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Explaining the Different Types of Marine Window Material
Taking proper care of your boat keeps it seaworthy for longer. Choosing the right materials for your marine windows is one important choice boat owners need to make to do just that.
Typically, boat windows are made from specialty textiles rather than glass . These textiles are designed to withstand everything the open water throws at them. Several different kinds of clear textiles are available today and knowing your marine window material options helps you ensure you’re getting the right product for your needs.
[To Learn More About Strataglass Marine Vinyl, Contact Us Today]
Here’s a quick look at the most popular marine window materials on the market today:
- Vinyl and Polyester Composite: An excellent composite material, vinyl and polyester composite fabrics offers the flexibility you need to curve and bend along a boat’s contours easily. Fabrics made using this composite stay tight against the frame and provide waterproof and mildew resistance. Herculite Inc. offers this composite combination in two top quality marine grade fabrics: Riviera and Regatta .
- Clear Pressed Polished Coated Vinyl : A popular choice for everyday marine use, clear pressed polished coated vinyl can be rolled back easily, which is great for boat tops. Herculite’s Strataglass is one of the top brands on the market for this versatile material. Another reason for the popularity of this material it is available with scratch-resistant special coatings, which extend the life of the material considerably. Strataglass is one such example of a material that offers such a coating: VueShield .
- Polycarbonate: Made from a semi-rigid clear plastic, polycarbonate windows are widely considered to be nearly unbreakable. With polycarbonate, user visibility is clearer that other clear plastics, plus it can be coated with scratch and UV resistant coatings for additional protection. Polycarbonate is an excellent choice for rugged uses. However, this textile isn’t soft like clear vinyl so it can’t be rolled up for storage. It also tends to be pricey.
- Acrylic: Like polycarbonate, acrylic panels are semi-rigid and provide excellent visibility. Acrylic panels are very difficult to break, making them an excellent choice for rugged marine use. However, acrylic fabric windows can be scratched easier than some other options, and the panels can’t be rolled up for storage. Acrylic can also be expensive, so it’s best used sparingly.
When it comes to marine vinyl window materials, remember to consider the cost of each material and how that relates to its longevity. Some materials will last longer than others, which make their additional cost make sense over than cheaper materials that will require frequent replacement. Alternately, if you can maintain a more affordable and versatile fabric like polycarbonate or a clear polished pressed vinyl properly over time, why not choose the more cost effective solution (and get benefits like a roll up window?) How you use your boat and what your needs are will dictate which material is best for you.
One final note: remember that the gauge (a.k.a. thickness) of your windows affects how it will look, as well as its clarity and flexibility. Some marine window materials come in gauges as thick as 40 gauge and as thin as 12 gauge. Before you buy, check out this quick buying guide on marine window materials to make sure you’re getting the perfect choice for your needs.
To Learn More About Strataglass Marine Vinyl, Contact Us Today!
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Functions of marine windows, picking the best marine windows materials.
It is common to see boats with marine windows regardless of their size. One of the most common is the porthole or bulls-eye window. This is usually a circular window that is used to allow light to enter the boat. Yacht windows are important especially because they allow light and fresh air into the boat below deck.
With boat windows for sale , anyone who is below deck can see the outside world. When they are closed, the boat windows usually weather tight offering a strong defense against bad weather.
Determining the best boat windows
Any reasonable boater probably knows how important it is to take care of a boat for it to be seaworthy for a long time. It is important to choose the best boat windshields materials for the sailboat windows and this is a choice that boaters need to take very seriously.
Marine windows are created using specialty textiles. The textiles are created in such a way that they can handle all the things that happen on the water. In most cases, the textiles are clear. Knowing the available options helps in the selection process.
Some popular marine windows materials
There are some materials that are more popular in a far as marine boat windows are concerned. Some of the materials include:
Vinyl & polyester composite
This is one of the best materials that you can find for boat windows. It offers great flexibility, especially when it comes to bending on the contours of a boat easily. The fabrics created using this kind of composite are usually capable of remaining tight and they are waterproof. They also happen to be mildew resistant which is an incredible thing for a boat. Different brands offer their own version of this composite and there is a wide variety to choose from.
Pressed and polished coated vinyl
This is another popular choice for marine use on a daily basis. It is easy to roll the material back and this makes it an ideal choice for boat tops, the top brands offer versatile options for this material. There are some versions that are scratch-resistant using special coatings making it very durable.
Polycarbonate
This is made using clear plastic that is semi-rigid. The boat windows are considered to be unbreakable and are available from many high quality boat windows suppliers. This material offers the user more visibility and it is such a clear option compared to other types of plastics. It can also be coated with coatings for UV and scratch resistance to add more protection. This is a great material to use when situations get rugged. The textile is not as soft as vinyl so it is not possible to roll it up if it needs to be stored. It also happens to be a bit pricey.
These are semi-rigid options and they offer great visibility as well. Breaking these marine boat windows is very hard and they are valuable when in rugged marine situations. The fabric is easily scratched compared to others. There is also no way to roll it up if it needs to be stored and the price can be restrictive.
How to choose boat windows for sale
Cheaper or old yacht windows materials need a lot of maintenance even though they are very affordable, such fabrics like polycarbonate also happen to be versatile compared to other options. If you are in a position to maintain them, you should choose a cost-effective solution and enjoy benefits such a rolling the window up.
The kind of choice that you make in as far as material is concerned usually depends on the kinds of activity or needs that you have. By evaluating your needs, you should be able to pick a material that suits you perfectly and one that can handle the kind of things you intend to engage in while out on the water.
The other thing that you should probably note is that the thickness, also called the gauge of the window can have a great effect on flexibility, clarity, and exactly how it looks. The gauge can be anywhere between 12 and 40. These are some of the things you need to check before making the purchase.
Purchasing marine boat windows
When you are selecting the best houseboat windows, it is important to compare the materials cost and how it is related to its durability. There are some that will stay perfect longer compared to others. At times, it may make sense to buy pricier material if it is more durable instead of replacing affordable material every now and then.
You can find new or used boat windows for sale at Harbor Shoppers. We have in stock some of the widest range of windows to choose from. Whether you are looking for yacht windows, used boat windows, round boat windows, boat cabin windows, small boat windows, boat plastic windows or any other types of marine windows, our staff can help you in the decision-making process so that you end up with only the best.
You can also buy a variety of boat parts online and boat accessories such as Boat engines , Boat Supplies , best Boat seats , Boat Trailers , Deck & boat Cabin Hardware , Fishing equipment , Boat Docks , Boat Gear , Boat Furniture , Ground Tackle , Marine materials , etc.
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Dynamic window materials
Flexible clear vinyl, shown here, is just one option for boat windows. Polycarbonate and acrylic are the other main choices. Each have their advantages in specific applications. Photo: Sailrite.
Fabricators and boat owners have a world of choices in windows.
When it comes to choosing their windows, most boat owners don’t want to make it too complicated—they want a quality product that will last at a reasonable price.
As fabricators know, however, it’s not quite that simple.
In fact, according to Zach Grant, marketing manager at Sailrite®, a distributor of marine fabrics and supplies for do-it-yourselfers in Columbia City, Ind., boat owners really need to consider at least six different things when looking for windows: clarity, scratch resistance, UV resistance, stain/chemical resistance, flexibility and cost.
“Actually, though,” Grant says, “longevity is what most boat owners are concerned with. But those six factors are what will contribute to how long windows will last.”
“The typical boat owner is concerned with enclosure functionality and durability,” adds Craig Zola, vice president of marketing and distribution for Herculite® Products Inc., a manufacturer of marine fabrics and materials, including Strataglass, located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “Windows are expensive and boat owners want clear products that last.”
With all the considerations that go into purchasing windows, boat owners face a myriad of choices. They rely on fabricators to not only sell and install their windows, but to help them wade through the many options and make recommendations based on their individual needs and wants.
This dodger, the work of Dorsal LLC, a canvas shop in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., has an enclosure made of 40 gauge Strataglass, from Herculite Products Inc.
Three main categories
First, there are three main window types: flexible clear vinyl, polycarbonate sheets and acrylic sheets.
Here are the qualities of each, as described by Zola:
Flexible clear vinyl: “This is a great choice for many boat owners because of its breathability, suppleness and recent advances in technology like Strataglass’s scratch-resistant and UV-resistant coatings. This material is clear plastic and is soft and flexible, so it can be rolled up when not in use. It also has excellent stability and durability, and is inherently fire-retardant, waterproof and mildew resistant.”
Polycarbonate: “This is also a super-clear plastic, but it’s semirigid, making it hard and nearly unbreakable. The material can also be coated with UV-resistant technology and is also waterproof. However, it can’t be rolled up like vinyl and it can cost more to replace when damaged.”
Acrylic: “This is another semirigid option that is inherently UV resistant. It’s clear and strong. It’s not as scratch resistant, but scratches are usually repairable. It’s also not flexible enough to be rolled up.”
Given the clear difference in attributes among the categories, the type of vessel a boat owner has (along with personal preferences) may make it somewhat obvious which window type is appropriate. But within the categories, there are important distinctions that may not seem so apparent at first glance.
This Ocean Alexander was done by Dorsal LLC with Clear2sea UV, an acrylic enclosure. Photos: Dorsal LLC.
For example, many leading manufacturers of flexible clear vinyl, such as Strataglass, O’Sea®, Regalite® and CrystalClear, are made using the “press-polish” method.
“Pressed-polished window products are made by taking two layers of clear vinyl, which are heated until on the verge of melting and then pressed together between highly polished chrome plates to ensure a consistent thickness which is smooth and free of flaws,” Grant explains. “That creates one thicker, polished sheet with excellent optical clarity.”
Pressed-polished sheets offer the best tint consistency, clarity and dimensional stability, he says.
Saving with extruded
A less expensive option for flexible windows is extruded clear vinyl. “The raw material is heated and extruded through a series of roller presses to the desired thickness,” Grant notes. “That allows it to be produced quickly at a low cost.”
Boat windows at O’Sullivan Films Inc., Winchester, Va., are produced under the O’Sea® and Regalite® brands. O’Sea is the company’s coated line. Photo: O’Sullivan Films Inc.
The softness and flexibility of extruded vinyl means the surface may be more prone to scratching, he says, but for a boat owner looking at price, it can be an appropriate choice for applications that don’t see prolonged exposure to the environment.
Extruded vinyl has excellent clarity with negligible defects and is a cost-effective alternative for most users, according to Linda Pieta, sales coordinator at Robeco Inc., a Garden City, N.Y., supplier of plastic films and sheeting, including extruded vinyl that is available plain or with a scratch-resistant coating.
There are additional options for the budget-minded, but they come with trade-offs, Pieta says. “When price is a consideration, the least expensive vinyls are calendered and laminated, but they can have imperfections such as gels and flow lines,” she says. “If the customer doesn’t worry about the window being perfect, then they can use those products.”
Coated or uncoated?
As Zola noted, advances in technology have increased the quality and popularity of coated boat windows, but many manufacturers continue to make both coated and uncoated products available, and not just because of price concerns. For example, O’Sullivan Films Inc., Winchester, Va., makes coated products under the O’Sea brand and uncoated products under the Regalite banner, according to Julie Tinsman, the company’s senior sales manager.
“There are people who want only a coated product, but also those who want only uncoated, thinking they might corrode or for some other reason,” Tinsman says. “People have different theories, but it often just comes down to past experience or personal preferences.”
Manufacturers and fabricators both point out that coated window materials help prevent or minimize a number of problems, including scratching. But exposure to the sun may be the most important consideration. “Exposure to UV is the leading cause of clear vinyl failure,” according to Grant. “UV exposure leads to the evaporation of plasticizers, which keeps the vinyl flexible. This leads to the vinyl becoming brittle, cloudy and eventually cracking. Coatings lock in the plasticizers, allowing them to stand up better.”
Tinsman also says that anyone who boats in an “environmentally tough area” should consider coated products. “A plane, for example, can spew fuel that can damage the vinyl on boats,” so if you boat near an airport, coated products can protect against that.
In addition, she says, the O’Sea coated product also makes is easier for wiping off suntan lotion, bug spray or other chemicals that might be used around boats.
There are, however, reasons besides price not to choose coated windows. “Strataglass and O’Sea coated vinyl products will not work with HH-66 (vinyl cement),” Grant says, “which makes it impossible to glue the new vinyl to an old vinyl border. So you can only use it if you are going to sew the material.”
Recent advances in UV- and scratch-resistance are selling points for Strataglass, used on the boat shown here. Fabricated by Marco Canvas & Upholstery LLC, Marco Island, Fla., it features an exclusive See2Sea™ bonded acrylic enclosure with large pin-up front V panel, heat molded corners and Herculite® Riviera Marine Fabric®. Photo: Marco Canvas & Upholstery LLC.
Gauge is a consideration
Thickness is another consideration when choosing windows. “Determining the best gauge is where the fabricator needs to work very closely with the boat owner,” Tinsman says.
Charles Klein, founder and owner of Dorsal LLC, a canvas shop in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., says he generally recommends 40 gauge for forward windows and 30 gauge for side and aft windows. “Side and aft windows are more likely to get rolled up, and 30 gauge is a little more malleable,” he says.
Klein favors acrylic windows for his customers. “It is naturally scratch and UV resistant, without requiring coatings, so if it is scratched, it can be buffed out. Also, the clarity is stunning—clearer than glass.”
Greg Keeler, owner of Oyster Creek Canvas Co. in Bellingham, Wash., uses a polycarbonate, Tuffak® AR (formerly Makrolon® AR), for many of his projects where the windows are not going to be removed. Keeler favors 60 gauge in that application, but will drop down to 40 gauge in some instances. “If somebody wants to replace a window and they want to just get a few more years out of their canvas, 40 gauge is good because it’s easier to work with,” he says.
Longevity is critical
Thicker gauge materials often improve a window’s life span, and that’s often the most critical part of the equation, Klein says.
“Is it worth paying the extra money for a better product?” Klein asks. “Labor can cost significantly more than the cost of materials,” he says. “Some products will last 10 years or more, but others—like extruded vinyl without any UV or scratch-resistant coatings—might give you only three or four seasons. It’s kind of foolish to spend money to come back in three or four years and pay for labor again.”
Fabricators aren’t usually interested in doing projects with inferior materials anyway, Keeler says, and it’s not necessarily because of the money.
“When I build something, it doesn’t have to be top of the line,” Keeler explains. “But when I put the effort in, I want it to be nice and I want it to look good.”
Jeff Moravec is a freelance writer from Minneapolis, Minn.
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Welcome to Waterway Systems
Marine windows, boat windshields, center console windscreens. .
Marine Windows, Boat Windshields, Center Console Windscreens. Custom manufactured for your restoration or new boatbuilding project.
Building quality marine windows for private and commercial fishing vessel, houseboat, specialty barge, ships, and yachts..
Since 1977 Waterway Systems has been engineering and manufacturing the finest window units available.
Fabricated in Florida, shipped USA and Internationally.
Custom Acrylic / Plexiglass Parts. Center Console Windscreens, Dash Panels, Livewell Lids, Flybridge Windscreens, Hatches. CNC Plastic Machining
Waterway Systems
7010 28th ST CT E
Sarasota, FL 34243
941-779-4709
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Custom Marine Windows &
Plastics Forming
!! Removable Windows Now Available !!
The development of fiberglass boats has freed the yachtsman of much of the care and maintenance previously required for his yacht. Improvements in the development of marine windows reflect the same advancement. Go industries, founded in 1971 then acquired by Maritech in 2023, is the foremost manufacturer of high-quality, vinyl framed marine windows. With a commitment to offer carefree maintenance, quality, non-corrosive materials and ease of installation, Maritech Industries strives to serve all their customers by producing not only standard, but also custom built marine windows. We are looking for pictures of our windows in your sail or power boat. If you would like them featured on our website, please email them to [email protected] with a brief description of the vessel!
Unique patented design.
Maritech windows are manufactured using a white, high impact weather resistant vinyl plastic frame. Rigid vinyl can withstand most chemicals that are used by a yachtsman on his boat, including paint thinner and acetone. The vinyl frame, when used with plastic panes, will conform easily to curved cabin sides. The most important advantage of all is no corrosion.
EASY TO INSTALL
Installation of maritech windows was designed with the yacht owner in mind. the windows install using the “clamp” method as illustrated in the drawings below. both the outer frame, which holds the pane material, and the inner trim ring come pre-drilled and the necessary stainless fastening screws are provided. after the old windows are removed, and the cabin side is cleaned of all impurities, simply apply a quality sealing compound to the inside of the exterior frame and place the window in the cut-out. the interior trim ring is then screwed in place and the installation is complete..
Four Basic Types
Fixed - Maritech Industries has the capability to manufacture almost any shape or size window. Fixed windows are available with our standard heavy duty frame. The standard frame can have a 1 -1/2", 1- 7/8", 2-1/2", 3", 4" and/or 6" corner radius as well as mitered corners. The heavy duty frame is available with a 2-1/2” or 4-1/2” radius, or with mitered corners.
Sliding -Sliding windows have a number of unique features that are available only with Maritech windows. With plastic pane windows (Lucite S.A.R.), the handle used to slide the window open and closed are glued as well as screwed on to assure that they will not come off. Large drain holes are provided on the outside. Plus a “splash guard” , which is clear plastic strip , is glued on the inside. These two features work together to make Maritech sliding windows one of the most leak-proof windows available. Standard frame sliding windows come in 1-7/8” , 2-1/2" , 3” or 4"radius, and/or mitered corners. Heavy frame sliding windows are available with a 2-1/2” or 4-1/2” radius, or mitered corners.
Custom radiuses are available upon request.
Hinged - Ventilation has always been a problem on most power boats. Maritech Industries has the answer to this in the form of a hinged windshield. Like all Maritech windows, the hinged window can be made to almost any shape or size with the use of our unique vinyl frame. All hinged windows use high quality stainless steel wind-shield adjusters to hold the hinged pane open in any position. When closed, screw down dogs are used to make a water-tight seal.
! NEW RELEASE !
Removeable - We are currently working with USCG to satisfy new egress requirements for inspected vessels. In most cases we are able to make either a sliding, hinged or removable window with latches or tension knobs in place of an existing fixed window! Contact us for more info!
Removable with latch handle
Removable with tension knobs
Choice Of Pane Material
Maritech windows can be made with panes of plexiglass, Lucite S.A.R. (super abrasion resistant), tempered glass, or upon special request, Lexan Margard. All are avail-able in various tint colors as well as clear. One of our design engineers can assist in the pane and thickness choice best for your particular needs.
Many Standard Configurations
Since Maritech windows have been the choice of various manufacturers as standard equipment, we have many production patterns in stock. When requesting a quotation, please give us the boat type and length as well as the “block” dimensions so that we can check your windows against our patterns. Because Maritech Industries makes windows as they are ordered, changing the size of your existing windows can be done at little to no extra cost.
Very friendly and informative , estimate and turn around time were exactly as they said, after sending a template , the two windows i ordered installed effortlessly and fit perfectly, I should also mention pricing was more reasonable than 4 other manufactures i spoke with for same product
Cannot believe anyone has not yelped this business yet. I have an old US Yachts boat. The original window maker went out of business but somehow that business found its way to Mark Plastics. I dealt directly with Mark I had just a small single window but you would have thought I was placing a huge order. Mark spent a ton of time with me on the phone, walked me through what he needed and built me a replacement boat window within a week. Absolutely fabulous and a big shoutout to San Francisco Boat Works for steering me to Mark Plastics.
Mark at Mark Plastics is great! I'm about to place my third order with him, which will be the final batch needed to replace all ports in my old 1976 Islander 36. The new ports were a perfect fit, which was a big relief as I had to lug them on an international flight. Mark's office is low-tech - best to call and leave a message. He always calls back.
Love the new windows and nice to be able to see through the windows now! (old plastic window were crazed and with the sun on them it was like having shades pulled down)! The color tint is perfect! The windows went in easy with just a bit of trimming! The opening galley window sure helps remove the moisture while cooking. Many Thanks for a job well done!! Duane Sheehan
December 2023
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Overview of Our Marine Windows Products
Standard Duty Fixed Windows – Series 1150
The Series 1150 are standard duty fixed windows. These frames can be bent to with a 2-1/2” or 3-0” radius corner to virtually any size or shape.
Standard Duty Sliding Window – Series 1200
Standard duty sliding windows offer your choice of front-to-rear (forward open with aft fixed), rear-to-front (forward fixed with aft open) or double-sliding glass.
Heavy Duty Fixed Windows – Series 1250
The Series 1250 is our heavy duty fixed window. Our heavy duty fixed marine windows are glazed with 3/8″ or 1/2″ solid tempered safety glass.
Top Hinge – Vented Windows – Series 1275
The Series 1275 is our heavy duty top hinged window. This window is typically specified for use as an operable option windshield where ventilation or communication with the deck is required.
Houseboat Elite Windows – Series 1600
Features our proprietary “Motion Slider Track” – providing smooth operation and the kind of longevity not found in other windows. The Series 1600 sets the standard for a top-of-the-line single pane window.
Houseboat Elite Dual Pane Windows – Series 1800
Series 1800 Motion Windows incorporate dual pane glass—providing many product benefits including superior insulation, minimal air and wind intrusion, reduced condensation, and noise reduction.
The Motion Windows Advantage
Peninsula Glass Company has been in business since 1975 and is family-owned. In 2005, we received the prestigious Excellence in Family Business Award from Oregon State University.
Marine Windows
For use in:.
- Fishing Boats
- Luxury Houseboats
- Pilot House, Salon, Windshield and Side Windows for Boats
Fixed or sliding windows for boats , houseboats and yachts, are custom built to meet your specific requirements. Whether you need lightweight windows or heavy-duty windows designed to endure the most severe conditions, our craftsmen can build the window for you. Our single pane and insulated windows are available in a variety of widths and can be custom built with either radius or mitered (square) corners. Our window frames are available in your choice of anodized clear (silver) marine grade aluminum or a selection of powder coat colors.
The design of a Peninsula Glass Coastal Motion marine window is limited only by your imagination. Many choices including glass tint, frame style and shape are options that help you custom build your own window. Glass tints range from clear, solex (green), solar bronze, solar gray, solar cool bronze (mirror finish) and dark gray. We can produce shapes ranging from rectangles, single slopes, squares, parallelograms, and circles. Other choices such as direction of slide, thickness of glass, and the method of mounting are also available.
We view each customer’s requirements with a wealth of experience, a reputation for innovation and an unparalleled level of quality and service. Our team is dedicated to bringing you the highest quality products. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, consistent high-quality, and on-time deliveries define us as leaders in the market place. Let our experienced staff co-develop a production specific solution for your window needs. Visit https://www.boatwindows.com for more information.
Related:
Marine Glass: Quick Shopping Guide
What Boat Dock Accessories Do You Need?
Measuring Marine Windows:
How Do I Measure For My New Windows?
Key Benefits
- Custom Sized and Shaped to Meet Individual Specifications
- Clamp Grip Installation
- Fixed & Sliding Configurations
- Tempered Glass, Laminated Safety Glass, Acrylics & Polycarbonates Available
- Anodized Aluminum or Powder Coat Frames
- Select Radius or Mitered Corners Available
Check The Specs:
- Series 1200 (1/4” Sliding)
- Series 1600 (1/4” Fixed)
- Series 1250 (3/8” or 1/2″ Fixed)
- Series 1275 (3/8” vented – top hinge)
We are excited about the opportunity to add you to our family. Please help us describe you needs by getting started here
WELCOME TO BOUNTY MARINE
We design and manufacture high-quality custom windows, doors and deck hatches for boats of all sizes and types.
HIGH-QUALITY CUSTOM WINDOWS, BOAT DOORS, AND GLASS
Custom Boat Windows
High-quality custom windows for boats
Custom Boat Doors
Choose from hinged or sliding doors for your boat.
Custom made to most any size and shape, from patterns or your dimensions.
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How to choose windows for superyacht wheelhouses
Windows play an important role in the design of an efficient superyacht bridge. In addition to the obvious – clear views and safety (in terms of strength) at sea – there are other considerations that must be addressed. Glare, reflections and obscured vision are the three culprits, and, unfortunately, they can ruin a well-designed wheelhouse.
Captain Emile Bootsma of Blue Moon says visibility provided by the bridge’s windows is critical to the vessel’s safe operation.
‘It is the most important consideration in bridge design,’ he says. ‘Navigation by day or by night is still very much a visual exercise, and I have seen too many bridges where the visibility is so poor that you could barely see your own bow, let alone any other ship that may be navigating in your vicinity.
‘Windows need to be as big as possible; the view angle needs to be as large as possible; consoles need to be as low as possible; and bridge furniture needs to be as unobtrusive as possible.’
Traditional windows that slope aft at the top may look more pleasing from an exterior styling perspective, but they become problematic at night by reflecting light from the console, a condition known as backscatter.
An example of the reflection problem can be seen in the 38.4m motor yacht Time , designed by Tom Fexas and built in 1987 by Palmer Johnson.
The boat was avant-garde in many ways and had a state-of-the-art wheelhouse. Unfortunately, the rake of the wheelhouse windscreen was quite severe, and at night, the reflections from the electronic displays (CRTs in those days) and lights from the control panels made night operations difficult at best.
This type of window also results in increased heat gain during the day that adds to the load required for cooling.
The heat gain can be mitigated to some extent by using a longer exterior brow and by installing glass with coatings to reduce thermal transmission. But of the three basic window styles, the direct sunlight will have the greatest effect with this one in terms of thermal loading and in terms of maintenance, unless materials are chosen that will fare well under constant exposure to ultraviolet and infrared light
Another problem can occur with aft-sloping windows, as illustrated by the 44m Heesen L’Aquasition.
In this boat, which had award-winning styling by Gerhard Gilgenast, the acute angle of the windscreen resulted in reduced headroom in way of the wheelhouse console. The solution: the helmsman would remove a teak grate in the sole, allowing him to stand in a recessed stainless-steel pan, thus providing enough headroom to perform his duties without craning his neck.
Although moderately effective, this was an unacceptable issue that should have been resolved early in the design process.
The number and placement of mullions can affect visibility. Put too many panes in a windscreen and the mullions will affect the helmsman’s oblique visibility by obscuring the glass. It should be carefully addressed, because large panes, as desirable as they may be, require greater strength, thus adding significant weight, which results in the need for heavier mullions… and so the design spiral begins.
There is, however, a benefit of aft-sloping glass. Generally, a bridge console that is installed below aft-sloping windows must be positioned farther aft in the wheelhouse to reduce height conflicts between crew and the windows. This means that the consoles are deeper fore and aft and have increased space inside them for equipment, allowing it to be located in close proximity to its control devices.
Vertical (plumb) windows have a far more contemporary look and will reduce reflections from equipment in the console and glare from the sun, but they will create reflections on the panes along the opposite side of the boat. Windows that slope forward at the top, often called ‘cab’ windows, offer exceptional day and night visibility, which is why this style is used almost exclusively on commercial and military vessels.
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Triple Track
There are times when track can not be mounted to the boat. Triple track was invented to extend double track capabilities to locations where fasteners are not available. Such situations include the crown on a hardtop, cross sections of fabric, or stainless steel rods.
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- Boat Maintenance
Practical Sailor tests 27 products that clean, restore, and polish soft vinyl boat windows.
Preserving a clear view through clear plastic on dodgers or enclosures is one of the most challenging tasks in boat maintenance. Restoring a vinyl window is almost impossible, but that doesn’t stop the tide of products that claim to make this job easy. Practical Sailor’s Eisenglass cleaners test looks at 27 products touted primarily as cleaners or treatments for vinyl windows. The test products were divided into four types: cleaners, scratch repairers, polish protectants, and UV protectants.
After a week of testing, we found Imar Strataglass Protective Cleaner and Imar Strataglass Protective Polish, distributed by Defender Industries, to be the Best Choice. Collinite No. 845 Insulator Wax and Mer-Maids Plexiglass Plastic Cleaner and Polish were the Budget Buys. The test also included products from the following manufacturers: 303, 3M, Aquatech, Armada, Davies, Marykate, Meguiars. Mothers, Novus, Plexus, Sailors’ Solutions, Star brite, Turtle Wax, West Marine, and Yacht Brite.
Although many of the products in this article can be used on hard acrylic or polycarbonate hatch glazing, this article examines their performance only on the soft, flexible clear-vinyl windows, such as those that you’ll find in a dodger or cockpit enclosure.
Canvas shops use a variety of clear vinyl (PVC) products to make these windows. Ultraclear, Crystal Clear, Seaflex, Achilles, and Strataglass are some common brand names. Practical Sailor will be comparing these and other types of clear plastics (such as Stamoid) in a future article.
All of these materials are susceptible to scratching, smudging, and wear. Over time, they become brittle as they lose the chemicals that keep them soft and pliable. In addition, ultraviolet rays can quickly damage the vinyl, causing hazing, cracking, and yellowing. The products reviewed here help delay that process.
WHAT WE TESTED
Practical Sailor evaluated 27 products (three were two-step applications) from 18 manufacturers that were advertised, labeled, or recommended primarily as cleaners or treatments for clear-vinyl windows. All are available through marine dealers, chandlers, or online.
For comparison, we broke them down into the following categories: cleaners; scratch repairers; polish/protectants; UV protectants. Eight claimed to have UV protection, 10 included a formula or fine abrasives to remove light scratches and smudges. and all but two products promised a polished finish. Products that stood out (for good or for bad) in the field are discussed below.
Armada’s 210 Plastic Cleaner/Polish, a 14-ounce aerosol, excelled in cleaning and polishing our test vinyl. It provides a clear, lustrous finish with a protective coating that is anti-static and anti-fog. For older or scratched windows, use the Armada 210 Plus, which includes a very mild abrasive compound that does a reasonably good job of removing dirty residues, smudges, and fine scratches.
Bottom line: The 210 Plus is an excellent cleaner with anti-fog and anti-static properties. The 210 polishes well, but aerosol cans don’t keep well aboard boats normally operated in salt water.
Step-one in a two-step process, 3Ms Marine Vinyl Cleaner and Restorer removes haze, dirt, and stains with a thick creamy liquid. It is an above-average cleaner. The second step involves applying the 3M Marine Plastic Polish, a thick white cream that cleans and when buffed, yields a protective, high-gloss finish. The formula includes restorative mineral oils, glycerin, and carnauba wax.
Bottom line: The 3M cleaner worked fine, but the polish produced only Fair results.
303 Aerospace Protectant
Often recommended to preserve inflatable dinghies, 303’s Aerospace Protectant spray cleans, shines, and leaves a UV protection of SPF 40. Directions call for renewing the finish monthly.
Bottom line: The 303 spray has multiple uses, offers good protection, and is moderately priced.
The Aquatech Clear Enclosure Cleaner and Protectant (No. 750) sprays a light, clear liquid that is designed to clean, without any alcohol, ammonia, or harsh chemicals. The Premier Polish and UV Protectant (No. 201) is a general-purpose polish for gelcoat, paint, and metal. It is a thick, white cream that slowly dries to a haze.
Bottom line: The 750 cleaner and protectant cleans quickly and leaves a slight shine. The 201 adds an excellent polished sheen with UV protection.
The Collinite 845 Insulator Wax is a thick cream designed for marine and industrial applications where a heavy-duty, high-gloss UV protective coating is required. It keeps dirt, dust, and salt from sticking and assures full protection against sun, rain, bugs, and salt spray.
Bottom line: Collinite polishes well and has multiple uses and a good track record at an affordable price. It’s our Budget Buy.
Imar’s Strataglass Protective Cleaner (No. 301) and Strataglass Protective Polish (No. 302) are the only products recommended by Strataglass. The Imar 301 produces a fine, clear mist from a 16-ounce spray bottle. Imar recommends using the product regularly when you wash and rinse the boat. The 302 provides the same UV protection as 301, but the creamy liquid adds a thicker protective coating and brighter shine. Imar recommends reapplying 302 about every three to four months.
Bottom line: Imar’s 301 ranked high as a very good cleaner. The 302 was one of the better polishers that we tested, beading up best in the water test.
MaryKate’s Glassplex Glass Cleaner (No. 3918) multipurpose glass, acrylic, and vinyl cleaner-a fine, clear liquid delivered through a trigger-spray nozzle-does an acceptable job of cleaning oil and dirt. MaryKate also makes Clear Vinyl Cleaner and Polish (No. 6414), which we did not test. Neither contains alcohol or ammonia.
Bottom line: Though not a standout, the MaryKate 3918 was the most economical of the cleaning products tested.
A Best Buy in a 2003 test, Mer-Maids Plexiglass/Plastic Cleaner and Polish is a clear spray that goes on fast and is easy to wipe off. It is reasonably priced, and does a fairly good job cleaning and shining.
Bottom line: Mer-Maids product cleaned well, provides anti-static and anti-fog protection, and does not contain alcohol or ammonia. A good bet for routine cleaning.
Testers looked at three products from Meguiars. The Clear Plastic Detailer (No. 18) is a handy one-step cleaner and polish in an 8-ounce spray bottle. It sprays a clear liquid that you wipe and polish immediately. If allowed to dry, it can leave streaks.The Clear Plastic Cleaner (No. 17) helps remove ground-in dirt and small scratches with a non-abrasive cleaning formula. The Clear Plastic Polish (No. 10) is a thick, creamy liquid that can follow the No. 17 cleaner, and provides a static-free coating that repels dust and shines up nicely.
Bottom line: Of the three Meguiars products, the No. 10 polish stood out best in its category.
Mothers Marine Power Plastic is a one-step cleaner, restorer, polish, and UV protectant. It is a creamy liquid in a bright red, 8-ounce plastic bottle that claims to remove light scratches, oxidation, stains, and yellowing. Once dried to a haze, it buffs out to a nice bright finish.
Bottom line: A good do-it-all product for reviving and protecting old windows. When polishing soft, clear vinyl, PS doesn’t recommend using it with a drill-mounted polisher, as Mothers suggests.
The Novus No. 1 Clean and Shine Plastic Polish did an excellent job of leaving a lustrous shine that resists fogging and static, and provides a good protective coating.Despite its name, the Novus No. 2 Fine Scratch Remover is meant as the first step in cleaning, and it does a good job of it. (There is also a more abrasive No. 3.)
Bottom line: These Novus products offer an excellent two-step program, particularly for scratched windows.
Originally developed for airplane windshields, Plexus Plastic Cleaner and Polish is well known for cleaning and polishing a multitude of plastic surfaces. The can sprays out a fine mist of clear liquid that cleans as it polishes and leaves a shiny anti-static protective residue.
Bottom line: This is a good product for well-maintained vinyl, but the metal can will rust.
Sailors Solutions
Sailors Solutions X-16 Plastic Window Polish is a combination cleaner (with extra-fine abrasive), polish, and UV protectant that works well but can separate over time. Follow directions and don’t let it dry too much, or it will be difficult to remove and will leave streaks.
Bottom line: The packaging is cheap (the label and directions smeared after a few uses), but the creamy liquid formula quickly removed some light scratches and left a nice shine.
Star brite has a two-step process for restoring and reviving clear plastic. Star brite Step 1 Plastic Scratch Remover is an ultra-fine abrasive for cleaning and restoring older plastic windows. The Step 2 Plastic Polish/Restorer is a light, clear liquid in an 8-ounce bottle that leaves a thin, polished coating.
Bottom line: This is an inexpensive and effective one-two punch for older vinyl.
West Marine
Packaged in an easy-to-stow 8-ounce spray bottle, West Marine’s One-step Plastic Cleaner Polish is a light, cream-colored liquid. It does a nice job of both cleaning and removing fine scratches, and it leaves a protective coating.
Bottom line: This cleaner-polish is held back by its higher price.
Yacht Brite
Yacht Brite Serious Shine, a 3-in-1 cleaner, polish and protectant in a 14-ounce aerosol, buffs to a nice shine and leaves a fine film that repels water with UV inhibitors and anti-static properties. It contains alcohol and solvents that are not recommended for some plastics.
Bottom line: This spray is easy to use and performs well, but the rust-prone aerosol can belongs ashore.
CONCLUSIONS
Don’t put too much stock in claims that hazing, yellowing, or scratches will be eliminated. We found no miracle cure.
Products that included fine abrasives to remove light scratches took several applications and a considerable amount of hand rubbing to slowly eliminate scratches. Since abrasives can do more harm than good, we recommend them only as a last resort. Dont use electric buffers and always test on an inconspicuous area.
When testers had done a good job of cleaning the vinyl with any of the cleaners, a second step of applying and buffing with a good polish obviously improved clarity. Applying a second coat of polish the next day produced a thicker, longer-lasting protective coating that shined and beaded better.
Many products were very effective at improving visibility and preventing staining and dirt buildup. Some were easier to use than others. The clear liquids have a tendency to run, so they should be applied to a cloth first. Creams show where you have been. Sprays are handiest and probably best for a quick retouch. Here’s what we found:
Of the products that claimed to only clean, the Imar 301 was the clear winner, and it also is safe for treated vinyl.
For owners of older dodgers with small scratches, the Novus No. 2 Fine Scratch Remover proved to be the most effective, followed closely by the Armada 210 Plus Plastic Cleaner/Polish and Mother’s Marine Power Plastic.
Among the polishes, the Imar 302 Protective Polish, Novus No. 1, Collinite No. 845, Mother’s Marine Power, and Aquatech’s Premier Polish produced the best shine and beading, rating Excellent.
The best one-bottle cleaner, scratch remover, and polish with UV protection was Mother’s Marine Power Plastic. Sailors’ Solutions X-16 also does it all and was rated Good-to-Excellent.
If you prefer a two-step process, then the Imar #301/#302 combo is the way to go. They produced the cleanest and shiniest windows and beaded water the best, earning the Best Choice honors. The Novus and Star Brite two-part products were close behind.
- In Search of Clarity
- Practical Sailor Value Guide: Clear-Plastic Cleaners
- How We Tested
- Download PDF Version
This article was first published February 19, 2009 and has been updated.
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Sailing adventures in the pacific northwest.
How To: Replace Frameless Acrylic Windows on a Boat with the VHB Tape Method
Now nearing five years into owning our 1984 C&C , we’re finally getting around to replacing the badly weathered acrylic cabin windows. Our windows weren’t leaking (much) – a common reason to replace fixed ports, but were old enough that they were badly crazed and more translucent than transparent. We have frameless windows, also known as surface mounted portlights.
Acrylic plastic doesn’t last forever, and some say as little as 6-10 years is all it takes before you start getting UV damage in the form of spiderwebbing lines (crazing). Since we live aboard, having windows we can see clearly out of is a big livability improvement. How many people can honestly say they live in a home without transparent windows? Most houses have glass, which doesn’t craze like plastic does.
We try to avoid working on cosmetic projects (although this is more than cosmetic, since it allows us to see better), but now that we’ve finished 3 years worth of higher priority refit items (like the rig, rudder , etc), we have the luxury of spending some time on lower priority things. And this is a good one for our current cruising phase because it’s relatively low cost but high in time requirements. And we had lots of time available this past November / December.
New window to right, old one to left (note: the streaking on the old one is because I washed it with a dirty sponge)
Many C&C owners have done this project already, and my methods were for the most part simply copying what others have already done. There’s nothing incredibly hard here, but the details matter. If you rush this job, it’s likely to have a poor result in the end.
Our existing windows were thru-bolted and sealed with some kind of black flexible sealant. For the new windows we switched to a more modern method: the acrylic is adhered to the hull using adhesive 3M VHB tape (VHB stands for Very High Bond) and sealed using Dow Corning 795 industrial silicone.
There are good explanations of this method here:
- The YouTube show Boatworks Today
- CnC List (C&C owners list)
- Sail Magazine: Replacing Fixed Portlights
From what I understand this method is used on many newer production boats such as Beneteau’s. Still, I took me a while to feel comfortable with whether it would be offshore worthy. A window failure at sea can be catastrophic – if you lose a cabin window while waves are breaking over the boat, you might have no easy way to prevent taking on water.
There are some people who will still disagree, but once I understood the VHB properties I was confident it could hold up to offshore stress. VHB tape is used to bond skyscraper windows to buildings. As long as it’s applied correctly, it has very high bonding strength. And the fact that it’s a flexible tape creating a soft mounting surface is actually an important feature.
Thru-bolting acrylic windows makes them weaker – our old windows had cracks around the thru-bolts in several places. Acrylic expands/contracts with temperature changes, and the boat itself flexes slightly when at sea. So a window is more likely to fail due to flexing and cracking than it is to pop out.
Old window with thru-bolting, cracked in bottom corner
This project takes a lot of time, and is not the kind of project to rush or take shortcuts. For us it took at least 40 hours, plus about 10 hours in prep research and communicating with the plastics shop. About 1/4 of the 40 hrs was in filling the 100+ thrubolt holes and chipping off Plexus, which not all boats will have to deal with.
Per Window, approx 8-10 hours:
- 1-2 hrs: Remove ~30 thru-bolts and pry off old acrylic
- 1 hr: Test fit new window and mask around hull frame with painter’s tape
- 1 hr: Apply VHB tape, test fit again and cut off inner acrylic masking paper where the VHB tape will adhere. Scuff that edge with sandpaper and clean with 50/50 IPA/water. Apply silicone around corner of hull inset, then press in new acrylic.
- 1 hr: Inject and tool silicone into the gap around the new window. Clean-up. Remove acrylic masking paper and marvel at your new view.
Total: 8 hrs/window * 4 windows = 32 hours
Filling and painting ~100 thru-bolt holes: approx 8 hours:
- 45 minutes per epoxy round * 2 iterations/window * 4 windows = 6 hrs
- ~2 hrs for painting over epoxy on interior
The epoxying required many iterations because we were doing one window at a time, and because when you inject thickened epoxy into a horizontal hole (a hole in a near-vertical surface), it’s difficult to get the hole completely filled on the first attempt. In some holes it settled and I had to refill on the next round. There may have been better choices for fill material, but epoxy thickened with sandable filler was popular on a few forums I read.
We used the 5952 VHB tape because it’s a high bond strength designed for these applications and it comes in black (some of the other model #’s are red or gray, which wouldn’t look good under the windows). Some caution is advised picking a supplier. Ebay has cheap VHB tape but is not an official 3M distributor. McMaster Carr, Grainger and others are. 3M informed me Amazon is a 3M distributor. I found a number of complaints on Amazon product reviews, but I believe this may have been for Amazon affiliate stores (if it says “Sold by X” or “Sold by X and fulfilled by Amazon”, that’s *not* an Amazon supplied product).
- Plastic sheeting – we used 3 mil “clear” plastic sheeting to cover the windows while they were out. It literally said clear on the packaging, but the sheeting was not clear at all – more like opaque. It let light in, but we could not see out through it. If you’re living aboard it might be worth finding actually clear plastic sheeting.
- Paint scrapper – rigid style
- Paint scrapper – flexible style
- Painter’s tape
- Fein MultiTool with 80-180 grit sand paper
- Dremel with sanding drum
Getting the old windows off wasn’t terribly hard, but cleaning the surface is. First we had to scrape off all the black sealant, and then found a hard, brown epoxy-like material underneath – Plexus, aka methacrylate adhesive (Plexus is the brand name of this structural adhesive). Plexus is evil stuff. It’s quite possibly worse than 5200 in regards to removal. It bonds permanently to the underlying gelcoat or fiberglass. It’s what C&C used originally to bed the windows, and nowadays is no longer a recommended method.
Removing remaining Plexus involved hitting a scraper with a hammer to chip it off, which also pulled off gelcoat at times. You can try sanding it, but it will take a very long time to sand if it has any thickness to it. Luckily, not all of our windows had much Plexus – it appears a former owner already replaced the windows and removed some Plexus.
After removing as much Plexus as possible, I sanded using a Fein Multitool with medium grit sanding triangles, and occasionally used my Dremel sanding drum. The Fein is better for getting a flat, smooth surface along the beveled edge. The Dremel can sometimes create diveted / uneven surfaces, since it uses a round sanding drum, so I only used that in small spots where I had stubborn protruding bits of Plexus.
All Windows At Once or One at a Time?
Since we live on our boat, and would be doing this during the cold, rainy Pacific Northwest winter, a big question was whether to do all 4 windows at once or one at a time (or 2 at a time). Most people do them all at once, to make the project go quicker, but most people aren’t doing this while living aboard in the winter.
We were glad we decided to do them in stages (#1, #2, and #3+4 at the same time). It made the project take 4 weeks instead of two, but we realized having all four windows out at once would make life really difficult and unpleasant. After covering the holes with the “clear” 3-mil plastic sheeting, I found the clear sheeting was more opaque than clear. Especially after doubling it up (for better insulation), it was not possible to see through the sheeting. This means less visibility, and having no windows in your cabin in the winter would be really difficult. Seasonal affective disorder is a real risk here in the winter, when daylight hours are short, sun sometimes non-existent, and opportunities to get outside are reduced.
There are two other downsides to having windows out in the winter that we worried about: cold, and rain. These turned out to be not as bad as expected. Covering the window (with the plastic sheeting plus draping a heavy plastic panel from our old full enclosure) reduced heat loss pretty well, and we kept our two electric heaters running to compensate.
And rain never got in through the sheeting – I monitored to make sure the painter’s tape at the top edge and sides was well adhered, and reinforced with duck tape at the corners when adhesion got reduced. Having a Strataglass panel (full enclosure panel) above the window also greatly reduced rain getting on the plastic sheeting.
To Paint the Back Edge of the Acrylic or Not?
One aspect we did differently from some others online is we didn’t apply black paint to the back edge of the new acrylic, where it overlaps the hull inset. Others recommend this, often with Krylon paint, to ensure that the white hull surface doesn’t show through the tinted acrylic. We figured the black VHB tape would take care of this (and a couple others online did it this way as well).
On the 1st window where we used 1/2” width VHB tape, it didn’t completely cover the white hull. We attempted to fill in the rest with the black 795 sealant, but that was a bit messy and so it doesn’t look perfect. But it’s not too bad. On the next 3 windows we switched to 3/4” VHB tape, which completely covered the visible hull surface and looks great.
1st window inset, with the 1/2″ tape
What’s the Worst Vegetable on a Boat? A Leak!
Stuff going wrong is pretty normal in boating, but usually it’s something going wrong with old equipment, not something brand new we’re putting in. It’s really disheartening to finish a project and find you did something wrong (as with the autopilot mount last year ).
So when I found out our brand new window was leaking, I was pretty upset! As a heavy Seattle mist fell in late November (the kind of drippy, foggy rain that isn’t heavy rain but creeps into the tiniest apertures on a boat), a steady drip appeared inside one corner of our 1st new window.
It was very hard to trace the leak, but as far as I can tell it came from one of two possible sources:
- Miniature gaps where the silicone bead had pulled away from the hull or acrylic. These were only a hair’s width thick, but that was probably enough for water to wick in.
- Gel coat cracks along the edge of the hull frame. Our 35 year old boat has plenty of small gel coat cracks around the window ports, caused by hull flexing / normal hull stress. In some cases these hair-width spider lines extend under the silicone sealant and may have been wicking water in.
The 1st window, done with 1/2″ VHB tape
One trick I discovered was using compressed air (the kind you get for cleaning computer keyboards) to push air at the exterior of the sealant joint. When I got to imperfect sealant, even though there might be no visible issue, the air would push through and create bubbles in the water sitting behind the gap. I did this with a headlamp, which facilitates seeing through the tinted acrylic.
I eventually fixed the leak with some reapplications of the Dow Corning 795, but for the next 3 windows we followed more stringent processes.
Tooling the Silicone
From that mistake on the first window, we learned that tooling the silicone requires much greater attention to detail than expected. The sealant around the acrylic needs to be perfect to avoid water seeping through. If the silicone pulls away from the edge – either hull or acrylic – water can wick in through the crack.
So on subsequent windows we did additional prep (filling gel coat cracks with epoxy) and made sure to perfectly tool the silicone into the gap. Dow Corning 795 is pretty forgiving, and we were able to work on it just with a bare finger – no soap or liquid – but you can only run over it once or twice. Repeated attempts to make it neat will likely make it worse. However, if an area wasn’t tooled cleanly in the first pass or two, I found I could apply additional silicone on top of the messy area and then re-tool that.
When we pulled the cover paper off our first new window, a stunned look passed over our faces. Natalie and I couldn’t believe the night-and-day difference it made. For years we had been looking through crazed, foggy windows, and the new one was crystal clear.
For comparison, holding the old acrylic in front of the new one
It was almost like the window wasn’t there at all. We could see our neighboring boat in sharp detail, and can only imagine how much better the views are going to be in the beautiful anchorages we visit once we’re back out to full-time cruising (April).
This project took a lot of time, but relatively little money in boat terms, and turned out to be well worth the effort.
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25 thoughts on “ How To: Replace Frameless Acrylic Windows on a Boat with the VHB Tape Method ”
nice project, where did you get your replacement acrylic windows?
Most plastics shops can cut the acrylic, we used Clear Cut Plastics in Ballard, Seattle.
Thanks for sharing your project, i picked up some great information. Question – what thickness were the acrylic windows – ie” 3/8 or 1/4 inch?
They are 3/8″. Thanks, glad this post has been helping other boaters!
Did you use asolvent for the black sealant that was above the Plexus? What solvent is recommended? Some people recommend a 1/8 inch gap betwwen the new acrylic and the window frame. Do you also recommend this gap? The 795 fills this gap and allows for expansion. When placing the window into the VHB tape,what did you use for spacers to ensure the acrylic window was properly spaced into the window frame? I am considering a number of double stacked washers appropriatley spaced along the bottom of the frame. Your blog has been very helpful. Thank you.
We tried some 3M Adhesive Remover I believe and Goo-B-Gone as well as I think alcohol/soapy water mixture and none of them helped a great deal, they just make the sealant softer/wetter which may make it easier to scrape off. But mostly it was a manual scraping job and then finishing touches with a sander (oscillating Fein or Dremel). I would definitely try for a 1/8 inch gap between acrylic and hull frame dimensions. A couple of our windows didn’t quite have that (maybe only 1/16″) and expansion / flexing caused them to leak a bit after 1 yr. We redid them with a slightly bigger gap (by sanding down the acrylic edges that were tight). To place onto the VHB tape we test fit and then ran duck tape strips along the bottom edge. Then folded down the window, injected sealant into corners not covered by tape, removed the tape cover and carefully placed the window keeping the duck tape taut (2 person job). The stacked washers idea sounds good.
Thank you very much for your quick reply. Xylene did soften the black material to help in removal but did run and discolor the gelcoat.
In one of the articles you linked to, it recommends 3M 4991 which is 2.3mm thick, not 3M 5952 which is only 1.1mm thick. I just used the 5952 that you recommended and there is almost no gap unfortunately. I’m going to do the other set with the 4991 and hopefully it gets closer to that 1/8 in. We’ll see what happens in a year I guess!
Yes, that’s a good point – I think the tape thickness depends on the boat and how your window insets are designed. On our C&C, the thinner tape was best because otherwise the windows would’ve protruded out from the coach roof.
The gap that was filled with sealant was a gap around the circumference of the acrylic window – so that gap was mostly determined by the width/height the acrylic is cut to, rather than the tape thickness. But I agree some custom tweaking is needed depending on the particular boat.
How’s it holding up? Do you still recommend this window conversion?
Yes, they held up well and I know other people that have used the same technique.
I have a C&C 115 (2006) that requires window replacement as well. The originals were bronze colored Lexan polycarbonate (I think). We do some offshore racing. Question: acrylic or polycarbonate for replacement? I’ve heard pros and cons of both.
I recall reading some debates on acrylic vs polycarbonate/Lexan… each has pros/cons but acrylic is easier to source from local shops I think. Here’s an article I found which discusses it: http://www.cncphotoalbum.com/doityourself/portlight_replace/page02.htm
Polycarbonate/Lexan is stronger, but strength isn’t really the issue with windows our size. The author saying polycarb/Lexan scratches easier is a big downside for us since it’s already hard avoiding scratches to acrylic.
What color / tint were your new windows? Looks like you used a dark grey?
It was medium gray, “Acyrlite 2064”.
I’ve seen a few videos now, including two from professional shops, showing two variances from your method: Firstly, they said they weren’t just painting the acrylic for visuals but also to protect the 795 from UV exposure (which seems odd as it’s absurdly hardy), and secondly, they applied the tape and sealant to the window rather than the boat itself… seems more like a technique choice.
Thoughts on the UV thing? Have you noted any cracking or shrinkage with the 795?
UV protection might be a good idea (I’ve seen black tape used on other boats, however I don’t know if they used Dow Corning 795 behind that tape). We didn’t have any issues at all with the sealant deteriorating. Dow Corning 795 claims to be “highly resistant to UV” and “virtually unaffected by sunlight, rain, weather.”
I like what you have done. I am planning on replacing the windows on my boat if I break the windows due to removal. My acrylic is in good shape but they used Sikaflex and it has failed in some areas so it could be difficult to get windows out. If you use the VHB tape to leave a 1/8″ gap around the outside of acrylic, can you just fill that gap in after placing windows in place to create seal. Would 1/8 gap be enough to seal window or should I make it 1/4 inch as I have the room.
I think it might be difficult to inject enough sealant into a 1/8″ gap after placing the window on the VHB tape. It can be difficult to position the window precisely and the gap may end up tighter on one side. 1/4″ would make it easier and also give more expansion room (in some cases it’s the sun heating causing expansion which cracks the acrylic and/or breaks sealant seal). It’s a judgment call though, depends on the situation.
3/16 would be better. Fill around with DowSil 795 using a spoon to carefully contour it.
The windows on my yacht are large 40” x 80” and they can grow by as much as 1/2” depending on the temperature range. From my understanding the VHB tape attaches to acrylic and fiberglass. Will the tape have enough give not to detach from either the acrylic or fiberglass due to expansion or contraction of acrylic compared to fiberglass.
Those are very large windows (looks like you have a catamaran) – over 3’x6′ is about twice the size of what I did. So that’s beyond my expertise, you may need to find someone else with similar sized windows that has done this project. The VHB tape is pliable/stretchy and 3M has a technical specs sheet which may say how much expansion it can tolerate. I suspect it would work out but can’t say for sure.
what method did you use to remove the old plexiglass. was heat used?
I don’t recall using heat. That may have been a good idea to soften the sealant. For us paint scrapers and gradual, even leverage was enough.
I saw a 1980 C&C a couple years ago that had custom made frames made to help seal the windows in. It was about a half inch wide, maybe 1/8″ thick, polished and screwed into the hull. Looked great. Not sure of any of the specific design details – actual thickness, screw sizing, was there a gasket… Appeared to be polished stainless steel. Anyone have thoughts on this? Thanks
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10 Must-Haves That Will Make Your Yacht Trip Even Better
The list ranges from smart glasses to the world's best sunscreen, from bose headsets to an exceptional flask paired with a boutique gin. bon voyage, jaclyn trop, jaclyn trop's most recent stories.
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The last gasp of summer, which officially ends on September 2, is meant to be enjoyed on the water. Last week, we gave you a list of eight great books for the boat. This time around, we have items that you won’t realize are indispensable until you’re on the water and have left them behind.
Whether you’re taking a sunset cruise, beach excursion, or ocean voyage, supreme comfort and extreme fashion should be the two guiding mantras before Labor Day washes you back to reality.
We’ve put together a packing list that is certain to please. Here is the best of boat and beach accouterments, from sunscreen to swim trunks to suitcases. Throw in some toiletries and tech gadgets and the trip will be as stylish as it is restful.
Loro Piana Men’s Swim Trunks
The Italian textile brand that put “quiet luxury” on the map, courtesy of HBO’s sartorially-driven series Succession , is equally at home in the boardroom or on the beach. These super soft, fast-drying men’s swim trunks are crafted from technical fabric and feature a choice of three playful prints. Thanks to an adjustable drawstring waist and back flap pocket, the trunks are comfortable, practical and functional, from the Bahamas to Bora-Bora.
Buy Now on Bergdorf Goodman: $580
Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Smart Glasses
“Hey Meta, start my video call.” These multifunctional, tech-forward Ray-Ban Wayfarers do more than protect your eyes from the sun’s glare. The pair features an ultra-wide 12 megapixel camera and five-mic system to keep you connected at all times. The mobile app lets you use hands-free voice command to call and message, capture content, and manage media settings. Discreet, open-ear speakers toggle between your music, calls, and surroundings. The Ray Bans have four hours of battery life and a sleek, portable charging case.
Buy Now on Best Buy: $379
Matouk Paros Chevron Stripe Beach Towel
Why cart around a heavy beach towel when you can carry a lightweight, highly absorbent alternative? Matouk, a three-generation, family-owned brand in Fall River, Massachusetts, excels at making Turkish towels. Inspired by the traditional hammam towels used in Turkish baths, the pure cotton, quick-drying Paros towel stands out on the sand with a geometric chevron pattern and fringed edges. Choose from one of five pastel colors, or collect them all.
Buy Now on Matouk: $95
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Whether listening to an audiobook, joining a conference call or merely taking a moment of silence for yourself, there’s no better vacation companion than these Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. This over-the-ear set uses Bose Immersive Audio, world-class noise cancellation, and CustomTune audio calibration to optimize sound wherever you are. The sleek headphones, which fold flat into a compact storage case, can differentiate your voice from 360 degrees of ambient sound for crystal-clear conversations and voice commands.
Buy Now on Bose: $429
The Botanist Islay Dry Gin
Could it be that all good things come in sleek, stylish 50-milliliter packages? This premium Scottish gin, distilled at Bruichladdich distillery on the isle of Islay off Scotland’s west coast, is a delicious addition to any journey. The craft gin is comprised of 22 wild Islay botanicals that are hand-foraged locally and sustainably on the island. Rich and smooth, the Botanist can be served neat, or topped with tonic water and a sprig of rosemary for the ultimate refreshment.
High Camp Parkside Flask 750
Sometimes, transporting your beverage of choice can be the hardest part of traveling. Carry your wine or chilled cocktail in style with High Camp’s Parkside Flask 750, aptly named for its ability to hold a full 750-milliliter bottle of wine. Available in a quartet of pleasing colors, this three-piece set includes a vacuum-insulated flask that maintains temperature for up to 24 hours and two stainless steel tumblers. All components feature electropolished interiors to retain the flavor of even your rarest vintage. The result is a perfect picnic for two, without the hassle of bringing breakable glasses or a heavy cooler.
Buy Now on High Camp Flasks: $125
Rimowa Original Pilot Carry-on
Crafted from high-end anodized aluminum, this small yet durable Rimowa suitcase is ideal for carry-on essentials or as the main bag for short-haul journeys. Designed to be wheeled smoothly through the airport or down a gangplank, this top-loading classic design comes with a removable padded pouch for a 16-inch laptop and a pocket in the main compartment suited for travel necessities such as a water bottle or compact umbrella.
Buy Now on Rimowa: $1,550
La Prairie Skin Caviar The Mist
Whether relaxing in your yacht’s Jacuzzi or under a poolside cabana, an essential tool is La Prairie: Skin Caviar The Mist, a fresh summer breeze in a bottle. As the brand’s first caviar-infused mist, the limited-edition spray is derived from a cocktail of more than 300 nutrients, including a blend of Caviar Hydro Essence, Argan Oil, and Bulgarian Rose Extract. The 50-milliliter recyclable glass bottle, crafted in the Swiss brand’s signature cobalt blue hue, is both TSA and beach-bag friendly.
Buy Now on Neiman Marcus: $185
Clé de Peau Beauté Sunscreen
Fans of this ultra-luxury Japanese brand have reason to rejoice. A recent addition to Clé de Peau’s lineup, this UV Protective Cream SPF 50+ shields your precious skin from UVA and UVB rays, as well as environmental factors including blue light, infrared rays, and air pollutants. The hyper-nourishing formula also uses a botanical complex of panax ginseng, mangosteen, beech tree bud, and chai hu to diminish the appearance of fine lines and visibly improve the skin’s texture for up to 10 hours. Best of all: no visible white cast.
Buy Now on Clé De Peau: $140
Lululemon Travel Yoga Mat
Whether you’re traveling via private jet or catamaran, keeping up with your exercise routine can be a challenge. Enter Lululemon’s new travel yoga mat, a suitcase-friendly version of the athleisure purveyor’s thicker classic mat. Half the weight of the original, the travel mat retains the grippy textured foam base layer that’s made Lululemon the go-to for yogis. Stain resistant and easy to clean, the top layer is made using a sustainably sourced, Forest Stewardship Council-certified natural rubber.
Buy Now on Lululemon: $74
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Best Fishing Spots in Georgia
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Last Updated on August 29, 2024 by Boatsetter Team
From the fishing lake that produced the world record Largemouth bass to mastering the diverse waterscape of Lake Lanier, the Peach State boasts numerous lakes teeming with a variety of fish species. Whether you’re after largemouth bass, striped bass, or catfish, Georgia’s lakes provide year-round fishing adventures for both novice and experienced anglers. Let’s explore some of the best fishing lakes in Georgia, where you can cast your line and experience the thrill of the catch in the heart of the South.
Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier is a massive man-made reservoir in the northeast of Atlanta, renowned for its diverse selection of game species and complex topography. Due to the lake’s mix of deep and shallow areas, underwater structures, and winding shoreline, consider booking a fishing boat rental with a local expert. The lake is particularly famous for its striped bass and spotted bass populations, but anglers can also target largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish. Spring and fall offer prime fishing for bass, while summer nights can be productive for stripers.
Explore fishing boat rentals around Lake Lanier
Lake Oconee
Lake Oconee, situated between Atlanta and Augusta, is a 19,050-acre reservoir known for its excellent bass fishing. The lake supports healthy populations of largemouth bass, spotted bass, and striped bass. Anglers can also find good numbers of crappie, catfish, and bluegill. Spring and fall are prime seasons for bass fishing, with many anglers targeting the lake’s numerous points, coves, and submerged timber. Consider booking a fishing boat and adding a local angler to show you their insider tips and learn the fishing techniques, from deep-water trolling to shallow-water casting.
Explore fishing boat rentals around Lake Oconee
Lake Hartwell
Get on Lake Hartwell for incredible striped bass and hybrid bass fishing. Spring and fall provide peak action for bass, while summer can be productive for stripers in deeper waters. Book a fishing boat with a local angler that can show you around Lake Hartwell’s extensive shoreline, numerous creeks, and diverse fishing environments. The lake’s size and variety of fish species make it a popular destination for both casual anglers and tournament fishermen.
Explore fishing boat rentals around Lake Hartwell
West Point Lake
Anglers from all over the US come to West Point Lake to try their hand at the fishing lake that produced the world record Largemouth bass. Book a fishing boat rental with a local angler who can show you around this great lake and teach you a trick or two.The best time of year to plan a fishing trip here is in the spring, fall, and winter. Make sure to look up once and awhile bald eagle sightings are common here.
Explore fishing boat rentals around West Point Lake
Lake Sinclair
Lake Sinclair, a 15,330-acre reservoir in central Georgia, is renowned for its excellent largemouth bass fishing. The lake also supports good populations of crappie, catfish, and hybrid striped bass. Anglers can find success year-round, with spring and fall offering peak bass fishing opportunities. The lake’s power plant keeps water temperatures more stable in certain areas, creating unique fishing opportunities, especially during colder months.
Explore fishing boat rentals around Lake Sinclair
Whether you’re casting for trophy largemouth bass at West Point Lake or go trolling for catfish with a local angler, fishing in Georgia’s lakes promises unforgettable angling adventures. Remember to check local regulations and consider hiring a guide to maximize your fishing success. With the right preparation and a spirit of adventure, you’re sure to create lasting memories on Georgia’s picturesque fishing lakes.
Fishing Boat rentals in Georgia
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Faster, grippier, pricier, and just as Windows-ed —
Asus rog ally x review: better performance and feel in a pricey package, a great hardware refresh, but it stands out for its not-quite-handheld cost..
Kevin Purdy - Aug 30, 2024 11:30 am UTC
The first ROG Ally from Asus , a $700 Windows-based handheld gaming PC, performed better than the Steam Deck, but it did so through notable compromises on battery life. The hardware also had a first-gen feel and software jank from both Asus’ own wraparound gaming app and Windows itself. The Ally asked an awkward question: “Do you want to pay nearly 50 percent more than you'd pay for a Steam Deck for a slightly faster but far more awkward handheld?”
Further Reading
But the improvements Asus made to this X sequel are notable, and its new performance stats make it more viable for those who want to play more demanding games on a rather crisp screen. At $800, or $100 more than the original ROG Ally with no extras thrown in, you have to really, really want the best possible handheld gaming experience while still tolerating Windows' awkward fit.
What’s new in the Ally X
| Specs at a glance: Asus ROG Ally X | |
|---|---|
| Display | 7-inch IPS panel: 1920×1080, 120 Hz, 7 ms, 500 nits, 100% sRGB, FreeSync, Gorilla Glass Victus |
| OS | Windows 11 (Home) |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8 core, 24M cache, 5.10 Ghz, 9-30 W (as reviewed) |
| RAM | 24GB LPDDR5X 6400 MHz |
| GPU | AMD Radeon RDNA3, 2.7 GHz, 8.6 Teraflops |
| Storage | M.2 NVME 2280 Gen4x4, 1TB (as reviewed) |
| Networking | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Battery | 80 Wh (65W max charge) |
| Ports | USB-C (3.2 Gen2, DPI 1.4, PD 3.0), USB-C (DP, PD 3.0), 3.5 mm audio, Micro SD |
| Size | 11×4.3×0.97 in. (280×111×25 mm) |
| Weight | 1.49 lbs (678 g) |
| Price as reviewed | $800 |
The ROG Ally X is essentially the ROG Ally with a bigger battery packed into a shell that is impressively not much bigger or heavier, more storage and RAM, and two USB-C ports instead of one USB-C and one weird mobile port that nobody could use. Asus reshaped the device and changed the face-button feel, and it all feels noticeably better, especially now that gaming sessions can last longer. The company also moved the microSD card slot so that your cards don’t melt , which is nice.
There’s a bit more to each of those changes that we’ll get into, but that’s the short version. Small spec bumps wouldn’t have changed much about the ROG Ally experience, but the changes Asus made for the X version do move the needle. Having more RAM available has a sizable impact on the frame performance of demanding games, and you can see that in our benchmarks.
We kept the LCD Steam Deck in our benchmarks because its chip has roughly the same performance as its OLED upgrade. But it’s really the Ally-to-Ally-X comparisons that are interesting; the Steam Deck has been fading back from AAA viability. If you want the Ally X to run modern, GPU-intensive games as fast as is feasible for a battery-powered device, it can now do that a lot better—for longer—and feel a bit better while you do.
The Rog Ally X has better answered the question “why not just buy a gaming laptop?” than its predecessor. At $800 and up, you might still ask how much portability is worth to you. But the Ally X is not as much of a niche (Windows-based handheld) inside a niche (moderately higher-end handhelds).
How it feels using the Rog Ally X
My testing of the Rog Ally X consisted of benchmarks, battery testing, and playing some games on the couch. Specifically: Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor and Tactical Breach Wizards on the devices lowest-power setting (“Silent”), Deathloop on its medium-power setting (“Performance”), and Shadow of the Erdtree on its all-out “Turbo” mode.
All four of those games worked mostly fine, but DRG: Survivor pushed the boundaries of Silent mode a bit when its levels got crowded with enemies and projectiles. Most games could automatically figure out a decent settings scheme for the Ally X. If a game offers AMD’s FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) upscaling, you should at least try it; it’s usually a big boon to a game running on this handheld.
Overall, the ROG Ally X was a device I didn't notice when I was using it, which is the best recommendation I can make. Perhaps I noticed that the 1080p screen was brighter, closer to the glass, and sharper than the LCD (original) Steam Deck. At handheld distance, the difference between 800p and 1080p isn't huge to me, but the difference between LCD and OLED is more so. (Of course, an OLED version of the Steam Deck was released late last year.)
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How you use your boat and what your needs are will dictate which material is best for you. One final note: remember that the gauge (a.k.a. thickness) of your windows affects how it will look, as well as its clarity and flexibility. Some marine window materials come in gauges as thick as 40 gauge and as thin as 12 gauge.
This is one of the most commonly used materials in marine applications, for reasons that will be explained further. Glass: This is a bit closer to windows in homes that people are more familiar with. It's another popular choice for use on custom boat windshields, mainly due to their versatility. Polycarbonate: This is made from a semi-rigid ...
JOIN ATA. SIGN IN. This craft has acrylic windows, one of the most popular material choices. But for many boat owners, the decision is not always easy because each choice has pros and cons. Photo: Chicago Marine Canvas. Selecting boat windows for customers might be the hardest thing a fabricator can do—or the easiest.
Buy & Sell Boat Window easily from hundreds of Marine Windows at Best prices. Harbor Shoppers offers Best Boat replacement window, Sailboat Window Online. 1 (800) 484-0367
"Determining the best gauge is where the fabricator needs to work very closely with the boat owner," Tinsman says. Charles Klein, founder and owner of Dorsal LLC, a canvas shop in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., says he generally recommends 40 gauge for forward windows and 30 gauge for side and aft windows.
Bounty Marine offers a variety of windows made to your specifications. Bounty Marine windows can be crated and shipped. Constructed using aluminum extrusions with welded seams and finished to yacht quality. All welding, grinding, milling, punches, and sandblasting are completed during fabrication before powdercoating.
Peninsula Glass is located in Vancouver, Washington. We specialize in marine boat windows, replacement boat windows, marine window restoration, aluminum boat windows, and sliding boat windows. Our manufacturing facility is located about 5 miles north of the Portland, Oregon airport. We have been successfully serving customer glass needs ...
Motion Windows can fabricate aluminum-frame boat windows for any flat-wall application: Cabin. Pilot House. Bunk Area. Any enclosed area. We utilize the highest-quality components into long-life replacements for your worn-out boat windows or for a new build. We can also fabricate windows to open up a solid wall on any boat, including ...
Fabricated in Florida, shipped USA and Internationally. Custom Acrylic / Plexiglass Parts. Center Console Windscreens, Dash Panels, Livewell Lids, Flybridge Windscreens, Hatches. CNC Plastic Machining. Waterway Systems has been manufacturing marine windows for over thirty years. Custom new and replacement boat windows for all types of vessels.
Freeman Marine heavy duty boat windows provide visibility and security. We offer sliding, hinged, or fixed marine windows, weld-in or bolt-on.
Go industries, founded in 1971 then acquired by Maritech in 2023, is the foremost manufacturer of high-quality, vinyl framed marine windows. With a commitment to offer carefree maintenance, quality, non-corrosive materials and ease of installation, Maritech Industries strives to serve all their customers by producing not only standard, but also ...
Standard duty sliding windows offer your choice of front-to-rear (forward open with aft fixed), rear-to-front (forward fixed with aft open) or double-sliding glass. The Series 1250 is our heavy duty fixed window. Our heavy duty fixed marine windows are glazed with 3/8″ or 1/2″ solid tempered safety glass. The Series 1275 is our heavy duty ...
Series 1275 (3/8" vented - top hinge) We are excited about the opportunity to add you to our family. Please help us describe you needs by getting started here. Fixed or sliding marine windows & yacht windows. Custom built to meet your requirements - from light & heavy duty windows. Get a quote (360) 892-2029.
Custom Boat Windows. High-quality custom windows for boats. Learn More. Custom Boat Doors. Choose from hinged or sliding doors for your boat. Learn More. Custom made to most any size and shape, from patterns or your dimensions. GET A QUOTE. BOUNTY MARINE 3311 T Ave, Anacortes, WA, 98211
Windows play an important role in the design of an efficient superyacht bridge. In addition to the obvious - clear views and safety (in terms of strength) at sea - there are other considerations that must be addressed. Glare, reflections and obscured vision are the three culprits, and, unfortunately, they can ruin a well-designed wheelhouse.
Products. Flexible yet rigid, Rainier Windows can bend, yet retain their memory to return to the original flat shape. Sophisticated window designs can be stored flat when not in use. Rainier Windows screen 98% of harmful UV rays, protecting people and valuable material while offering insulation and sound deadening attributes for your enclosure.
Yacht Brite. Yacht Brite Serious Shine, a 3-in-1 cleaner, polish and protectant in a 14-ounce aerosol, buffs to a nice shine and leaves a fine film that repels water with UV inhibitors and anti-static properties. ... They produced the cleanest and shiniest windows and beaded water the best, earning the Best Choice honors. The Novus and Star ...
AJR Marine Windows #1160 - 570 Sherling Place Port Coquitlam, B.C. Canada V3B 0J6 Phone: (604) 944-1616 Toll Free: 1-866-944-1616 Subscribe to our newsletter:
Place the part into the window opening to ensure proper fit and spacing. Step #3: Prep the Surface Your marine window glazing prep work will depend on which window substrate you're using. Step #4: Apply the Adhesive Now you're ready to apply the adhesive. Be sure to apply it in a "v"-shaped bead and per the design specification ...
We believe it's important that you can choose the right window for your boat or ship. You can choose between single or double glazing. Our windows are available in a variety of colours as well as our window profiles. You can choose between 4 different profile colours: Light grey (aluminum look) Hard coal grey. Crème (RAL 9001)
What We Do. Rainier Marine manufactures proprietary, semi-rigid and crystal clear window systems for yachts and homes of all sizes. Formerly Barrett Bonded Windows, these windows are unsurpassed in clarity, durability, sophisticated design and safety. We are also a full-service upholstery shop located near Seattle, WA serving the Puget Sound area.
View our selection of boat windows through our online product catalog. Use our catalog to view product by our other marine brands.
Per Window, approx 8-10 hours: 1-2 hrs: Remove ~30 thru-bolts and pry off old acrylic. 4 hrs: Scrape, sand and prep window frame in hull. Clean with a degreaser (ex, acetone) and then 50/50 isopropyl alcohol (IPA) / water mix. This included about 1 hr/window for epoxy repairs to damaged gel coat.
The list ranges from smart glasses to the world's best sunscreen, from Bose headsets to an exceptional flask paired with a boutique gin. Bon voyage! Published on August 27, 2024
Book a fishing boat rental with a local angler who can show you around this great lake and teach you a trick or two.The best time of year to plan a fishing trip here is in the spring, fall, and winter. Make sure to look up once and awhile bald eagle sightings are common here. Explore fishing boat rentals around West Point Lake Lake Sinclair
One man has died and six people are missing after a luxury yacht sank in freak weather conditions off the coast of Sicily. The 56m British-flagged Bayesian was carrying 22 people - 12 passengers ...
reader comments 0. The first ROG Ally from Asus, a $700 Windows-based handheld gaming PC, performed better than the Steam Deck, but it did so through notable compromises on battery life.The ...