Looking for 26M Companionway door

[Doctor Z]

My 26M was stolen this week from the Vancouver Rowing Club. The police recovered it but there is a lot of damage to the companionway door (not the top sliding hatch) - too much to repair so I'm looking for a replacement. Tatoo has transferred the 26 mold to Bluewater but they have no idea when they might contract a fiberglass firm to create any replacement pieces.
Anyone here know where I can source a hatch - perhaps from someone who fabricated a tinted Plexiglass door, or a custom hinged door, and has the stock one lying around?

[NiceAft]

Here is a mod for making one for an air conditioner. The overall dimensions should be the same.

Ray

http://macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=589

You also should contact Highlander. He has made such a mod out of plexiglass. http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... ss#p280856

[Doctor Z]

Thanks but I'm looking for the original factory hatch as I'm selling the boat and want it as stock as possible.

[Russ]

Bummer about getting stolen. How does that happen?

A factory replacement hatch will probably cost you plenty. Shipping such a weird sized item would be a lot also.

Honestly, I would just make new hatchboards out of Lexan or similar polycarbonate panels. Use some cardboard for a template. If I were buying the boat, a nice smoke Lexan hatchboard would invite me to buy much more than that clunky stupid hatch. Heck, maybe I'll make one for my boat and sell you my old stupid hatch door.

I plexi hatch panels and they are great. Big giant window vs. feeling like you are in a dark cave. Problem is I used thin plexi and they are not strong.

--Russ

[RobertB]

I too made Lexan panels but I do appreciate your desire for a stock one since Lexan is much easier to break and is subject to a shorter useful life in the sun.
If you cannot find a stock one, and in the current situation I do not think your chances are good, then I would recommend borrowing one if you can so a fiberglass fabricator can copy it (it is a two part assembly bonded together). Otherwise, I suggest making a simple one out of fiberglass board or other substantial material.

[yukonbob]

I'd either build or get someone to build a wood one. I'd bet there are a lot of good finishing carpenters in your area that could throw a three piece together for a pretty reasonable price.

[Russ]

I too made Lexan panels but I do appreciate your desire for a stock one since Lexan is much easier to break and is subject to a shorter useful life in the sun.

Are you sure?
I thought Lexan is what they make bullet proof glass out of. Isn't that the stuff on the side of the Mac pedestal?

I've seen lots of hatchboards made out of polycarbonate sheet. Stuff is very strong. What they make greenhouses out of.
If thick enough, the stuff should be pretty durable.

If not, as Bob mentioned, wood slats are what most boats use if not polycarbonate sheets.

[RobertB]

Lexan/polycarbonate will degrade and become brittle from UV exposure. It also scratches relatively easily. But it is affordable and easy to find.

Correction, Plexiglas/acrylic is more affordable and easy to find - and what I used.

[Ixneigh]

No I have one. I replaced mine with solid wood and fiberglass two piece board, painted the same light blue as the hull.
I kept the old one but it needs a wash and wax. It's stock.

I really do prefer the two piece boards and I now almost never remove the bottom board.
I think that one piece board was Rogers clever human engineering. The easiest thing to do with it is to keep it in place while sailing, and that's also the safest.

I guess that pretty much says the 26 is not coming back if they gave the molds for the parts to blue water


Ix

[Russ]

Lexan/polycarbonate will degrade and become brittle from UV exposure. It also scratches relatively easily. But it is affordable and easy to find.

Are you sure we're talking about the same material. Plexiglass is weak and degrades and is cheap. Lexan or it's generic name polycarbonate is what the Mac uses on the pedestal and used in many outdoor applications where strength and durability is required. It's what they make canopies out of.
It is also very expensive, which is why I made my hatch boards out of plexiglass. I wanted a window when it rains that keeps rain out and lets us sit in the cabin and not feel boxed in. Plexi is very flexible and fragile. Lexan is strong and well suited for outdoor uses. My Hunter had Bowmar hatches made of Lexan as well as the main slider hatch made of the stuff. My next mod is to cough up the extra dough and buy some polycarbonate sheets and make permanent companionway boards. Yes boards, because that single cover is stupid and hard to store. Some stick it under the seat. I tried and it gets in the way.
I do not understand why anyone would want that original companionway panel.

[RobertB]

Did a bit of research to make sure: Lexan=polycarbonate, Plexiglass=acrylic. I did not use polycarbonate due to the cost and lower scratch resistance (cannot be buffed out) - and the fact it will yellow in the sun. Acyric is more affordable, more scratch resistant (and repairable) and strong enough. I bought the dark bronze and reinforced the edges with bamboo flooring (cut down).

As far as aircraft canopies, polycarbonate is used for the strength but we went through a bunch of them on the F-16 since it is so hard to repair (we actually changed these to a sandwich of two different plastics, forgot the exact details - due to a birdstrike inducing a standing wave and breaking the pilot's neck).

[Doctor Z]

So, for those of you who made replacements, do you have a factory original for sale?

[Russ]

Did a bit of research to make sure: Lexan=polycarbonate, Plexiglass=acrylic. I did not use polycarbonate due to the cost and lower scratch resistance (cannot be buffed out) - and the fact it will yellow in the sun. Acyric is more affordable, more scratch resistant (and repairable) and strong enough. I bought the dark bronze and reinforced the edges with bamboo flooring (cut down).

As far as aircraft canopies, polycarbonate is used for the strength but we went through a bunch of them on the F-16 since it is so hard to repair (we actually changed these to a sandwich of two different plastics, forgot the exact details - due to a birdstrike inducing a standing wave and breaking the pilot's neck).

Interesting.

[RobertB]

The birdstrike issue is in reference to chicken cannon tests early in the program. The coolest (and messiest) testing done in any aircraft program The chicken vaporized against the canopy without penetrating but induced a wave in the one piece transparency (without frame supports) that traveled back to the pilot. The helmet was only an inch or two down and the wave hit the helmet. I am afraid the test dummy did not survive

[Brian]

Buy a small Acrylic-Sheet.

The dimensions are 31 3/4" x 21 5/8".

For example, this 36" x 30" sheet from Home Depot would work:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/OPTIX-36-in- ... /202038044

Use what's left of your original hatch as a pattern to trace the size. Cut it out. Sand the rough edges, and then re-use the original hasp hardware, and you will have a companionway door that will work at least until you can get a new one from BWY.

I did this using a piece of plywood for my Companionway Air Conditioning unit, and it was pretty easy.