Last summer, along the coast of Maine, I was anchored in a couple of spots
that had mosquito's the size of turkeys.

I want to be prepared this summer .::: what do you all do about the
companionway to keep out the mosquitos?

I have been thinking of making a couple of companionway sliding screens ..
haven't figured out the method yet.

Any help? Thoughts?

"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:1qIbh.9745$Kw2.4445@trndny05...
Last summer, along the coast of Maine, I was anchored in a couple of spots
that had mosquito's the size of turkeys.

I want to be prepared this summer .::: what do you all do about the
companionway to keep out the mosquitos?

I have been thinking of making a couple of companionway sliding screens ..
haven't figured out the method yet.

Any help? Thoughts?


Durned of those buggers ain't smart enough to come in through any cracks you
might leave between the screen and the frame. So I am thinking that using
Velcro would be the best bet -- but probably annoying to constantly open and
close.

Well if the mosquitos are that big.just leave your hatch half way closed
But for regular mosquitos and no-see-ums, you can get the proper fabric from
Campmor.
I think a lot of folks just drape an oversize panel over the companionway
with fitted dowel rods to either support or weight the screen.

"KLC Lewis" wrote in message
et...

"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:1qIbh.9745$Kw2.4445@trndny05...
Last summer, along the coast of Maine, I was anchored in a couple of
spots that had mosquito's the size of turkeys.

I want to be prepared this summer .::: what do you all do about the
companionway to keep out the mosquitos?

I have been thinking of making a couple of companionway sliding screens
.. haven't figured out the method yet.

Any help? Thoughts?


Durned of those buggers ain't smart enough to come in through any cracks
you might leave between the screen and the frame. So I am thinking that
using Velcro would be the best bet -- but probably annoying to constantly
open and close.

In article ,
Dave wrote:

On Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:54:05 GMT, "NE Sailboat" said:

I have been thinking of making a couple of companionway sliding screens ..
haven't figured out the method yet.

For a very few bucks, you can buy a netting cover for a baby carriage, and
unless you're unlucky it can be stretched over the companionway and top of
the hatch rather nicely. I use one of the hatch boards to hold the bottom in
place.

Second alternative: For the forward hatch, go to a camping store and pick up
one of those netting covers designed to be hung over a cot. Drape it over
the forward hatch.

Third alternative: At marine stores you can pick up of about $70 a
rectangular piece of netting with lead weights sewn into the seams on three
edges, and cords to tie the front of the netting to your grab rail.

I had my 12 year old daughter make one of these with cheapo chain,
outdoor fabric, and mosquito netting. It was very effective, extremely
cheap, and she thought it looked cool.

For the hatchway, we duct taped oversized mosquito netting to the fixed
top of the open hatchway which allowed us to get maximum airflow, close
the hatch from inside if it rained without mucking up the screen, and
easily exiting in case someone was having a gas attack ;-)

I don't like the idea of a hatchboard in the companionway because you
cannot leave the hatch cover open and I love ventilation in the summer
especially if I am sharing the space with another person.

Harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

NE Sailboat wrote:
Last summer, along the coast of Maine, I was anchored in a couple of spots
that had mosquito's the size of turkeys.

I want to be prepared this summer .::: what do you all do about the
companionway to keep out the mosquitos?

I have been thinking of making a couple of companionway sliding screens ..
haven't figured out the method yet.

Any help? Thoughts?

On my previous boat I had hatchboards that had screens in them. They
were essentially frames to hold the screen. The new boat has a
powerboat style "patio door" so we were able to put in a roll up
screen door. However this won't work for most monohull hatches.

On a overhead hatches, we've added a mess of these and really love them:
http://uk.oceanair.co.uk/da/10495

We got ours at:
www.SSFabricProducts.com

about $150 and well worth it.

Besides the screens, you might think of carrying PIC coils or something
similar. I carry them and have a little holder that allows you to place
them anywhere, even hang them up. Not only will they repel bugs, they
will kill any that slipped in past your screens. Available at most
camping stores and on the web as well.

In article ,
Dave wrote:

On Thu, 30 Nov 2006 20:18:19 -0500, Harlan Lachman
said:

I don't like the idea of a hatchboard in the companionway because you
cannot leave the hatch cover open and I love ventilation in the summer
especially if I am sharing the space with another person.

Dunno what your hatch boards look like, but I've got two. The lower one
holds the bottom of the netting in place.

Dave, I should have specified I was talking about a sailboat. The
vertical board which is (almost) always removable can easily be replaced
with a cut to size-framed mosquito net. However, in order to accommodate
fat boys like me, most sailboats also add a horizontal slider to
facilitate access to the cabin. Inserting a screened mosquito netted
hatch board into this opening would be problematic for the reasons I
wrote. Hence, my use of oversized netting taped over this space (and as
another brilliant poster noted, held in place in the cockpit with winch
handles).

harlan

--
To respond, obviously drop the "nospan"?

Several good suggestions from others so far, but on Itchen we've found that
mosquitoes are not the only problem when cruising SW FLorida and the
Abacos - no-see-ums can be a big nuisance around dusk.
After buying mosquito netting from a sporting goods store and draping it
over all open hatchways we found it 100% effective against mosquitoes BUT
next to useless against "no-see-ums". On the suggestion of a store clerk we
went to a local JoAnn's Fabric store and bought a few yards of voile --
costs next to nothing.
This was 100% effective against everything and still allowed decent air
circulation. Saleslady commented that she had been selling a lot of it
lately to cruising folk! .Another very effective tip, again from a Florida
sporting goods store clerk, was to get a can of pyrethrum-based spray-on
mosquito killer and spray it lightly on portlight screens and the mosquito
netting. When the no-see-ums land and try to crawl through the screen mesh,
they die. As for burning mosquito coils, they are helpful -- but if used in
excess down-below in a closed space they are not good for your health.

Scott


SNIP I want to be prepared this summer .::: what do you all do about
the
companionway to keep out the mosquitos?

I have been thinking of making a couple of companionway sliding screens
.. haven't figured out the method yet.

Any help? Thoughts?
SNIP

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/mosquito_netting.htm


NE Sailboat wrote:
Last summer, along the coast of Maine, I was anchored in a couple of spots
that had mosquito's the size of turkeys.

I want to be prepared this summer .::: what do you all do about the
companionway to keep out the mosquitos?

I have been thinking of making a couple of companionway sliding screens ..
haven't figured out the method yet.

Any help? Thoughts?

NE Sailboat wrote:
...mosquito's the size of turkeys...
...[make] companionway sliding screens...

I've done this twice: boat 1 on Great Lakes: when way offshore in an
insect hatch, you know where all the little corpses go:-)
boat 2 in SW New Zealand, it's sandflies dn there, serious bad news.

both companionway openings approx 2ftx1ft high.

1. black walnut varnished, bronze screen from (I think) Jamestown Distributors,
once frame assembled and fitted to boat, we routed out a suitable groove on the face.
pressed in the screen with a suitable tool, covered with 1/2 round walnut facing
approx 1/2 inch wide, tacked on w/ little bronze nails. Mucho work.

2. sandwich 2 layers 1/2 inch ply, synthetic fabric screen from Mitre10==Builders'Square
layer one screwed onto layer two thru the screening, w/ ss wood screws: ply
painted white. Not as beautiful: much less work.

lovely consequence is watching the little buggers clambering around on the outside,
you on the inside w/ ack-ack handy: flying insect spray.