Sliding doors-hard to open and close

Don't know if it is standard or not, but the sliding doors on my 1983 Californian LRC are a bear to open an close. At one time were there wheels of some sort at the bottom of the door to ride in the track? Both the side door and the aft doors seem to be just sliding on the bottom edge, full width, *of the door. If we are fishing and want to come in and out it is going to be tough. Kids can't open them, in fact neither can my wife. Even I can't open the side door from the inside. Need to be on the outside to grab the bar with two hands. Is this the the way they are suppose to work? Thanks

I lube mine regularly w/silicone or teflon spray. The tracks get all crudded up with salt spray, dust, etc. Seems to work on ours. Frankly, I haven't looked for wheels. They stuck, I sprayed, they slid. I will make it a point to check that this weekend.

I just changed the rollers on my Monk 36 they were metal and had crudded up and wouldn't turn any more. A lot of this hardware is hard to find, some folks have replaced the rollers with teflon type plastic sliders. If you Google screen door parts you might find something you can adapt to your doors.

Mine are like silk now, before the change out when they got tight I would wash the track area and under the door with lots of water and they would free up also spray with lube might help.
Good luck!
Steve W.

Ray, Mine have hard white plastic strips in the channel the door sits in and I screwed 'teflon' slider discs in the bottom edge of the aft doors to make opening them almost effortless. The slider discs can be purchased at Home Depot as small discs to be screwed into the bottom of chair legs to allow the chair to slide easily on a hard, smooth floor. I'm not sure it they're really teflon, but they do not stick! I apply liquid soap to the track periodically after a wash down to keep everything moving well.

My problem is sealing the gap between the aft door edge and the saloon wall. I added a self-stick rubber strip to fill the gap, but it's not quite adequate to make a complete seal.

Fighterpilot wrote:
Don't know if it is standard or not, but the sliding doors on my 1983 Californian LRC are a bear to open an close. At one time were there wheels of some sort at the bottom of the door to ride in the track? Both the side door and the aft doors seem to be just sliding on the bottom edge, full width, *of the door. **

Click to expand...

Originally there were probably two strips of a formica like material, one attached to the bottom of the door and one in the channel that faced each other. *You could put a couple of drops of dish soap in the channel and it would slid good for a while. *I replaced mine with to strips of stainless sheeting long ago. We still put a drop of soap on it once in a while just to keep it smooth. *I like flywrights solution too. *Either way it's a simple fix.

Larry B*

I have been looking at the same thing of late and actually have my doors off and in the garage as I write this. I stripped all the stain off and sanded them all baby smooth. I found this link on Ebay that would work for door sliders however my doors all slide pretty well so I will try Flkywrights Home Depot solution first.

Ebay link: www.ebay.com/itm/370538549923?var=6...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1465wt_203

Solving that problem is on my list also. I found this site (http://www.ptreeusa.com/uhmwproducts.htm) which has Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) plastic strips which I plan on putting under the doors and some short lengths installed on the bottom of the doors where the rollers are now. That will put slippery plastic against slippery plastic and, hopefully, solve the problem.

dvd

I have just spent the last month rebuilding one of our side doors and install it this weekend! (Thread - new window) You just need to get in there and fix it. The runners could be bad. If they sagged, the door is running on something it's not supposed to. I am losing the anodized aluminum and powder coated it all. Replaced the glass and weather stripping and repainted the insert (first roll-n-tip job).Plus rebuilt the runner with a 8/4 piece of teak.

Here is what Chuck did on Trawler Beach House - new window.

Wow, and I thought I was the only one that had this problem. Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I will start with FlyWright's idea of the Home Depot slides. So I am looking for slides that will "screw" into the bottom of the door. Not those with a small nail that one can tack to the bottom of the chair leg. Now will have to take a look at the doors and figure a way to get them out. Haven't paid attention to them in that regard. I know they are heavy, white, with something like a white fiberglass outside=maybe hardwood fiberglassed over??. They are riding in a metal box u shaped track on the bottom. I'll clean that and lub. There is as much as 1/2 inch play in them regarding the space at the top track, since one can get the doors caddy corner if one doesn't lift them evenly to move to make the slide easier.

The boat is just across the road at my daughter's house so it is back there again today to explore and improve things. Also will take some pictures of the table for another member that posted in another thread. Ray

PS How does one secure the boat.? Side door has sliding bolt but aft doors have nothing. Stainless steel locking hasp and a padlock comes to mind right now. Was a latchless, lockless door common on the this model Californian?

*


-- Edited by Fighterpilot on Friday 4th of November 2011 06:13:31 AM

GonzoF1 wrote:
I have just spent the last month rebuilding one of our side doors and install it this weekend!

Click to expand...

*Tom, did you get the starboard?* How did it work? I'm htinking of taking on this project myself.

*

Not sure how your doors are made, but here is how we repaired our exterior door.
http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/2009/05/sliding-door-repair-for-exterior-door.html
Chuck

Fighterpilot wrote:
*PS How does one secure the boat.? Side door has sliding bolt but aft doors have nothing. Stainless steel locking hasp and a padlock comes to mind right now. Was a latchless, lockless door common on the this model Californian?

*

Click to expand...

*You might want to put this one on the Californian link also. *The rear door configuration on the Calif. was unique to the 34' . *I never looked that close at the rear sliders on the 34'?

Hey Chuck... I already linked to your project above. Try and pay attention, would ya'? :-D The one part of the job that I didn't do was swap out the rail as Chuck shows. I really like the brass original. HOWEVER, I did break it while trying to polish it. So that will be an issue I need to address in the future.

Al, I thought I shot you an email... Yes, I got it and it's perfect! My one regret was having it sound like I absolutely needed it overnight. At the time I was at that stage, but after I got them, they sat for a week before I got over to my Dad's router table to cut the grooves in them. Sorry! I owe you for shipping.

Raymond, is the door wood or metal? TBH, I would avoid trying to use wheels unless you can get the same thing as OEM. Definitely send us some pics. Using the starboard solution is the most permanent and has less moving part to gum up all over again.

The thing I find silly about the past few weeks I have spent on this project is that I knew, and looked forward to, getting to know the intimate details of the systems onboard Skinny Dippin'. However, I NEVER figured that I would end up knowing every intimate detail of the DOORS! It's interesting, but gosh, its not nearly as romantic as learning about batteries or fuel systems. Skinny Dippin' keeps surprising me I suppose.

Tom, don't sweat the shipping. You can pay it forward, do somebody else a favor.

*


Al

*

I routed out UHMW plastic and screwed the strips to the bottom of the door.** However, in rough water you do not want the door to open and close to easy either.* You might want to try paraffin canning wax?* Pariffin wax is great for zippers also.* Well anything that slides.*

We do not lock the boat, figuring if they wnat in they will get in and do more damage breaking in that the stuff they might take.* However, we are in a gated and securety patrolled marina.* When the time comnes I will install a secuety system like the Boat Nanny that can call, sound an alarm/light.* Besides we are surrounded newer fancier expensive boats, so who is doing to bother with an ugly old trawler?*

*

GonzoF1 wrote:
Hey Chuck... I already linked to your project above. Try and pay attention, would ya'? :-D The one part of the job that I didn't do was swap out the rail as Chuck shows. I really like the brass original. HOWEVER, I did break it while trying to polish it. So that will be an issue I need to address in the future.*

Click to expand...

*Duh... I did get a lot of comments on keeping the brass, or bronze, strip and I really don't have any issue with doing that. Some have commented that it slides easier than the plastic. We haven't had a problem yet. As to securing it in a seaway, we use a barrel bolt to keep it either open or closed because it does slide very easily. Chuck

Continuing to learn. In the upper left hand corner of the side door there is a push in to lock system. I'm kind of short so never looked up there. It is a button about 3/4 inch dia. that pushes in to lock. Using a key which I found in a drawer unlocks it. PO never did lock it either. There were a lot of thing the PO never did as well. We have to worry about the good old boys coming by water and getting into the boat an pilfering around. Battery on pontoon boat disappeared one night and I would hate to loose the navigation aids. I know I could unhook and lock up some place but I would rather make them break into the boat to get it.

Lost my camera getting the boat home so will have to get one before I can take pictures of the table. Ray

Our side door has a barrel latch that slides into a hole in the frame; upper left corner. The aft doors have the same arrangement. Someone installed a hook/latch on the inside to secure both doors from the inside. Doors may be locked with a hasp arrangement on the outside. Sliding windows can be secured from the inside.

Part of the problem with the doors is that they are warped slightly. They rub, tighten up, as you slide them open from pressure on the retaining rails, both top and bottom, but even after loosening them up they still open hard. Will get the slides today at Home Depot.

PB Blaster , has a "garage door " lube spray can that we have used and is ideal.

At your local Home Cheapo, not boat priced about $4.a can.

FlyWright, how may of the discs did you use and how did you position them?* Also what diameter did you use? I found packages of "Slideglide", which I assume are what you used. They will fasten with tape as well as screws or both.

Well the discs didn't work. Make the door too high to fit back in the upper track. Will try something else. Thanks.

"but I would rather make them break into the boat to get it."


Just remember , they WILL get in , how much damage you will need to repair is your decision.

In the Carib , we found a Sears 12V -- 20 mile cattle fence unit hooked to the SS lifelines and stanchons , and the SS davits , metal Grumman dink took care of midnight guests.

Have you ever come up with a solution to sealing the gap? I have the same thing. I've tried a few different ideas like brushes but I'm still not happy. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

One winter project is to replace the PH doors.

Our choice is for a Dutch Door setup , so the door can be left open in big slop., and perhaps light rain.

FF said:

One winter project is to replace the PH doors.

Our choice is for a Dutch Door setup , so the door can be left open in big slop., and perhaps light rain.

Click to expand...

Think I like that Dutch Door concept..could you give us a picture?

FF said:

One winter project is to replace the PH doors.

Our choice is for a Dutch Door setup , so the door can be left open in big slop., and perhaps light rain.

Click to expand...

I've only seen that done on swinging doors; often wondered if it was possible on sliders.

Do like dutch doors though, for as you mentioned you can have the top half open for ventilation & visibility yet still have a modicum of security.

artfulltune said:

Think I like that Dutch Door concept..could you give us a picture?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the picture markpierce...something (else) to think about.