Perko Offset & Shortside Hinges

Perko Offset & Shortside Hinges: Precision Hardware for the Marine Environment

When it comes to outfitting a boat's cabin, hatches, or storage compartments, the hinge is one of those small details that makes a big difference. Perko has spent well over a century earning its reputation as one of the most trusted names in marine hardware, and their Offset & Shortside Hinges reflect exactly the kind of purposeful engineering that has kept boatbuilders and marine professionals coming back to the brand generation after generation.

What Are Offset & Shortside Hinges?

Offset and shortside hinges are a specialized hinge style designed to mount doors, lids, and panels where one leaf must sit flush while the other is offset — bridging a lip, frame edge, or raised surface. This makes them a go-to solution for boat cabinetry, locker doors, and access panels where standard butt hinges simply won't provide the proper clearance or fit. The "shortside" designation refers to the narrowed leaf width, which allows installation in tight or recessed framing conditions common in marine interiors.

Perko's Figure No. 1214 & 0988 Series

Perko offers offset shortside hinges under their well-established Figure No. series. The Figure 1214 is one of their flagship offset shortside hinge designs, available in a chrome-plated finish and sold in pairs. These are chrome-plated zinc alloy hinges, with an open width of 2-1/2", pin height of 1-1/2", shortside width of 3/4", an offset of 3/8", and screw size #8. Perko also offers the Figure 0988 series, which provides additional sizing options to suit a wider range of installation needs on boats of all types.

The chrome-plated zinc alloy construction is a deliberate material choice for the marine environment. Zinc alloy offers rigidity and castability for precise tolerances, while the chrome plating provides corrosion resistance against the relentless salt air and moisture exposure that marine hardware must endure.

Why Trust Perko for Marine Hinges?

Perko is a fifth-generation, family-owned American manufacturer with over 100 years of experience in marine lighting, hardware, and accessories, founded in Brooklyn in the early 1900s and now based in North Miami, Florida. That legacy translates directly into product quality: Perko is truly an integrated manufacturer, almost completely independent of outside vendors, with complete in-house capabilities from product design through manufacturing and assembly — enabling them to eliminate most subcontractors and obtain better control of product quality and delivery.

Their ISO 9001:2015 certification reflects a dedication to excellence across all operations. For something as fundamental as a cabinet hinge, that level of quality assurance matters — especially on the water, where hardware failure is not merely an inconvenience.

A key part of the Perko formula is the commitment that all products are made in the United States, with raw materials such as sheet metal, zinc, aluminum, and bronze sourced from American manufacturers. Whether you are a professional boatbuilder, a boatyard outfitting a new build, or a DIY owner replacing worn hardware on a refit, Perko's offset shortside hinges deliver the fit, finish, and durability that the marine environment demands.