When we first moved aboard we dealt with removing and installing the companionway boards every time we came and went. That lasted about a week before Cheri came up with a brilliant idea. She removed the splash boards, took a rectangular braided throw rug and draped it over the hatch so it covered the opening. The effect was sorta like an entrance to a teepee. I really liked it and we used it for almost a year, right through the winter. It was protected by the Dodger and Bimini covers and provided a good enough seal to keep out the wind and held in the A/C or heat too. As it got colder she came up with the idea of placing a piece of insulation behind it to improve things even more.The cool-man entrance had it's drawbacks though. The worst of it was that the rug would slowly work it's way down from on top of the companionway hatch and eventually fall off. We found ourselves constantly adjusting it. When Cheri started working from home two days a week we quickly realized that the other drawback was a lack of security. There was no way to lock the entrance and being alone for most of the day at the marina she was feeling kinda exposed.
The answer to this was to find or make some doors for the companionway. There are several manufacturers who provide doors made with teak, which is really beautiful but requires periodic sanding and refinishing. There's also some doors available made from starboard which is a plastic based product that can be machined and worked like wood but is much more stable and holds up to the weather better (i.e. - no maintenance). The doors we liked most are made by Zarcor (link to their site). Their doors are lockable with either a key or combination lock. You can also change out the panels to have screens, windows or solid panels.
We ordered the doors and received them in five weeks. Installation was a snap, took about two hours total. While I put the doors on, Cheri added her own touch. She took the slide-in Lexan panels and covered them with an adhesive backed layover that looks like stained glass, available from Bed, Bath and Beyond. It gives us privacy inside, adds a bit of color and gives a very unique look to our boat. We added handles and latches on the inside for additional security. Great project, easy installation, big improvement for the boat.
