'76 35ft MKII v-berth door - what to do with it?

[DirtyMartini]

Hi, despite all the things I love about my Ericson, I hate, hate, and hate the forward berth design. The v-berth door must be closed to insert the center-piece or open the drawer. Also, the center piece needs just one more support on the port side to not be a hazard but that support would hit the door!

Enough complaining. I remove the door; it's much more useable now. The question is, what do I do with the door? I hate the thought of just throwing it the dumpster but storage isn't an option.

Has anyone else permanently removed the v-berth door and regretted it?

 

[Shelman]

I haven't thrown out a door... but I did remove the folding table in the main cabin and I too feel reluctant to throw away such a beautiful piece of hand made teak. I also removed the companionway drop boards (which are a terrible design) in favor of a solid door on hinges, and I removed the original settee slide out in favor of a comfortable permanent bed. I say if you are planing on keeping the boat for a long time then don't hesitate to make it yours. If you might be selling in in the near future then leaving it in the realm of mainstream might have some benefit come resale time.

 

[toddster]

I've had the door out since I bought the boat. It's in the back of the garage, under a pile of old sails, zodiacs, outboard motors...

I've been thinking about re-installing it for a few months, but the activation energy is high. The reason being that the only feasible place for a shower on my boat is the passageway between that door and the head/V-berth door at the compression post (E29 Mk1). But that would only work if both doors and the hanging locker could be made somehow splash resistant. A full-circle shower curtain would probably do a better job, but look awful.

I wouldn't throw the door out though. At least put it back in if I ever try to sell the boat. Looks all, like, shippy and such.

 

[Christian Williams]

Make something out of it. Bookshelf. Folding table. Dock step. Binocular case. Flare box. Stereo surround. Icebox cover. Cockpit seat extension. Pulpit thwart. Mag rack.

Only intelligent, rational, well balanced people ever throw anything like that away.

 

[toddster]

Lots of stuff like that also seems to find a home in consignment shops. It might be just what someone else thinks that (s)he needs.

Speaking of doors, I find it somewhat annoying that the beautiful mahogany doors on my boat simply do not close in the winter time. I guess it was never meant to leave Southern California...

 

[Christian Williams]

I have both the head and privacy doors off at the moment. The boat looks and feels much bigger.

OK, I guess I have to eventually put them back, but if it was just me....

 

[Loren Beach]

Doors, here and there

Interesting how many other sailors have had second thoughts about their boat's interior doors!
Our model came with a lovely teak-faced door for 1) the aft head, 2) the aft cabin, and 3) a folding door for the forward cabin.

We got tired of having these in the way and over a decade ago we removed all except the head door. The others are in my basement, varnished, and waiting for a future "next owner'.

I sometimes imagine that the requirement for so much (imaginary) privacy on boats like ours is to please inexperienced sailor-wanna-be's at large indoor boat shows in January. Any real "privacy" is, IMHO, illusory on most boats under fifty feet.
Those doors are there to please the marketing dept, mostly.

As for the lovely solid teak (heavy...) hatch boards, they are home. Replaced by an ultralight one-piece panel made from epoxy and honeycomb. Next up, when I get a "round tuit" will be vertically hinged doors that can stay there.

Cheers,
Loren

 

[markvone]

Don't throw it out or make something out of it!

I predict it will be a selling point for the next buyer's (wife). Even though, once they own the boat and use it, they will most likely find that the door doesn't work - just like you already know.

I would find some place, any place to store it. If that is truly impossible, I would sell it or give it to another E35-2 owner.
It will be hard and/or expensive to replace.

The first thing my wife said about my boat after I bought it: why isn't there a door on the v-berth?
It was an option on the E36RH and some boats have them. It works fine. It doesn't get in the way open or closed. Most owners have it stored somewhere off the boat.
Oh, and my wife has never stayed a night on the boat in five years.

Just saying it probably has value, just not to you!

Mark

 

[Hanktoo]

I don't know if these are the original supports, but they don't get in the way at all. The door is clipped to the bulkhead and I can close it for some privacy to change clothes with guests on board. Don't toss it! If you do don't tell us. Hmmm work computer isn't letting me upload. I will send a pic later

 

[Hanktoo]

adding pic

I don't know if these are the original supports, but they don't get in the way at all. The door is clipped to the bulkhead and I can close it for some privacy to change clothes with guests on board. Don't toss it! If you do don't tell us. Hmmm work computer isn't letting me upload. I will send a pic later

 

[toddster]

That is like the outer door on my boat, except it's hinged at the forward end and closes against the compression post. (Except in the winter, when it won't quite close.) In the open position, it conceals the head. That one I've kept.

There is also an inner bi-fold door, that folds open into the V cutout of the V-berth. That's the one that's in storage. Hypothetically, one closes both doors to get privacy in the head, but it becomes a very coffin-like space. I suppose it could be an issue if there were two couples sleeping on board, and someone needed to use the head in the middle of the night. But even with the inner door closed, the head is like, twelve inches from someone's pillow. So I'm thinking that's just not going to happen, unless all on board are VERY close friends.

 

[p.gazibara]

How big is it?

If you are looking to part ways with it, I may be interested. I have a 35-2 that was gutted to race to HI. I am in the process of installing a head in the boat, and was dreading the work required to make a door (routers, special bits, teak). If you are looking to part ways, let me know what size the door is, it may be a match to my new head.

-P