There is an ungainly collection of companionway boards on my 26C: the main teak-veneered plywood is in two pieces, upper and lower. I have two extra uppers: one is tinted acrylic and one a framed screen. These are stowed standing up against the inboard side of the galley counter. Here, they are all sandwiched together and held tight with a strong bungy cord. There is only 1 correct way to stow them so they fit close enough to allow the head door to swing open past them. For some reason I seem to be the only person who can do this (there is a subtle art to it). Have not been able to train any crew for this task. Frankly, I would like to reduce the number of panels as it is a bit of a hassle. Misty Cat’s wooden upper has a teak louvred and screened vent, which can be closed by sliding in an acrylic panel on the inside. It also has a hasp for the lock. The acrylic panel has no vent and no hasp. I’m thinking maybe I could vent and put a hasp on the acrylic panel and do away with the wooden upper - which is a perennial maintenance chore (varnish). And the light through the acrylic panel is very nice.
On my previous vessel, a gaff-rigged wooden catboat, there were a pair of swing open wooden doors which were lovely and handy (all the trim on this boat was native NS black locust). She had only 3 lines running to the cockpit and only a compass on the bulkhead, so when the doors were open it didn’t obscure anything. On the Nonsuch we have 3 instruments and 7 lines coiled on the cockpit facing bulkheads, I’m sure hinged doors would be a nuisance.
I’ve attached a pic of our old cat Queen Celeste showing the companionway doors. She is a Brewer 22 Cape Cod Catboat, built at Rose Bay Boatshop in Nova Scotia. I owned her from about 1987 - 2002.
Happy new year to all
Greg Silver
Misty Cat N 26C #121
St. Peter’s, Cape Breton
