Comapionway Hatch Board Dimensions

[USMCR O-5]

I'm in the process of making new companionway hatch boards but don't have the dimensions.  My boat is over an hour away and I was hoping someone might have these dimensions handy so I can make the boards here at home and bring them to the boat competed.  Thanks.

[Bob23]

  Greetings USMCR 0-5: What are you sailing? 16? 19? 23? etc...
  By the way, where is your home port? And welcome to the forum!
Bob23

[Tim Gardner]

I believe the Lt. Colonel sails a 23.

tg

[Bob23]

Duh, yeah. I guess that's why this is in the 23 section. Just a small brain fart.
Bob23
(I may be down to the boat today...if so, and I can remember where I put it, I'll measure 'em up.)

[USMCR O-5]

I'm in the Tampa Bay area. My 23/3 is in need of a thorough restoration. It's been sitting at a dock behind a friend's house for a number of years. The bottom looks like a coral reef but I think it will clean up nicely. I have to replace the companionway hatch to keep the rain out. Next, I've got to get the boat out of the water to dry it out and start the restoration.

[curtisv]

I'm in the Tampa Bay area. My 23/3 is in need of a thorough restoration. It's been sitting at a dock behind a friend's house for a number of years. The bottom looks like a coral reef but I think it will clean up nicely. I have to replace the companionway hatch to keep the rain out. Next, I've got to get the boat out of the water to dry it out and start the restoration.

The tough part of making the hatchboard from dimensions will be getting the curve on the top right.  Easier to do with another hatchboard to use as a pattern, but should be doable.  It is a very large radius curve though but if all you need for now is a temporary slab of plywood, then anything close should be good enough.  Can't get to mine for another few days so you'll have to wait for Bob to measure.

Curtis

[kchunk]

Did you ever get what you needed? I just happen to have a brand new set in my garage from Hutchins. Here are a bunch of pictures. If you need any more specific info just ask.



*A couple notes:

• The lower edge measurement is not an over all measurement. It's offset by the the radius and the angle of the side edge (see close-up).
• The interior edges are rounded all the way around the perimeter
• The upper edges of both the upper and lower drop boards are beveled toward the exterior to prevent rain from entering.

Here's my opinion...I made a set of drop boards of my own. They didn't make it two seasons here in FL. Granted, I used veneered plywood from Home Depot, and I'm the farthest thing from a carpenter, but since you live over in Tampa, I'd head over to Hutchins and just pick up a new set. They're teak, they're beautiful and they're done...all you'll need is some varnish. If I recall they were about 80 bucks and you'll save on the shipping.

--Greg

[curtisv]

Greg,

Interior plywood uses water soluable glue which is a bad idea for a hatchboard.  Exterior plywood doesn't come with nice veneers.  If you go with plywood it has to be marine grade veneer and I don't think you can get that at Home Depot.

At $80 the only reason to make them would be for the satisfaction of making them, or to modify the design a little.  For example some people have made plexiglass/lexan hatchboards or made three boards with vents in the middle board.

My boards have a peice of teak across the top where part of the companionway hasp is mounted.  See the small photo below.



Do your photos show just the back side of the hatchboards or is this peice across the top not there?

Curtis

[kchunk]

Hey Curtis...

I agree whole heartedly about making them for the satisfaction of making them. Personally, I get more satisfaction from buying them knowing that they cost only a wee bit more than I spent trying to make them and I get to use the time I saved to do other things that I find more satisfying. 

My pictures are of the exterior side of the boards (I suppose that would be the back relative to the boat), however, no, I don't have that teak piece across the top. That's actually a great idea. They way my boards are set up, the top hatch slides over the drop boards a bit when closed. This acts as a drip edge so to speak, but it also leaves an opening at either side of the sliding hatch through which mud daubers seem to exploit without fail.

Nice snow BTW 

[curtisv]

Nice snow BTW 

That photo is very old and that is the boatyard that I bought to boat from.  It was the first photo I found with the hatchboard in it.

Not this is snow on the boat (also old photos):



I had a bit of work getting the brightwork back into shape in the spring.  I did shovel the snow each time it snowed.  I also had to varnish the tiller the following year.  Better to cover the boat.

Curtis

[USMCR O-5]

Thanks all for the great replies!  Thanks especially to Greg for the photos and the dimensions.  I didn't realize that replacement boards direct from Hutchins were so inexpensive.  I'm less than an hour from there so I may very well go get a set from them.  In the meantime I will cut a rough piece of exterior grade plywood (using Greg's dimensions) to close the cabin up from the elements.

[USMCR O-5]

Well, I went over to Hutchins yesterday and they couldn't have been more helpful.  I called an hour before I got there and the cut the boards before I arrived.  They were very helpful with my questions about the boat.  It's a good thing I put the new boards in; when I got to the boat, I had an unpleasant surprise.  About 2 inches of rainwater was sloshing around the cabin floor.  Restoration just got a little harder!

[curtisv]

If the water hasn't been there long you may be OK.  Otherwise you may be able to dry it out and then light sand.  If you have a water line, you may be able to dry the wood for a few months and then sand and oil the wood and get it to disappear.  A water line can be the hardest to get rid of.

Curtis

[Glenn Basore]

USMCR,

Can you take some before pictures and post them as you do your restoration ?

I think this would be interesting to follow along.

Glenn

[USMCR O-5]

I have "before" pictures to post, but I hate to admit that I'm not sure how to post them on this forum.