[Freesail99]

The other thread on Making Companion Way Doors got me thinking, how secure and how tightly sealed are your hatch boards? If you aimed a pressurized water hose at your hatch boards is water getting in, a little water or a lot ?

 

[sailingdog]

Mine are pretty well sealed. A hose might let a bit in, but not much.

 

[sailhog]

Free,
Mine let a lot more in before I slathered four coats of varnish on them last weekend.

By the way, where the hell have you been?

 

[CaptainForce]

We're using three pieces of laminated polycarbonate with the center piece cut out to hold a stained glass insert. SS bolts around the perimeter and the single fitted slide make it very strong and watertight. It's not as light or as easily removed for entry, but we usually just swing our legs over the top.

'take care and joy, Aythya crew

 

[CLucas]

Watertight? No, but my lower board has a rabbet joint that keeps out most water. I've never seen a leak, though I also haven't aimed a high pressure hose at it either. Lower board is 3/4" teak plywood and upper is 1/2" acrylic.

 

[zz4gta]

Mine would let in the entire ocean, it just keeps out the birds. Atleast the big ones.

 

[Freesail99]

Any suggestions on how to improve the seal ? I would think it has much to do with the channel or track the boards slide in. I have a track made of teak.

 

[Valiente]

I used weather stripping one year, and that improved things considerably. But on the new boat headed offshore, we are going for a "Dutch door" gasketed and doggable solution, which I may have to make custom as finding one 23 inches tall is proving problematic. Think like this only in aluminum:

OK, I found my original post with this:

and the original thread, which might give you some ideas, here (from 2008):

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/sailboat-design-construction/48658-designing-companionway-hatch.html