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Author	Topic:   dive door
ssppaammer	posted 08-01-2009 02:48 PM ET (US)         anyone know where i could get a 60" dive door for my guardian - could I make one?? chuck
maverick	posted 08-02-2009 08:08 AM ET (US)             Hi Chuck - making a dive door would not be a huge task. I just finished completely refitting a 1991 20' Guardian with dive door (my Army son actually owns it), and spent a good bit of time studying the door and learning about how to make a duplicate, as I am considering buying an 18 Outrage and cutting it to put a door in the side. Maybe not a great idea, but I think I could do it satisfactorily and make it look factory. That said, I had a bunch of photos I could share with you (now on CD that my son has in Alabama)....The door is made from heavy aluminum, and has what I learned are anchor windlasses (is that the right term?) as turnbuckles to hold it in place. On the 20 Guardian, we ran it (2 weeks ago) in the Fla Keys almost consistently with the door out...in certain waves, water would spray in, but we left the rear plug out, and any water in, ran right out, no sweat. With door in, the rubber gasket on the bottom will leak a bit if 2 or more folks are standing on that side, but again, water leaks in, runs right out. One of the absolute coolest Whalers I've ever been in and run, I would have to have a dive door in the next Whaler (18 or larger)....it is just that neat an option...weighs about 20-30 pounds. Now, you mentuioned yours is 5 feet wide? Wow, that's a big one - the 20' one is only about 3' wide, but that just means more materials, would cost a little more. Betcha there's someone on the forum that has pics of their 60" Guardian door, wonder if it's the same construction as this 20' door? If you are really serious about making one or having it made from dimensions, I can ask him to email you some photos (send me your email, mine is cwweigle@hotmail.com ) I'd bet a machine/weld shop would do it for a couple hundred bucks, and I would probably pay them that...leave the boat so they could make it exact; $300+ I'd probably buy the materials myself, cut it out and smooth, and gig it in place for an aluminum guy to weld - I'm an arc/gas welder (steel) but don't weld alum. Does your boat have the inside white plastic guides (brackets and windlasses already)? Mav in Aiken, SC

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