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The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Sorry I don't have a picture...I'll try to describe it, but I was wondering, when my pop top is closed and slid all the way aft over the top of the companionway boards in the closed position, there is a gap on each top corner about the size of my index finger between the top board and the pop top in each top corner. How do you seal this up? Is there some sort of rubber seal missing from the pop top? The holes will allow mosquitoes and other biting things into the cabin. At the moment there is a full sized screen that velcros all the way down to the steps but I plan on doing away with that and custom building a new companion way board (maybe two) that will have a screen in it for ventilation. The current set up is very annoying to install and remove when ppl are entering and exiting the boat at night.
The gap in the corners at the top of the companionway boards is there so that the poptop has enough space at the corners to be able to slide forward. As you slide the hatch forward, see how the corners move. I have enough space usually to handle an extension cord, when needed. About the only thing you could do when at anchor is stuff a rag into the spaces after the hatch has been closed. As for the poptop itself, it should come down snug onto the deck, the space being taken up by a foam gasket going around the outer edge of the poptop just underneath the fiberglass. Has the PO or someone removed the gasket?
I cut two small pieces of teak and applied velcro patches to the teak and boat to keep the rain out. Add a short length of stainless bead chain and they're always at hand. I have screen that bungees to the grab rails and drapes over the companionway for bugs whether the boards are in or out or the hatch is open or closed.
My simple solution is 2 rectangular pieces of bubble foam(small bubbles. I slip one piece of the foam behind each corner of the top hatchboard. As you pull the pop top hatch forward,the foam seals the opening.Tuck it in with you finger. No water,no bugs.
The gasket on the poptop itself if good. Sounds like the gaps are normal. Dmpilc that's about the same amount of space i have...about the size of an extension cord
We built a sunbrella cover for the companionway for when we are away. It snaps in place and keeps the rain out of the corners as you describe. Also built a one piece screen to replace the boards when we are overnighting in the summer. Once inside and securing for the evening, I stuff some scraps of the left-over screening material into the gaps from the inside. We also burn citronella candles in the cabin from before sunset until we secure...never have any bug issues.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.