Doorway to Adventure: Sailfish Hull Side Door

Dive door. Tuna door. Boarding door. Whatever term you use to describe the access door on the hull side of a boat, they’re popular features that come in a variety of sizes.

But not all access doors are created equal. To really see the difference, you have to look “under the covers” at how the door frame is constructed—not just at the size or shape of the opening. As you’d expect, when you remove a section of hull, that absence creates a structural stress point. The larger the section removed, the greater the stress and deflection, which can ultimately cause damage.

To minimize that stress, many boat builders opt for smaller doors in both height and width. Some also add extra layers of fiberglass to reinforce the area around the frame. Even so, this still leaves room for flexing.

So, what makes Sailfish side access doors different? Sailfish takes it further by building a stringer directly around the door. Much like the header above the windows and doorways in your home, this element reinforces the opening. As part of our Sailtech construction process, during lamination we place a layer of Kevlar inside the door frame before installing a U-shaped stringer. This stringer envelops the frame from the inside, creating a rigid structural component that prevents deflection and strengthens the area as though nothing were ever removed from the hull side.

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This built-in reinforcement allows Sailfish to create larger door openings that extend nearly to the cockpit floor. That means boarding from a floating dock, stepping in from the water, or hauling aboard a trophy catch is far less stressful and much more convenient.

Boarding access doors are standard or optional on most Sailfish models, including the 272 CC, 276 DC, 312 CC, 316 DC, 360 CC, and the newly launched 252 CC.

Learn more about our Sailtech construction process and visit a dealer near you to experience the difference in strength and performance that sets Sailfish apart.

Pictured above: Kevlar-wrapped door openings, Sailfish door CAD design