Canvas/screen door

Jwager · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 6:45 am Post subject: Canvas/screen door

Does anyone have suggestions for the fabrication of a screen door? The glass door on my 22 shattered last week. While I'm going through the long and expensive process of replacing the glass it occurred to me that a screen and sunbrella " soft door" would be a quicker temporary solution as well as a nice back up plan if the door shattered again. Complete bug proofness is essential. I'm specifically interested in ideas/thoughts about how it would be attached to the boat. I was thinking Velcro to the door frame but a local canvas shop says that the Velcro will not stay attached to the boat over time? Thanks

JamesTXSD · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 9:47 am Post subject:

Joan made a screen for our cabin door, using Sunbrella as the "frame" with screen material sewn into that. It attaches to the door frame with the same snaps we use for the solid Sunbrella door cover. It is a snug fit to the door, as long as everything is snapped. If the bugs aren't bad, we'll just snap the top two snaps to be able to push it aside as we come and go. When used that way, if we pull it just outside the door frame (towards the cockpit), it provides a decent coverage with very little gap, as well.

Dreamer · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:32 pm Post subject:

We made up a screen with fabric on the top and bottom to support the snaps. Edges are bound with Bias tape. If extremely buggy, we spray the screen with insect repellant.

I'm curious to hear more about your door shattering. Did you read Colobear's account of a rear door failure?

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?p=225860&highlight=#225860

Casey · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:51 pm Post subject:

I have a similar design to what Jim (WildBlue) described - with a useful modification:

Our door also has a full length zipper sewn into the screen about 10" inside one edge. Near the bottom the zipper also makes a 90degree turn for about ten inches, which makes it easier to step-through the zippered opening.

Best,
Casey&Mary

ghone · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:19 pm Post subject:

I put up a fabric curtain on the inside of the cabin with 2 canvas top snaps. It is art as it's pretty fancy material as well as privacy and bug deterant. It overlaps the door frame side to side and is 't quite long enough to reach the floor. Leaving a few inches of gap at the bottom. It was what I had on hand I have not had a bug issue getting in. It reminds me when I go thru it of what it must be like entering a mongolian yurt or beduoin tent. Coming home It is interesting that c cakes was a 2006 boat also. These 2 shattered doors are the only ones I've heard of. If I had an 06 I would check the length of screws as Barry found was a likely cause.

thataway · Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:48 pm Post subject:

We also have the interior door cover, with snaps, leaves the handle free--you can cover this with sunbrella and Velco. Easy to make a misquito or no see em screen door cover. I would just hot glue the edges, and use heavy duty velcro around the door frame. We did this with the foreword hatch and opening window. War surplus no see em net for enough for 3 boats for $10 at the surplus store. We hot glued the velcro to the net. Works great--cheap.

Jwager · Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 4:12 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the feedback. The 2006 factor is interesting. One of the screws was significantly longer in my door. When it shattered I was on plane in the ICW, the water was essentially flat.

ghone · Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:10 pm Post subject:

Just for giggle today I pulled the screws on my door holder clip 2011 cd 22 They are flat tippd machine screws about 3/16 inch long. Not enough to hit the glass. Thumbs Up

Jwager · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 8:02 am Post subject:

Does anyone have pictures of their sunbrella door cover? Pictures of the snaps would be especially helpful. Was this a factory or dealer installed option? Thanks

Dreamer · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:55 am Post subject:

Sure! Here's one. A couple more in my album under Canvas Projects. This was a custom job from "Janet's Canvas Shop" aka the wife's sewing room. Wink

There are numerous machine screws in the door frame, just remove some of these and replace with male snaps that have a 1/2" wood screw studs.

hardee · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:01 pm Post subject:

Jwager

Was your door a full length glass or was it glass on the top half only? My 06 only has glass on the top half. I didn't realize Barry's was an 06. If yours was full glass maybe I'm OK. If not I need to pull the screws and check.

Thanks,

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Jwager · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:59 pm Post subject:

full glass but I would check anyway. even if you could drive to bc to buy the glass it is still a lot of work to install it, not mention the hassle of it breaking on a trip