Companionway

{{Short description|Nautical term}}

{{other uses|Companion (disambiguation)}}

In the architecture of a ship, a companion or companionway is a raised and windowed hatchway in the ship's deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins.{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Companion|volume=6|page=795}} A companionway may be secured by doors or, commonly in sailboats, hatch boards which fit in grooves in the companionway frame. This allows the lowest board to be left in place during inclement weather to minimize water infiltration.{{cite web | url=http://www.cruisingworld.com/sailboats/companionway-design-down-main-hatch | title=Companionway Design: Down The (Main) Hatch | work=Cruising World | date=11 March 2014 | access-date=27 March 2016 | author=Simon, Alvah}} The term may be more broadly used to describe any ladder between decks.{{cite book |last =Keegan |first =John |author-link =John Keegan |title =The Price of Admiralty |publisher =Viking |date =1989 |location =New York |page =[https://archive.org/details/priceofadmiralty00keeg/page/n308 277] |isbn =0-670-81416-4 |url-access =registration |url =https://archive.org/details/priceofadmiralty00keeg }}

File:Hatchboards.JPG|Set of hatch boards in companionway hatch.

File:Hatchboards2.JPG|Set of hatch boards with top board removed.