Marine door unit

A marine door unit adapted to be inserted into an opening in the deck surface of a boat for the purpose of permitting access to a compartment beneath the deck surface while preventing water leakage into such compartment, said unit comprising:

• a frame means including four interconnected side members which fit into the opening in the deck surface;
• said side members having outwardly directed flanges which exceed the size of the opening in the deck surface whereby the flanges abut against the deck surface and suspend the frame means in the opening when said unit is installed in a boat;
• said side members each including spaced parallel inner and outer leg portions interconnected by a base portion extending between them to thereby define an upwardly directed channel;
• said four interconnected side members thus providing four interconnected channels which serve to define a continuous open-topped channel means which extends about the periphery of the opening in the deck surface;
• a flat door having an inner surface which is directed toward said channel means and an outer surface which is substantially coextensive with said deck surface when said door is in its closed position;
• said door being hingeably attached along one edge thereof to the top of one of said frame outer leg portions to thereby enable said door to swing completely open so that the outer surface thereof abuts against said deck surface;
• support means engageable against the inner surface of said door when said door is in its closed position to thereby permit said door to support the weight of a person standing upon or walking across the closed door;
• said support means including an upstanding support rail means connected with said side frame inner leg portions;
• said support means further including a continuous sealing gasket which abuts and seals against said door inner surface when said door is closed;
• and
• drain means in said channel means;
• said unit having a narrow crack formed between the periphery of said door and the outer leg portions of said side members when said door is in its closed position, said crack being aligned above said channel means so that water which leaks through the crack will enter directly into the channel means and will discharge therefrom through said drain means;
• said sealing gasket being operative to prevent water from overflowing said channel means and entering said compartment since such water is prevented from passing between said gasket and said door inner surface so long as said door is in its closed position.