Marine door holders are an often-overlooked part of boat doors or hatches. Boats rock and sway with the waves, causing open doors and hatches to swing or slam if not secured. » Read More
Boat door holders prevent open doors from slamming or sliding shut when the vessel is rocking in the water or in strong winds. Some boat doors can be very heavy and cause injury if not properly held in place or locked, and even the small doors and hatches can cause damage and inconvenience to boat owners.
Below are some reasons to consider installing boat door holders: Read More
Safety and Prevent Damage: As mentioned, first and foremost is the safety of passengers aboard the boat. Boats are always rocking and moving back and forth in the water, even when properly anchored. Wind is another factor to consider and as is often the case on the water, the wind is blowing and can close or open doors that aren’t properly secured. Without holders, doors will be left to close or open uncontrollably, which could smash fingers and hands, or cause damage to the door and hardware. This is even more of a risk if you have boat doors with windows or acrylic which can break or crack easily on impact, causing damage, but also danger to passengers.
Convenient Access to Boat Deck: Some boats have transom doors for large fish or dive doors for snorkelers and divers to easily access the deck of the boat out of the water. Without door holders, these doors could slam shut and access would be much more difficult through the doors constantly moving with the waves. Door holders will act as a second pair of hands to hold the door open in these cases.
Noise: We have all heard the painful slamming of hatches and doors on a boat. Not only can this cause damage, but it is also loud and irritating while underway, or rocking with the waves. The constant beating of the door against the frame can be very irritating, but a door holder and quick latch into place can keep that sound down to a minimum.
Maintain Structural Integrity: The less that the doors and hatches of the boat are swinging uncontrollably, the better for the structure of the entire boat. If doors and hatches are secured, then those pieces of hardware and coverings will last a much longer time without much maintenance.
Boat Door Holder Types and Materials
Many different options for door stops and holders on boats are available. Some include magnets to help secure the door and others include locks or hooks to keep the door open. The most popular material types used for door holders are stainless steel, plastic, Starboard material, and brass. The cost of these products can vary widely depending on the quality of the materials and how big of a door the holder will be used to secure.
Boat door holders are like doors on land, many of them being adapted to be used on a boat in a marine environment. They include some of the following examples: Read More
Magnetic Door Holders: These use magnets to hold the door in place and usually consist of a base installed on a wall or other part of the boat with another metal piece or magnet opposite the door. Usually, these are simple to install and don’t have any moving parts to worry about maintaining. However, if the doors are overly large or heavy, magnets may not be large enough to hold the door open and will not work effectively.
Spring-Loaded or Pneumatic Door Holders: This door stop and holder uses a spring or pneumatic to keep the door propped open. They automatically keep the door open or closed and can work great for heavy doors. However, these need to be installed by drilling holes, making changes to the doors or hatches, and can be affected by saltwater corrosion or failure of the spring mechanism. They are also less likely to be adjustable and typically are in one of two positions, open or closed.
Hook and Eye or Grabber Latches: This type uses a hook attached to the door and an eye attached to the frame to hold the door in place. This is a very secure hold and can be used for open or closed positions. This is a purely manual operation to open and close, and some hardware is required; however, this is not something suitable for heavy doors.
Overall, any door large or small on a boat should have a holder and locking mechanism to ensure that it remains closed and open when intended. This will help to avoid any accidental damage to the boat or injury to passengers.
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Commonly Asked Questions About Boat Door Holders
Where can I buy marine door holders online? (show/hide)
Boat door holders are fairly specialized parts and can be difficult to find, especially if you’re trying to locate an exact match for an existing door holder that has worn out or broken. Because Boat Outfitters’ parent company, Teak Isle, manufactures many of the doors and hatches used by boat builders, we’re able to stock hard-to-find marine hardware and parts like door holders.
How do you install marine door holders? (show/hide)
Most installs are simple, and some can even be done with minimal prep work or permanent changes. However, you must determine which type of holder is most appropriate for the use case and door type. Be sure to measure twice and drill or cut once if necessary.
What is the best material for marine door holders? (show/hide)
The choice of material is dependent on various factors such as environment, aesthetics, and durability of the holder. If a large heavy door is being held open, then a metal material should likely be installed with a permanent solution to ensure that it is lasting. Equally important would be considering stainless steel or brass hardware and matching the other finish materials used on the boat. For pontoon boat gate holders, plastic is sufficient.
