Tartan37.com

Thanks Ray for your input on this subject. I was reading all the racing rules and all the requirements to sail in an organized event, very overwhelming. Locking companionway doors are on the list, I have heavy 5/8" boards, was thinking of slide bolts hold boards. I have been having Bridge Deck envy, but maybe they got it right on the Tartan 37, I never looked at it that way. Hope never to have a boarding sea, but must be prepared.

Todd
S/V Bleu Moon
Hull #439

My boards can be secured by a barrel lock on them at the top in the hatch cover. I think it was standard and original when my boat was built. You have to be able to open it from the inside according to the rules—which sort of makes it useless for a singlehander. I have never used it in 25 years. The seas seem to me to get longer in period as they get higher, so the real danger of getting pooped in this boat seems to be if you were turning broadside to the waves while attempting to head up for a reef. I have faced that danger and opted to keep going with too much main. I was also worried about being rolled in the troughs of 15 and 20 foot waves. Never had any seas come aboard.
Ray Durkee
T37 #373

Hi Ray,
Good points, some tactics to remember not to do !

Todd McCarthy
S/V Bleu Moon
Hull # 439

We had companionway boards redone 30 yrs ago but I don't know where the Skipper went for that. But we went from that teak plywood to solid would, twice as thick as what fits in the groove, with a taper in the two inches on either side so they slide right in. 3 panels still. No idea what wood, but 30 years later and only #2 picked up a slight warp on the edge... just enough to make it more snug in the slot so not a problem. I'll snap a pic next time I'm there.

I would think anyone with a table saw could duplicate.

My boards are 3/4 and mostly live in the closet. 5/16 inch smoked one piece poly panel is used when I want it closed and a throw screen in summer. Poly panels fits nicely flat in quarter birth.
There was a time in the 9 years I have been sailing Erewhon that I had bridge deck envy.
Not anymore, the older I get the more appreciative I am of the 4 inch lip and few stairs to go down. Quick and safe access to the interior is important to me. In only two occasions have I put the first board in to prevent the interior from getting flooded. These wonderful yachts were not designed or intended to be sailed in the roaring forties but still can take far more than most would want to put themselves through for an extened duration.

J. McCallum
SV Erewhon

I fixed this by taking the 3/8" trim pieces port and starboard and cut them vertically on the inside edge of the companionway. I West Systemed those to the back of 7/8" teak boards I got from a salvaged table. The new 7/8" frame, with another 3/8" from the original frame, allowed, after sanding, about 1" of space inside the grooves made by the "new" frame boards. I then copied the original boards on new teak 7/8" boards (I had to add scavenged wood, clamp and West System them to get them the size of the original hatch boards - limited supply of teak).

Cut at an angle to slough water to the outside top and bottom on each board except for the top of the top board. A lot of sanding keeps it from looking like pure wood butchery. But it's solid. And the lexan piece drops in the middle when desired.