screens for port windows in rear cabins SO 40

[allora]

just took possession of SO 40  the rear cabins ports do not have screens to keep out the huge canadian mosquitos  is there a place to buy screens or instructions on how to make screens. thanks stan

[sitara]

Hi Stan,
As a quick fix I cut out some fibreglass fly screen and simply stuck it to the outside of the port opening with long life masking tape. Works well for a short trip and if someone kicks it it can easily be refixed. I take it off if we are not staying on the boat.

[Mistroma]

I cut some white plastic strip (20x2mm I think) to the correct length with a slight overlap. I could bend it into shape to fit inside the frame on rear window above our berth, pushed ends apart to get a tight fit and joined the overlap with glue & tape. This gave me frame for a screen.

I also bought some carrot fly netting which is has a fine mesh and is fairly stiff plastic. This was cut to an oblong shape slightly larger than the frame and keeps its shape when pushed into the frame.

It's fairly easy to push one side of the plastic frame into the window and it grips the netting enough to allow me to pull the other corners tight and push the frame into place.

It sounds messy but is easy to assemble and forms a perfect seal between the rubber surround and the plastic strip. I don't know how long the netting will last but it seems to be quite tough. It might fray at the edge but that hasn't happened yet so seems to be a very cheap solution so far.

[rene460]

Hi Stan,

Our SO 30i has a hatch in the cockpit sides which opens into the rear cabin, I assume something like the one you have.

We cut a fibreglass fly screen to size and my wife sewed on a strip of the hooky side of Velcro around the edges.  We glued some stick-on Velcro, smoothe side, to the hatch frame in the cockpit so it does not catch our clothing when the screen is not in place.  No gaps in the Velcro makes it mosquito proof, and we can open the hatch normally from the inside.  We remove it when we are away from the boat so it does not suffer sun damage, to make it last longer.  Very easily reinstalled when we want to use the rear cabin.  We did a similar fix on the galley and head window to do the job while we locate the Lewmar screens.

rene460

[dublin]

Depends on the make and size

We have both gobo and Lewmar on our 39. Went looking for fly screens
Gebo custom screens are very expensive
Lewmar are good value about gbp25 each. They fit into the opening and can be left permanently in place. They also have the advantage of making the inside more private from prying eyes.

Can be bought online from Seateach in UK

[jdl01]

Deterred by the price of the gebo bug screens, we made up rigid frames with fiber mesh that we insert from inside.
The frame is 1/4 inch corrugated plastic - like a corrugated cardboard - cut with a boxcutter to form a frame.
The mesh is glued to the frame with marine goop and the frame is then covered with sail repair tape. They fit snugly and are in their second year of service with no problems. Total cost about $10.

[belmar]

Stan,
A solution without the mentioned DIY: (award winning and on-line purchase)
www.waterlinedesign.se/en/mosquito-nets/ 

Works well!

[chumu]

Here's my solution for the screen problem. Our boat is a 2000 Sun Odyssey 37 with 5 ports. We are the 2nd owner and the boat did not come with any screens. I mocked up a frame out of plywood and then made a set out of Starboard. I used my router with a follower bit to duplicate the wooden template. I used a small bit to create a groove in the back ( which is on the outside ). Then I bought a replacement screen kit for a screen door and used the rubber and screen to complete my screens. The posts on the top fit into the recess in the hinge of the Goiot ports. The posts are actually just a plastic coat hanger I sliced up. The white toggles on the bottom rotate to latch into the existing grooves in the latches on the ports. The screens took a while to prototype but this final iteration works quite well.
Dennis Angle
CHUMU
SO 37
St.Catharines ON Canada