drop our new companionway doors into position and try them out.

The top screens are made so the port side can be opened to allow passage into and out of the cabin.

When I was satisfied that everything fit and operated properly, I varnished the doors and fitted the hardware that would hold them closed. I installed a brass barrel bolt at the bottom of the starboard-side door, on the inside adjacent to the striker plate, and drilled a hole in the companionway sill for the bolt to engage. At the tops of the doors, I installed a hook latch. Now the doors could be secured.

Our new companionway doors are a great addition to our good old boat. They add some nautical charm and will make our future sailing adventures easier and more enjoyable.

About The Author

Jim Shroeger

Jim Shroeger has been sailing for 50 years. He began in Jet 14s at the University of Michigan and progressed through a series of small- and medium-sized daysailers, including a Star. In the early 1970s, Jim and his wife, Barbara, and their two kids began their summer family cruises on the Great Lakes, which they continue to this day in their current boat, Sundew, a Watkins 27.

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Chafe Protection for Dock Lines

• Boat Maintenance

Companionway Hatch Fix

Forget the adhesive and replace the glazing..

While rigging my boat, the boom came crashing down on the companionway hatch cover. The crash resulted in a crack in the cover: What was once a single rectangular plastic cover was in two pieces.

I did some research on gluing plastics and came away more confused than when I started. My research revealed that some plastics cannot be glued, while others can be, as long as the right glue is utilized. I don’t even know what the smoke-colored, half-inch-thick hatch cover material is: acrylic, poly-carbonate, Lexan? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Anton Piotroski

When using an adhesive, its best to know what the materials are that youll be gluing-not all adhesives are appropriate for all materials. For example: You should never use a polyurethane sealant or caulk on polycarbonate (Lexan) or acrylic (Plexiglass). Our August 2010 report on adhesives, caulks, and sealants offers more details on selecting the best one for the job. There are glues that work on Lexan or acrylic, but we have not tested them in the way youd be using them. Wed be interested in hearing from readers who have had success here.

In your case, wed recommend replacement. The material itself and DIY installation is not too expensive. You can use acrylic or a polycarbonate. Acrylic is less vulnerable to scratching, but polycarbonate is stronger.

Look for a local glazier or acrylic fabricator who can cut you a new hatch slide cover. If you can’t locate one in your area, check out Maritime Plastics in Annapolis, Md. (410/263-4424, www.maritimeplastics.com ) or Select Plastics in East Norwalk, Conn. (203/866-3767, www.selectplastics.com ). Both are PS reader-recommended for companionway hatch/dropboard replacements. Depending on the job specifics, prices range from $300-$800.

If you decide to install the new cover yourself, youll find a good how-to in Don Caseys This Old Boat. He recommends GE SilPruf SCS2000 or Dow Corning 795 Silicone Building Sealant; both are silicone adhesives designed for structural glazing. You can find the book in PSs online bookstore at www.practical-sailor.com .

Monocular vs. Binocular

I was re-reading The Compleat Cruiser, and author Francis Hereshoff made a case for using a monocular onboard small boats instead of binoculars. He asserts that monoculars are lighter, more compact, simpler in operation, and that the binoculars depth perception is largely irrelevant to the small-boat skipper who is primarily just trying to identify navigation aids, etc. These arguments appeal to me especially, since I do not have stereoscopic vision. (One eye is much more near-sighted.) Whats your opinion?

Boise, Idaho

Two eyes are better than one, so binoculars trump a monocular. That being said, a high optical quality 7×50 monocular is better than a 10×28 pair of binoculars, which offer too much magnification and too small a field of view. Two obvious benefits to 7×50 marine binoculars over a monocular are that they collect light better and offer a large field of view. The former means binos will have the advantage at dawn or dusk and in other low-light settings. And the latter is a definite plus when scanning the horizon.

Humans with binocular vision do not easily, nor efficiently, shift to telescope viewing. Many immediately close one eye, a strain that complicates long-term viewing because its a deviation in sensory input through the optical pathways to the brain.

Those with significant dominance in one eye may be good candidates for a monocular, but another option worth considering is a marine binocular with individually focusing eye pieces. In high-quality binoculars, the diopter adjustment is accurate enough to be set to an eyeglass wearers prescription.

The bottom line lies in binoculars for the dual-sighted and a monocular for those who are single-sighted or very dominant eye biased. Wed choose waterproof 7×50 binos with a compass, preferably image stabilized. Good choices include the Fujinon FMTRC-SX or Steiner Commander V.

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Wood vs. Plexi - Companionway Hatch Boards

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I am in the middle of replacing my companionway hatch boards and would like to hear your thoughts on Wood over Plexi. Currently I have cut my boards out of marine grade 1/2 fur and working on the finidhing touches for them. Thanks Andrew  

Material What boat is it? I only ask as plexi might look odd on a traditional styled boat, etc.  

My dad has a lexan hatchboard that replaces one of the wooden boards when desired. It's really great for letting in light on an otherwise dark and gloomy day. You don't have to limit yourself to one or the other -- you can have both! Use the wooden boards when you're going to be away, the transparent one when you are on board.  

It is a C&C 24. I wasn't sure if the plexi would promote leaks or cause any other crazyness. The plexi I have looked at is a super dark smoked color to use all the time. Overall these are the largest pieces of wood to maintain on the boat. I can cetol the entire boat in about an hour, taking my time. I believe the hatch boards that I replaced are the originals from 1976. Thanks for your comments. Andrew  

i had 2 sets made for my old C&C 30: a teak one and one made of smoked plexi. That being said, I would explore the use of a material called starboard. Its basically maintenance free. The problem I found with the smoked plexi was that even though it was dark it made the inside of the boat feel like a greenhouse. On either wood or starboard you can install a vent (even a solar powered one) if desired. Plexi is a little harder to drill holes into without cracking. Good luck  

Clear lexan Using clear plexi or lexan for a section of the boards lets in light and lets you see out, so someone below can tell the helmsman about an impending wave, for example. If you're in a marina, translucent rather than transparent plastic can give you light with some privacy. The next trick is to make a section with screening, to keep the bugs out at night. Since they'll probably all end up under your bunk cushion, getting them all the same thickness (half inch, you said?) will likely make them less uncomfortable to sleep on.  

I replaced old wood boards with 1/2" smoked acrylic. Had the boards chamfered to the slope on the companionway, Installed SSvent and screen. Very strong and no maintenance. Use darkest plexiglass available. Murray  

Check out www.zarcor.com . I replaced my 1977 hatchboards with these.  

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The $tingy Sailor

Diy trailerable sailboat restoration and improvement without throwing your budget overboard.

Make This Companionway Hatch Cover In Under a Day

If you leave your sailboat exposed to the elements for long periods of time or if you just want to keep your brightwork bright, it helps to cover the main hatch to reduce damage from UV rays, rain and snow, and bird droppings. Making one isn’t hard and you can do it in less than a day with about a yard of canvas, depending on the size of your hatch.

Before I continue, a bit of legal housekeeping. This post contains affiliate links. That means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using those links. Those commissions help to pay the costs associated with running this site so that it stays free for everyone to enjoy. For a complete explanation of why I’m telling you this and how you can support this blog without paying more, please read my full disclosure .

The curious cavalcade of canvas construction continues here at The $tingy Sailor. (How’s that for abusing the english language?) This is a new project that is not yet included in my ebook Do-It-Yourself Small Sailboat Canvaswork but it will be when the next edition is published. Until then, you can download a dimensioned drawing of this project for the first generation Catalina 22 from the Downloads page if you’re a subscriber. To subscribe for free, just submit your email address at the bottom of this page.

I designed this cover to be economical, easy to make, and to take advantage of the snap studs that are already installed on C-22s that have a pop top curtain. If your C-22 doesn’t have a pop top curtain, it will work for you too. You just need to install the snap screw studs. It protects the sliding hatch weatherboard & handle, most of the crib board trim, companionway threshold, and of course, the crib boards. It snaps on and off and folds for easy storage.

Materials, supplies, and tools list

What you’ll need for this project is:

• 1 yard of marine canvas (Sunbrella or equivalent) for a Catalina 22, more for larger hatches on other sailboats.
• V69 or V92  polyester UV-resistant thread  in a matching or complimentary color.
• (10) stainless steel snap sockets and (4) snap screw studs  (cloth to surface). You will need 10 snap screw studs if your sailboat doesn’t have pop top curtain studs installed already.
• Home sewing machine and basic sewing skills. The picture below shows my machine fitted with a universal walking foot attachment , which helps make consistent length stitches in thick fabrics like canvas. If you have access to a commercial walking foot sewing machine, it will work even better.
• Soapstone pencil for dark canvas (optional)
• 3/8″ basting tape for canvas (optional)
• Handheld electric drill and HSS bits
• Countersink bit
• Snap fastener installation tool
• #1 Phillips screwdriver
• Butyl tape or equivalent marine sealant
• Measuring tape
• For a first generation Catalina 22, the drawing from the Downloads page. For other models, your own measurements.

Construction steps

Here are the basic steps to make this hatch cover. Adapt these instructions accordingly for other sailboat models or to customize the design for your needs.

1. Using the drawing or your own measurements, lay out the shape of the cover on the canvas with a pencil, a soapstone pencil in my case. Allow an extra 1-1/2″ on the sides and top for double-folded, double-stitched seams. These will reinforce the snap sockets to prevent them from pulling out from repeated use. Allow 1/2″ at the bottom for a single-fold, single-stitched seam.

2. Cut the canvas with a hot knife (preferable) or scissors.

3. (Optional) Apply basting tape to the side edges on the wrong side of the canvas.

4. Fold the sides in 1/2″ from the edges.

5. Fold the sides in again 1″ from the first fold.

6. Double-stitch the sides 1/8″ in from each fold as shown below.

7. Where shown on the drawing, make 3/4″ darts (wrong side up) with several passes across the side seams. Adjust the placement and size of the darts to fit your hatch. This is a stress point in the cover so make them strong.

8. Where shown on the drawing, make 1/2″ darts (wrong side up)to fit the canvas around the hatch handle. Adjust the placement and size of the darts to fit your hatch.

9.  Repeat steps 3-6 to make the top seam.

10. Make a single-fold, single-stitch seam across the bottom. The sewing is done!

11. Mark the locations of the (4) top snaps along the hatch front rib as shown in the pictures below. Place the two middle snaps where they will miss the handle darts (4 or 5 layers of canvas).

12. Drill and countersink the holes to install the snap screw studs.

13. Install the snap screw studs with marine sealant like butyl tape. For tips, see How To Bed Hardware With Butyl Tape .

14. With a snap fastener installation tool, install snap sockets in the cover for each snap stud. To learn how, watch the Snap Fastener Installation Tool video produced by Sailrite. You want the cover to fit tightly. I recommend installing the top corner snaps first. Have a friend help you to pull the cover tight across the top of the hatch. Use the awl to mark each location by punching through the cover to the center of the snap stud underneath. Then remove the cover and install the snaps in the holes you just made. Next, install the two middle top snaps with the same method. Last, pull the cover tightly  down and to the sides  to place the side snaps. 

Your finished cover should look like this…

Summer Dance is hibernating for the winter as I write this with the companionway tightly covered. I also snap this cover on throughout the other seasons whenever I won’t be taking her out for days at a time. It only takes a few seconds and should delay refinishing the brightwork for years.

Would you like to be notified when I publish more posts like this? Enter your email address below to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. You will also receive occasional newsletters with exclusive info and deals only for subscribers and the password to the Downloads page. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time but almost nobody does!

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4 thoughts on “ make this companionway hatch cover in under a day ”.

Great project! But I´d love to see one on that neat PVC tubular frame that you are using for the winter cover and that can be seen on the 6th pic 🙂

Actually, it’s not made of PVC tubing but steel. It’s a portable garage frame with a poly tarp over it. I considered a PVC frame but the winds get too high here at times.

Thanks for asking, $tingy

Really grateful for all of these blog posts – adapting many projects for my new-to-me Catalina 25. One thing I’ve wondered – and you can see them clearly in the post pictures – where did you get or did you make those great looking line hangers? Is there a post about those? They really class up the joint and look very useful. This is a wintertime project I think I could get behind.

Hi, Darren I made those myself and they work great. I can hang two hanks on each one and just a tug releases them.

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> > Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. 31-08-2023, 11:42   Boat: 1986 Caliber 28 (in downtown St Pete) after Idalia to about 6" of fresh in the . Number 1 problem is my float switch failed (don't trust those Maxzone pumps!!) so of course that's the first thing to fix. However, that leaves the question of how the rain got in in the first place. Given that all my were dry, I'm 99% sure it came in the boards. Where the two boards meet there is a slope outwards, and they meet without gaps. So I don't think that's where it's coming from. I'm pretty sure the is coming in the top, where there is an uneven gap between the sliding top part and the drop-in boards. I'm thinking maybe some weatherstripping will solve the problem, but I'm interested in how other seal this spot. How is it done on your ? Is it inevitable that it's going to leak a bit? 31-08-2023, 12:47   , because you are bow to , and are near zero. Of course at the the can blow (hard!) from the stern and drive water in. When we leave the boat in a place where she can't point herself into the wind, we have a cover than snaps over the . With the same kind of gaps you describe, we have never had a drop get in with the cover in place, even during a . It's a simple, effective, inexpensive solution. And if you have varnished hatchboards, it keep the finshing looking nice a LOT longer! 31-08-2023, 13:24   Boat: 1986 Caliber 28 solution isn't an option (though that does explain why many don't encounter this problem!). I would do a cover but I need the ventilation to keep the mildew down. I guess I could make a cover that I only put on for tropical storms, but that seems like a lot of for 1-2 uses a year. Maybe the best solution is to just duct tape it when I know a storm is coming. 31-08-2023, 13:54   Boat: 50ft Custom Fast Catamaran 31-08-2023, 14:07   Boat: Beneteau 473 seal (strip), fixed to the top of the upper board. No , even with wind and rain driving in from astern. Its a and easy fix, no harm in trying. 31-08-2023, 15:02   . Number 1 problem is my float switch failed (don't trust those cheap Maxzone pumps!!) so of course that's the first thing to fix. However, that leaves the question of how the rain got in in the first place. Given that all my were dry, I'm 99% sure it came in the companionway hatch boards. Where the two boards meet there is a slope outwards, and they meet without gaps. So I don't think that's where it's coming from. I'm pretty sure the water is coming in the top, where there is an uneven gap between the sliding top part and the drop-in boards. I'm thinking maybe some weatherstripping will solve the problem, but I'm interested in how other seal this spot. How is it done on your boat? Is it inevitable that it's going to leak a bit? 31-08-2023, 15:35   Boat: cape dory 30 MKII 31-08-2023, 15:39   Boat: Finnsailer 38 . I've had boats with keel-stepped masts that looked almost like a hose was inserted down the during heavy rain. It came in through the top and various places where there were sheeves and such. "Go small, Go simple, Go now" , Thread Tools Rate This Thread : Posting Rules post new threads post replies post attachments edit your posts is are code is are are are Similar Threads Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post Triton106 Construction, Maintenance & Refit 2 01-09-2015 18:30 Pathfinder Construction, Maintenance & Refit 5 07-03-2009 18:42 blahman Construction, Maintenance & Refit 8 07-01-2009 05:31 russellmania Deck hardware: Rigging, Sails & Hoisting 3 19-07-2008 01:46 avazquez Construction, Maintenance & Refit 3 18-03-2008 07:51 No Threads to Display. - - - - - - - Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time. Forums New posts Unanswered threads Register Top Posts Email What's new New posts New Posts (legacy) Latest activity New media Media New media New comments Boat Info Downloads Weekly Quiz Topic FAQ 10000boatnames.com Classifieds Sell Your Boat Used Gear for Sale Parts General Marine Parts Hunter Beneteau Catalina MacGregor Oday Help Terms of Use Monday Mail Subscribe Monday Mail Unsubscribe Companionway Hatch Lock? Thread starter Dgsteiner Start date Mar 5, 2015 Brand-Specific Forums I just bought a 7.3 and am looking to install a lock on the companionway hatch. Has anyone else done this? What the best way to do it? Any special tips given the unique material used for the hatch? Thanks!   Ditto on Caguy's post.... the hasp part is fixed to the top board. I have a padlock on mine... incase I lose the key I can use the marina's big ass bolt cutter to remove it without damaging the precious hatchboard. In some instances you might feel the need to lock yourself in... or lock the board in place so they won't fall out in rough weather... so one solution is a series of sliding bolt latches... for the top sliding hatch, and for each hatch board.. If I were going offshore I would want to be able to lock the hatchboards in case of a knockdown......   McIntoshUSA This is the lock that was on our boat when we bought it. It seems to work just fine. SS clasp and lock.   Attachments I mortised in a brass cabinet lock, into the top edge of the top c'way drop board. Its latching part goes into a mortise cut into the lower edge of the acrylic c'way slide. Kind of amazing how a poster asks a question about a specific boat and others reply about some other boat. Sometimes helpful but in this case definitely not.   Just a thought, instead of a key lock and bolt cutters as an access in case of lost key, how about a combination lock?   Alansails said: Just a thought, instead of a key lock and bolt cutters as an access in case of lost key, how about a combination lock? Click to expand Justin, what happens if the lock runs out of power?   That's a real concern. They say they come with a cable to give it enough power to open it. Maybe it attaches to your smartphone or a battery pack or something. Tons of them on Amazon.   Mark Maulden Dont lock yourself in..just in case you have to evacuate immediately...   SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John Mark Maulden said: Dont lock yourself in Click to expand Resettable combination lock works well for us. Master Lock 175LHSS has a 2” shackle, brass body with SS shackle. Pricey but ours has been in the salt air for about 5 years and still going strong.   This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more… 124 IMAGES Sliding Companionway Hatch Companionway hatch Companionway hatch The Incredible Hull: Sliding companionway hatch.....finally! How To Make New Companionway Hatch Boards Building a New Sailboat Companionway Door COMMENTS Companionway Doors by Zarcor provides style, comfort and convenience to Companionway Doors custom manufactured by Zarcor for sailboats. This alternative to hatch boards provides privacy, comfort, convenience and style to the entryway of a sailboat. Phone: (800) 877-4797 Se habla español Sailboat Companionway Design The heavily trafficked companionway is a critical area of transition from topside to below. If it's poorly designed, the potential for accidents is high. Let's start with the offset companionway, often seen in older, classic-plastic production boats. This was a design response to ketch rigs, in which the mizzenmast is often stepped in the ... Companionway Doors Our companionway doors can be built for any make of boat. They offer easier access than hatch boards and shed light into the interior through light gray-bronze tinted windows with or without screens. The are made from solid teak, 3/4″ minimum standard, and are mounted with half-hinges allowing doors to be easily removed and stored as needed. Building a New Sailboat Companionway Door The finished job is a great improvement, giving more head- room, and effortless access in and out of the companionway Roger Hughes. For some time I had planned to repair and modify Britannia's front door, or to use the more-correct nautical term, companionway. The hatch housing leaked, al- lowing rainwater to seep into the plywood sliding top and causing it to delaminate. Catalina Only At Cruising Concepts we appreciate the legacy and class of the Catalina line of sailboats. Our teak products add to the grandeur and class of any Catalina with new retrofit windows and companionway doors; and improve livability and functionality with our classic teak cockpit and dining tables. Designing a Companionway hatch 515 posts · Joined 2004. #7 · Nov 5, 2008. Tour design looks workable, but may trap dirt and water, if you could flip it over, put the T extrusion on the bottom and the slot on top, it would be self cleaning/draining. Many boats use a C channel mounted to the hatch cover that rides along a groove in the runners. Ken. How to build sailboat companionway doors. So, I cut in half the depth of the Birch at about 1/2 inch in distance into each board. So each piece slide together like puzzle pieces. Check the arrows, the complimentary cuts. Trim the height to get it just right. So the hatch slides over properly. You can power sand the bottom piece to get it right. The Ultimate Companionway Door and Hatch Design Boat Design Net. Home Boat Design ... The Ultimate Companionway Door and Hatch Design. Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Asleep Helmsman, Dec 8, 2019. Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 241 Likes: 7, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 62 Location: Republic of Texas Asleep Helmsman Senior Member. We're building new doors for the Person. ... A more companionable companionway Pattern board. The first step in assembling the doors was to make a pattern board. I took a piece of 3⁄8 -inch plywood big enough to fit under the entire pattern. At each corner, I attached a 4-inch-long leg cut from a 2 x 4. I then attached my tagboard template to the pattern board (glue or staples work well). Companionway Companionway. In the architecture of a ship, a companion or companionway is a raised and windowed hatchway in the ship's deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins. [ 1] A companionway may be secured by doors or, commonly in sailboats, hatch boards which fit in grooves in the companionway frame. Cruising Concepts Cruising Concepts offers a full line of sturdy and attractive custom made solid teak or starboard plastic companionway doors for sailboats. Because our line is custom, we can make companionway doors for boats of almost any specification. Call today and debut new companionway doors on your next voyage! MORE. Rebuilding the Companionway Hatch? However this ended up raising the hatch and it rubbed on the teak trim and the fiberglass. Try marking the top teak trim. If you are only going to need a little trim, you can lay sandpaper on the hatch and rub it back and forth with the hatch. The alternative is to mark the trim and remove it for sanding and refinishing. Companionway Doors Companionway Doors. Our Companionway Doors can be built for any size of Catalina Sailboat upgrade project or new installation (as well as other makes of sailboats). They offer easier access than hatchboards as well as allow light into the interior through light gray-bronze tinted windows with or without screens. The doors are made from solid ... Companionway Hatch Replacement I pulled the hatch and laminated a strip of fiberglass on both sides to ride on the rails. I pulled the old rails, that was alum and remade them out of stainless. Sanded the hatch cover down and sent it to a local fiberglass place to gel coat it. u000bConcerning the companionway door or boards mad out of plywood. Companionway door Find your companionway door easily amongst the 17 products from the leading brands (Bomar, Pompanette, ...) on NauticExpo, the boating and maritime industry specialist for your professional purchases. ... Boat care > Companionway door. Companionway doors. 13 companies | 17 ... XR360 Foredeck or Vertical Companionway Hatch . I.D: 23 3/4" x 28 7/ ... Companionway Hatch Fix Both are PS reader-recommended for companionway hatch/dropboard replacements. Depending on the job specifics, prices range from $300-$800. If you decide to install the new cover yourself, youll find a good how-to in Don Caseys This Old Boat. He recommends GE SilPruf SCS2000 or Dow Corning 795 Silicone Building Sealant; both are silicone ... Wood vs. Plexi Plexi is a little harder to drill holes into without cracking. Good luck. Like. paulk. 5666 posts · Joined 2000. #6 · Mar 2, 2006. Clear lexan. Using clear plexi or lexan for a section of the boards lets in light and lets you see out, so someone below can tell the helmsman about an impending wave, for example. Make This Companionway Hatch Cover In Under a Day Repeat steps 3-6 to make the top seam. 10. Make a single-fold, single-stitch seam across the bottom. The sewing is done! 11. Mark the locations of the (4) top snaps along the hatch front rib as shown in the pictures below. Place the two middle snaps where they will miss the handle darts (4 or 5 layers of canvas). 12. Companionway Hatch Cover 248. Hunter 34 Slidell, La. Sep 27, 2013. #1. H34 owners, Tired of the heavy rain backing up in your boat from the channel that the hatch cover slides on, I was... So I made a hatch cover from some sunbrella fabric using snap buttons and studs. As you can see in the pictures I used the existing screws that hold down the sea hood. Leaking hatch board companionway Boat: 1983 Freedom 21 (shoal keel) Posts: 71. Leaking hatch board companionway. I came back to my boat (in downtown St Pete) after Hurricane Idalia to about 6" of fresh water in the bilge. Number 1 problem is my bilge pump float switch failed (don't trust those cheap Maxzone pumps!!) so of course that's the first thing to fix. Companionway Hatch Lock? I just bought a 7.3 and am looking to install a lock on the companionway hatch. Has anyone else done this? What the best way to do it? Any special tips given the unique material used for the hatch? ... This is the lock that was on our boat when we bought it. It seems to work just fine. SS clasp and lock. Attachments. 20150306_092947_1_bestshot.jpg. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht