Winter is upon us and heat is an important property to keep inside the cabin. Companionways are wonderfully designed to keep water out, but they are great at letting cold air in.
When a cold wind seems to cut through the companionway, the best solution is to add some insulation. The offending feature of the companionway is usually the sliding hood. The slats will do a good job of keeping the cold air out, but the air will rush between the top slat and the hood. The next biggest offender will be the sides where the hood slides.
To mitigate these downfalls in companionway design, I stuff a blanket into these weak points. The blanket will slow down or stop the flow of cold air into the cabin.
This blanket does not pose a safety hazard as it can very easily be pulled clear to open the hood, but it does make life close to this area much more comfortable.
