Comfort

Hatch and Window Blinds Installation

Comfort

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Published 05/06/2026

By Graham Shaw

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Issue: 208

Published: aug. / sept. 2026

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If you live aboard your multihull, one important feature often overlooked is good quality blinds and flyscreens. A blackout blind is obviously great for nights spent in marinas that are lit up like a sports stadium for security, or at anchor when there’s a full moon, but also when passage-making to enable the off-watch crew to get proper sleep in the daytime. The effect of proper darkness on sleep quality should not be underestimated. Darkness helps stimulate the production of melatonin, a natural hormone that plays a crucial role in the sleep-wake cycle. Being able to get good sleep and so remain alert when watchkeeping at any time of day or night is an essential safety factor, no matter how long the trip, whether you’re island-hopping or crossing an ocean.
When it comes to flyscreens, you may think that the occasional mosquito bite is just part and parcel of sailing in sunny climates or that any annoying insects or flies can simply be swatted or sprayed if they get inside the boat. The reality can be very different – in the tropics, and in recent years, elsewhere, there are increasing cases of mosquito-borne diseases. We tend to think of malaria as the obvious one, but statistics show that dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever and zika are all on the rise. All of these can make you very ill, and worse. I was completely incapacitated for a week last season in the Caribbean by dengue fever. The symptoms are too unpleasant to describe here, but all it took was one mosquito bite.
To answer both these issues, we got a couple of hatch blinds from Dometic, a leading creator of innovative products for boats and RVs, along with equipment for the outdoor market.
One is a Skyscreen Roller Surface blind. This is a unique combined flyscreen and blackout blind, and the other is a Portshade - an ultra slim cassette roller blind which is ideal for portlights, particularly where space is limited. Its versatile design allows for top or face fixing, and it is also suitable for mounting on curved surfaces. The fabric rolls neatly into the elegant aluminum cassette, maintaining a stylish and discrete look. All Dometic blinds are available in several sizes, including specific models for Lewmar hatches, and there is a choice of colors.

Skyscreen Roller Surface Blind

Min width: 150mm
Max width: 627mm
Min drop: 100mm
Max drop: 627mm
Note: These dimensions cover all Lewmar hatch sizes from 10 – 60.
Prices from £ 158.57 ex-tax

Skyshade Portshade

Min fabric width: 200mm
Max fabric width: 1200mm
Min fabric drop: 200mm
Max fabric drop: 320mm
Note: The aluminum cassette into which the blind retracts gives additional width / drop to these measurements.
Prices from: £ 51.30 ex-tax

Installing the Skyscreen Roller Surface Blind

Step 01

A previous owner had improvised a sort of curtain, held to the ceiling with Velcro-type material. Not only did this look very untidy, but the curtain was very saggy and probably only blocked out half the light. It also did nothing to ...

This article was published in the issue 208. To read the full article, purchase this issue or subscribe from $3/month.