Author Topic: P323 V-Berth Sliding Door  (Read 5648 times)

Captain Bri

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P323 V-Berth Sliding Door
« on: January 14, 2020, 05:50:32 PM »
Once again we are revisiting the sliding door. Our original was missing when we got the boat so we had made a replacement that has now warped and is binding up. It did not slide very well to begin with as it was sitting directly on the track so it has been left open for the most part. 

What is the sliding mechanism on the P323 original door?  Does it have rollers on the bottom? Do others have problems opening and closing the door? Our bottom track is not aligned very well, the liner/floor is higher on one side and the bulkhead bows out making it difficult to align a door properly.  It seems to be more squarely aligned at the top so I was thinking of putting rollers and a track at the top of the door.   
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Rusty Pelican

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Re: P323 V-Berth Sliding Door
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2020, 07:15:17 AM »
My slider slides on a strip of plastic.
The plastic is glued to the door frame.

Dolce_Vita

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Re: P323 V-Berth Sliding Door
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2020, 12:57:06 PM »
My slider sits on the bare aluminum, top and bottom.  Does not slide very well.  My usual solution is a spray of silicone lube once or twice a season.
@(^.^)@  Ed
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with rebuilt Atomic-4

Alma

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Re: P323 V-Berth Sliding Door
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2020, 06:11:40 PM »
It is important that the door is made from a material that will not warp.

My original door had the bottom cut out so only an inch of wood at each end of the bottom rode on the aluminum track.

That would still cock and jam so I cut the door a little more and added two wafers of nylon to ride on the track. That works better but the door is too heavy...



Captain Bri

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Re: P323 V-Berth Sliding Door
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2020, 10:57:56 AM »
Thanks for the feedback, it sounds like the original track design may have been marginal - hence the original door had been removed from the boat before we got it.

We had been told the door was manufactured with Melamine on MDF so that is the material we used to have a local shop build it for us. But after a few years sitting on the track it warped significantly. Either the shop did not do a quality job or MDF is not the proper material to use - I suspect the latter.

Since the doorway is more square at the top, and the door is heavy, we are considering a barn door style track with rollers at the top. 
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Dolce_Vita

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Re: P323 V-Berth Sliding Door
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2020, 11:43:14 AM »
We had been told the door was manufactured with Melamine on MDF so that is the material we used to have a local shop build it for us. But after a few years sitting on the track it warped significantly. Either the shop did not do a quality job or MDF is not the proper material to use - I suspect the latter.

In my opinion, MDF (medium density fiberboard) is never a good choice in a marine environment.  It will absorb water and change shape.

Our door appears to be made of double-sided teak-venier (marine?) plywood.
@(^.^)@  Ed
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with rebuilt Atomic-4

selene

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Re: P323 V-Berth Sliding Door
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2020, 01:10:10 PM »
Quote
In my opinion, MDF (medium density fiberboard) is never a good choice in a marine environment.  It will absorb water and change shape.

What he said.

My door is melamine-faced marine (I assume) ply. Teak-faced ply would look great, bu I can't source it anywhere. I reckon marine ply which is sealed - I would probably epoxy and paint - would look just as good, and hold up well. BTW, depending on your source, it may be worth buying the ply and simply storing it for a while. The stuff Home Depot sells is often high moisture, and sometimes warps over the next couple of months, even after you sorted through a dozen sheets to find a good one.  Okay for construction, risky for quality work.

FWIW my door also has small plastic spacers riding on the Al track. Like Ed, I lube it every year...and like Ed, it still does not slide that well.