Companion way doors on a Bavaria 38, Year 2003

[Florian68]

Hi to everyone,
does anyone in this forum own a Bavaria 38 and converted his /her companion way sliding hatch to doors? If yes, is there a commercial solution to this or are the doors individually made for your boat? I understand that the later Bavaria 38s came with doors, I really hate the sliding hatch and would like to install some doors with plexiglas inserts.......

[Ziffius]

It is on my wish list as well
http://bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php/topic,885.msg4758.html#msg4758

[Florian68]

Hi fellow Bavaria friends,
I need your help in the following matter: I can order the companion doors of a later bavaria model (Bavaria 31-40 Cruiser, NC Series, after 2005), these doors are available from SVB at a resonable price (885 € including sales tax) but neither SVB or Bavaria itself can provide me with the measurements of the doors (which is a little funny because someone at Bavaria has to build them if I order them).  I hope that I can modify these doors so they fit my companion way of my Bavaria 38, build in 2003. Bavaria is unable to tell me if the companion way measurements have changed from the 2003 model to the 2005 and younger models, so I hope someone out there with a Bavaria 31-40 Cruiser may measure their companion way for me and tells me the correct dimensions. I attach a picture of the doors provided by Bavaria, these are the doors that they sell as a spare part, hope someone finds the time to do me this favour.......
@Ziffius: these doors may fit to your model.....

[symphony2]

Looks the same as the doors fitted to my 2015 boat, except that the panels on mine are acrylic.  Pretty sure the hatch openings are the same size for earlier boats, However from memory of my 2001 37, the threshold step was nowhere near as wide (the separate piece of teak is the threshold, which also has two stainless wear strips on it) and more importantly the 2005 on boats have a very different coachroof moulding with the hatch inset so that the doors don't open into the cockpit. So, I am not sure, even if the size is the same, the doors will be suitable. You really need to look at later boats to see how the doors fit before deciding to spend all that money!

I will measure the doors and the opening on my boat tomorrow which may help you to see if the basic "hole" is the same size.

[Florian68]

  Thanks!

[symphony2]

The key dimensions are
Total Height  735mm
Width at top 635mm
Width at bottom 615mm
Distance from top of frame to top of step 632mm
Thickness of step 23mm

Photos show the installed doors. As you can see the frame is attached to the face of the moulding. Can't see any fastenings and suspect it is glued in place with a structural adhesive. The step is shaped at the ends to fit the radius of the opening and glued down - again no sign of fastenings. Important to note that the companionway is set forward in the coachrroof so the doors open within the recess. I think your 38 does not have this feature. I looked at a 2007 37 at our club today  and it has the same recessed companionway . I could not get close up because the boat is out of the water on its cradle, but the doors looked the same as mine.

If you do buy those doors, suggest you varnish them before you install them. I did not do mine when new and they looked very shabby after a couple of years, even with teak oil. so last year I bit the bullet and cleaned them back to bare wood and applied International Woodskin. The inside faces are still oiled as this looks better with the internal joinery finish. As it is not exposed to weather the oiling only needs a coat every couple of years. The step is Woodskin to resist wear. I assume the packet in the SVB photo holds the lock, shoot bolt and the clips that hold the doors open.

Hope this all helps.

[Florian68]

Thnank you very much for your time and efforts, I think this helps a lot!