companion way doors

[richard bordelon]

i need the names of a good place to buy companion way doors for my c36.richard bordelon #902

[StillaThrill]

Richard,

There are a couple of places on the web: www.zarcor.com has the doors and they occasionally run specials and the other one is www.cruisingconcepts.com.

I hope this helps,

[Allan R]

If you are semi handy and have a little more than basic tools, you could attempt to buil your own. I made mine for under $100.

Specs/Upgrades (http://catalina36mkii.blogspot.com/)

[ProfDruhot]

I have a question about replacing my companionway boards with doors. I understand that Zarcor is a reliable company. Just wondering if there is anyone else who supplies doors.

Thanks in advance for your tips,

Glenn

[wfahey]

I have the CruisingConcept doors and love them. When we race we wrap them in the quilted companionway cover to protect them as the windows scratch easily.

[Spanki]

We built ours with a table saw, and a planner (get wood to fit to hatch board slides, the only big expense was the plastic (LEXAN). I've built at least 4 set for other boats in our marina (only 12 S/V and 300SP). The hinges are plastic seperating hinges from W/M. The 3 pieces of wood interlock with each other and have to be "worked out". I would post pictures of them but I am not a computer wiz, I've tried for 30 min now-sorry

[Solla Sollew]

Russ:
Would you be so kind as to email me the photo(s) you attempted to post? You can send the to: XXXsv_sollasollewXXX@yahoo.com. (Remove the x's)
I''d also be happy to post them here for everyone else to see. All due credit will be given.:)
Marc
"Solla Sollew" #1473
Ventura CA

[Pat T]

I'm posting these just to give you ideas. I wish I could say I built them but I didn't. And I don't know where the PO got them either. Sorry. Maybe someone else can chime in? They look similar in concept to other doors you can buy in that they lift off and can be stowed or just swug and left open. All I have done is re-varnish these along with the cockpit table which is a nice teak & holly design.

[dejavu]

Here's an idea. Since many owners go for the nifty Cruising Concept doors, perhaps you could post a "Want To Buy" ad in the classifieds and find someone who would like to sell their original doors. Just a thought.

Mike

[ProfDruhot]

I decided to go with the Zarcor doors and have been quite pleased with them. In fact, I happen to believe that it was one of the best upgrades that I have made to the boat to date.

[StephenVNoe]

Just finished the install including replacing wood side rails with SS. Really makes the boat look good!

[Allan R]

Very nice!!

[John Reimann]

What is the advantage of doors over boards? In most conditions, I simply remove the boards. When I'm outside the bay if there are heavy seas then I just leave one or two boards in.

[ciscocat]

I went with the zarcor doors as well and love then the inserts are great and you can make some yourself. the only thing i did differently is that I replaced the teak sideboards with Stainless steel replacements they seemed to work better and it is one less piece of teak on the outside of the boat i have to mess with. the company is great to work with, of course it helps that they are local to the Dallas area. i'll see if i can get a picture of them if you are interested. I believe your boat is a Mark I correct?
regards,

[stu jackson c34]

What is the advantage of doors over boards? In most conditions, I simply remove the boards. When I'm outside the bay if there are heavy seas then I just leave one or two boards in.

John, I, too, had that question. Then I realized, yet again, that so many folks sail in way different conditions than we do. Southern gentlemen have heat and bugs. Doors are way easier to keep air conditioning working down below. Same for northern skippers with heating requirements.

The only real downside of the doors that I see with the arrangement of our cockpits and companionways is that the doors are lower than the cockpits seats, so they never open all the way (see Steve's picture).

[plaineolde]

The only real downside of the doors that I see with the arrangement of our cockpits and companionways is that the doors are lower than the cockpits seats, so they never open all the way (see Steve's picture).

I plan to make doors over the winter, and I've been considering just this issue. I was taking some measurements on the boat and I may make up some sample doors in a frame that fits in the opening above the lowest hatch board. This way, they would open all the way, and the lower board isn't difficult to step over. Still in the thinking phase at this point.

[stu jackson c34]

Gary, what you might want to consider is to make the doors as large as you can and as low as they will go to "miss" the seats when they open. The advantage is that the lower drop board could be smaller than the one you have (maybe if you have three it would be equal).

Measure a million times, cut a few times.:):):)

[kinera]

Dumb question, I am sure....but what if the doors were buiilt to swing inside?

[stu jackson c34]

A clever approach. If you examine the companionway and the construction of the lips that hold the hatchboards, plus the construction of the bridge step, I think you'll find anything that swings in would be difficult at best and hard to keep rain out.

[Steve Frost]

Inward opening doors as Stu mentioned may be tough to engineer to keep rain out not to mention boarding seas. One area often mentioned about our C36 and seaworthiness is the huge companionway being a concern in rough weather. When it getts rough out there I often put my hatch boards in and close the companionway hatch. Inward opening doors would not hold up to boarding seas.

I do like the idea of doors so the boat could be quickly closed up though, I think if I were to build them I would either design a lower hatch board to stay in place that would make the door short enough to swing open without hitting the seats or put a lateral hinge on the lower portion of the door so it would fold up and lay on the seat when the door is open.

[Allan R]

Best of both worlds. I designed mine so I could use either or. The doors are on lift off hinges, then remove four screws and the hatch boards are ready to go in.

[ciscocat]

just a note with the zarcor doors in place you can easily remove the doors and they boards simply slide into place as they normally would.

[Capt. Sam]

Just a note and slightly different opinion. I just received and intalled my new Zarcor doors. I'm less than thrilled. Goods: They look great, were relatively easy to install although I had to call Zarcor three times for clarifications, the people at Zarcor are great to work with. Bads: the combi lock does not work on my boat. The companionway slide can easily be lifted above the locking arm and pushed open, and the lock is, in my opinion, way overpriced at $50. (Zarcor quickly agreed to let me return the combi lock and give me the $50 back. and I installed a hasp and padlock.) The doors are not very secure even after reverting to the hasp with padlock. I'm sure I could just push them in by hand if I wanted.
And lastly, the price seems high to me for the value received.

Bottom line is I think I would try to build my own doors of wood if I had it to do over. But the Zarcor doors look very good and the security issue can be overcome by simply putting the weather boards back in when leaving the boat.
Hope these comments are helpful to anyone considering the issue.
Sam

[deising]

I think security is a matter of degrees in any case. It is often said that locks just keep 'honest' folks out. Determined thieves have their ways.

[Capt. Sam]

Yes, that's very true. The owner of Zarcor told me he had one customer who put a plaque by the doors that asks any would be burglars to call him for the combination before breaking in the doors.

[Rockman]

We always had flimsy washboards, so when they got kicked in it would not damage the mountings. But we did have some strong ones for when we were offshore. (the boat was on a mooring, and the local boys would swim out tithe boat and break in looking for alcohol)



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