Falling hatch screens! (SO35)

[reverie]

Hello all,

The screen inserts for our overhead hatches have a nasty habit of popping out and falling on us for no apparent reason. Very frustrating.

Replacing all of these with aftermarket versions would cost big bucks, and I'm reluctant to do that.

I'm sure others have struggled with this also. Has anyone developed a simple fix for this?

Thanks,

John

[Don Reaves]

I have used industrial strength velcro along the edges of the hatch. It seems to work.

Note that the falling screens aren't just an annoyance. A friend of mine was hit in the face while sleeping under the hatch in the V-berth. It could have taken an eye out.

Don

[reverie]

Thanks, Don.

Did you apply the Velcro tape to the horizontal (i.e. top) surface of the screen frame, or the vertical (outside edge) sides?

The previous owner tried Velcro tape on the horizontal (top) frame edges, but I think that makes matters worse since the small (and already ineffective) clips in the screen frames can no longer reach their mating slots.

John

[Don Reaves]

I applied it to the top edges, but only at the middle of the sides not containing the latches. This gives the latches a chance to work.

[reverie]

Many thanks, Don.

I'll give that approach a go.

John