# acrylic dome over the companionway hatch



## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

Something like this:









Where can I order one? Google isn't being very helpful...

I know a merit 25 did the transpac with one of these over the companionway, seems like a cheaper, simpler, stronger and low windage alternative to a dodger/enclosure to remain on watch out of the elements.has anyone used one of these for this purpose? Any opinions on this idea?


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## PaulinVictoria (Aug 23, 2009)

When you're upside down it'll be like being in a submarine. Cool.


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## Ulladh (Jul 12, 2007)

Transparent Acrylic Domes | Edmund Optics


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## SchockT (May 21, 2012)

You might want to look into how strong that thing is!


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## killarney_sailor (May 4, 2006)

You almost certainly will need a dodger arrangement of some sort or you will be wet much of the time or have to stay inside looking at the world from your dome. Cant imagine this dome idea would be cheaper if it is engineering properly


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Weren't those things a bit popular with the early crop of single handers ? If memory serves Moitessier had one on Joshua and Blondie Hassler on Jester also.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

tdw said:


> Weren't those things a bit popular with the early crop of single handers ? If memory serves Moitessier had one on Joshua and Blondie Hassler on Jester also.


In both cases the "domes" were simply relatively large deep wash basins that had small ports cut into them and covered with plastic. Not too handsome but perfectly servicable.

FWIW...


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

Ulladh said:


> Transparent Acrylic Domes | Edmund Optics


See also Plastic Domes | Plastic Hemispheres | California Quality Plastics


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

The French like them [ shades of Moitessier ] so a look in French sailing catalogues might be fruitful.


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## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

svHyLyte said:


> See also Plastic Domes | Plastic Hemispheres | California Quality Plastics


Nice, perfect. Not too expensive either.

Yes moitessier and others have used the concept. I'm not too sure how practical they are for watch keeping on a heeled boat, but they certainly give a view of the sails. I was wondering if others have used these to actually steer from and how well they work in a heeled monohull...


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

sailing gun boats would be great to have for beer can racing nights.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

peterchech said:


> I was wondering if others have used these to actually steer from and how well they work in a heeled monohull...


I've never seen a sailboat that you could steer from inside one of those. Maybe if you had a remote control for an autopilot. Otherwise, you're going to have to go out to do any steering, and then you're going to want a dodger.

It's an interesting idea, but I suspect that in practical use it would not work out as well as the theory might predict.


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## PalmettoSailor (Mar 7, 2006)

For a long distance solo/shorthand sail with a windvane autopilot it might be pretty useful.


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## flyingwelshman (Aug 5, 2007)




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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

Search "acrylic dome" there are may made for sky lights, camera domes and display domes.
many plastic suppliers sell them


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

I don't know just looking at that makes me feel sea sick, thinking of the distortion it must have.


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## Brent Swain (Jan 16, 2012)

I had one on my first boat. The shape makes for a huge amount of glare, they are easily scratched, and make it hard to seal a sliding hatch.
If I were to make another , I'd weld up a metal frame, to take four flat panels of laminated glass, so they wouldn't scratch up, and could be easily and cheaply replaced. The metal frame would also make it harder for a thief to break in.


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## Geoff54 (Oct 30, 2011)

tdw said:


> Weren't those things a bit popular with the early crop of single handers ? If memory serves Moitessier had one on Joshua and Blondie Hassler on Jester also.


Hasler used a canvass on frame device he call a "pram hood" because it unfolded like the hood of a pram. It was round and could be rotated. The idea was that you opened the hatch, unfolded the hood and rotated it to protect you from whatever direction needed, while you peaked out from behind it.

There is a description on how to build one in Practical Junk Rig.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Geoff, thanks for correcting me on that. I did have look at the current Jester site and couldn't see any plastic domes so it was up in the air. I'd like to find a pic of the pram hood. I don't have a copy of Hassler's book to hand.

Andrew B

ps - found this ....


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## Geoff54 (Oct 30, 2011)

From Classic Boat Magazine | Wooden Boats for Sale, Charter Hire Yachts, Restoration and Boat Building


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Peter, the structural acrylic domes used to be cheap from army/navy surplus stores, actually USAF surplus. AFAIK the surplus from WW2 is long gone now and you're going to pay through the nose to have a new one made up or purchased.

There's still new aircraft surplus coming on the market all the time, these days not domes but cockpit enclosures.


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