Marine Sliding Door Hardware

Sliding doors are a great option on most boats. Whether installing a new door or replacing hardware like tracks, trucks, carriers, glides, or latches on an existing door, Boat Outfitters has all the parts you might need. » Read More

Typical Sliding Door Hardware Setups

Learn More About Sliding Door Hardware

Contents


Benefits of Sliding Doors for Your Boat

Sliding doors have a lot of benefits when compared to other types of doors on a boat. They aren’t feasible for all boats, but when possible, they have more pros than cons. Like anything else on a boat, your usage and location are important. Sliding doors are especially useful for narrow areas without enough clearance for a traditional single-leaf hinged door. They’re useful in tight pilothouses and narrow access ways where different doors might not be able to open completely. Read More


Types of Sliding Door Hardware

There are two main types of hardware for sliding doors. The only difference is what the door slides on; the functionality should be the same. Regardless of what kind of sliding door you use, your door should slide smoothly.

The first system is the “track and truck” system. This system involves a slotted track with small-wheeled “trucks” riding inside of them. Trucks are available in different sizes. Most trucks are made from marine grade plastic with stainless steel ball bearings for the four wheels and measure either .885”, .975”, or 1/2” in height. Read More


Sliding Door Materials

All of the items that are on your boat need to be marine grade. Your doors and hardware should have stainless steel components where metal is required, and the rest should be marine-grade plastic. High-density marine-grade plastic is durable and corrosion-resistance but can wear over time, and require those components to be replaced. Some sliding tracks are available in aluminum, which stands up to wear longer than plastic. Read More


Sliding Door Latches

The latches on sliding doors differ from those on most other boat doors in that they must be very low profile to allow the door to fully retract. Most mount in a rectangular cutout at the edge of the door panel and use an “arrowhead” style catch on the frame or jamb. Sliding door latches on boats are usually made from either aluminum or stainless steel. White and black sliding latches are powder-coated aluminum.


Other Sliding Door Parts

Many sliding doors — especially cabin entry doors — use so-called hairy fin seals to help keep out the elements. These can wear out over time, and replacements can be difficult to find. Fin seals are made to fit into a certain size of kerf — or slot — with .187” being the most common.

Replacing tracks and trucks on boat sliding doors often requires specialized fasteners, including flush barrel nuts. The easiest choice when replacing trucks is to purchase a fastener kit that includes everything you need to replace upper and lower trucks. For a more finished look, choose a kit with flush nuts that match the color of your door, whether white, black, or chrome.


Sliding Door Dampers

Sliding doors do have one significant drawback worth mentioning. In rough seas, they can slide open and closed rapidly as the boat rolls. This can pose a safety hazard, including having fingers pinched in the door. To negate this, door dampers can slow down the door, reducing its momentum. In most cases, a door damper is some version of a gas shock. It uses compressed gases or fluids to slow the door from slamming shut. Be sure to keep some sort of damper system in mind when you’re designing your door. Read More


Installing Sliding Door Hardware

How you install your hardware depends on a few things. First, you need to identify what style of sliding hardware you have. If you have the track and truck system you need to confirm whether it is an old-style or a new-style track. The old style was used before 1997, while the newer style wasn’t switched over until 2000. Any years between 1997 and 2000 could have used either, so it’s important to know the difference. Old-style trucks can work in new-style tracks, but not vice-versa. Regardless, we recommend replacing old-style trucks, which are prone to failure. Read More


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Commonly Asked Questions About Sliding Door Hardware

Where can I buy replacement parts for a boat sliding door? (show/hide)

Who makes the best quality boat sliding door hardware? (show/hide)

How can you tell if your sliding door track is the old style or the new style? (show/hide)

Do you need to remove the door to install new tracks or trucks?(show/hide)


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