[C38] Companionway doors project on its way...

[Chuck Finn]

To: Vice Commodore Max Soto,

I just got the hinges from Defender.  They seem big, but then I guess I 
don't want wimpy ones for this!  So, what would you do different?  And, 
how do you manage so the doors do not sag inward?

I vote that Max write up this project for a Tech Article in Mainsheet!  
What do you say Steve S?  And yes, I will be happy to help with editing!

Chuck Finn
Commodore
Catalina 38 International Association

On 1/18/2011 12:56 PM, Max Soto wrote:
> Hey guys, thanks for the complements! They are heavily 
> appeciated... You have no idea how much work I have put on 
> Estancia...I'm going to send an email with before and after pics, so 
> you'll now what I'm talking about !!....
>
> For the doors, I got a lot of ideas from zarcor, cruising concepts, 
> Don, Joe, etc....
>
> At the end, this is what I came up with.... Still, If I have to do 
> them again, I'll change some things.. but thay look good and work as 
> they are.....
> Alden, honestly, it will be cheaper to buy them in the US,  What will 
> make them expensive, is over $200 of shipping to the US from Costa 
> Rica.......
> I considered $890 from cruising concepts to be veery expensive, but 
> Zarcor.com has their door at $680, which is a very good price, 
> considering, even more if you consider their bennefits (King 
> Starboard, replaceble lens or screen, no maintenance, etc...... They 
> have also made these doors for C38 Whiatt...So, they have the mesures....
>
> The hinges are what Zarcor is using, just a little bit bigger....A 
> looked everywhere and these are the ones that I was able to 
> find...They are stainless steel Sea Dog hinges andbBought them at 
> Defender Marine...
> Joey, the original ones where rotten because of the hard dodger that 
> was installed, so I replaced the original trims with another wood 
> trims, then I found a pic on the web of a C38 with the trims either 
> replaced by starboardm or just painted...., so I went ahead and 
> painted them white...It gives the boat a more contemporary look....of 
> cousrse, that's just my thought!!
> As you can see on the pics, the wood rails on the side of the 
> companinway need some work, but I don't know what to do...if I just 
> varnish them again, install a stainless plate from top to bottom on 
> each side, just like new boats, or painting the white.....
> I think that I'm going to paint the doors white on the outside, and 
> keep them varnished on the inside....Les maintenance on the outside.....
> One of my next projects is to  replace the teak grab rails on the 
> cabin top, the less wood, the better....again, just my thought!!!!
> Check out the pic from a C30  with the Zrcor doors, and please vote 
> for white or varnished exterior....What do you think???
>
> Regards,
>
> Max
>
>