Advisable or insanity?

JeffN

JeffN

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I've had a notion in the past about pocket cruisers that have increasingly become caves that come to a sharp point at the bow down below-it's like the only time I went spelunking-the lava tube wen t from 50' high to 3" high at the end.

Would it be crazy to consider adding or expanding side windows where they're now installing gun slit portholes? I see Chaparral, Bayliner & Regal have reverted to windows recently so the hull can handles them but would the layup be built around window sizes from the factory?
 
I am afraid that I don't quite understand your solution. I agree that most boats have a pointy end, and that, from the inside, it can get "cozy". But I do not understand your cure... Remember, the pointy end needs to "break through the sea", so any "windows" will need to withstand oncoming waves ( and piers/pilings.
 
Sorry, it's the cavernlike insides that are bothersome + minimal side windows. Adding side windows or replacing portholes with bigger side windows would alleviate the finished basement effect. I'm just curious how they might structurally affect the hull cap, assuming suitable windows could be found or made to fit the hull shape.
 
Well, it looks like a cave because, essentially, that is what it is. ;)

As for placing clear viewports in the hull, there are several issues. Glass, especially glass with enough strength, is HEAVY. Lexan can get scratched. Then there is the issue of sealing the edges between the viewport and the rest of the hull ( different rates of expansion, and different stiffness should create an engineering nightmare ). Not that -some- yachts do have viewports ( rather large in fact ) amidships, in the hull. But you won't see such on my boat. I would not trust them.

As far as placing larger viewports above the deck, they do it all of the time. THe reason for the odd shaped ovals etc is almost certainly due to the "designer" and not the naval architect ( they would likely prefer round and small or non-existant. ) Using materials that pass light is fairly common, as that is a side effect of using non-cored FRP.

If it really bugs ya, get a pontoon boat, or perhaps a catamaran. [:-propeller]
 
My boat's designer did that. They put in Lexan smoked plastic windows which were 6 inches high and 3-4 ft long. They were one piece and that was the problem. On the side that had the enclosed head, no problem; but on the other side there was no solid bulkhead to provide stability for the Lexan, so it would crack and leak. After trying to have it repaired three times, I finally had a custom window replacement made in two separate sections.

Each half was secured separately with a weatherproof gasket between the two pieces. That did the trick and I had no more broken or leaky window. It was nice to be able to look out from the "cave" and, during the day, others could not see in due to the smoked plastic.

Good luck. If you modify yours, post some pictures!
 
My 89 Wellcraft Monaco had a window all the way around the cabin at basically eye level, darn nice viewing out and never had a leak or a problem.
 
most older Express had side windows ABOVE deck, usually a few ft long and giving a lot of light and nice views. but back then cabin sides where pretty flat, not the nicely stylish rounded slippery stuff (aka bubble boat using the words of a well known surveyor). there is no room left for side windows now.

large windows below the rub rail have become very popular, first in the medium size MY and now in smaller boat as well. i'm not a big fan of them for obvious structural reason... as long as teh lexan is very thick and the hull is well reinforced i guess they're probably fine but how long will it be till mass production builders start cutting corner and try to get away with the savign a few $?

i certainly woudn't try to retrofit an exisitng hull with large opening below the run rail... adding a few portholes shoudl be ok but quite a bit of work especialy if dealing with a cored hull. Nowadays most boats are cored above the water line, so in addition to cuttign the hole, you have to remove some core around the cut and then fill with glass.
 
I think you hit om it Pasqual. The shape of the hill caps-all my old boats had flat sides with windows(which a notorious surveyor admonishes for leaks and structural flexibility) and yes, it was great to see out and not be seen in at.

The new Bayliner & regal manage to add a curved window into the bubble decked boats though so it must be designed into the structure from the initial plans. Better for me to leave dark enough alone.
 
well the cabin top isn't structurally important so... making a couple of cuts and installing curved smoked lexan would be feasible. the bulk of the work woudl be dealing with headliner, cabinetry, trim, etc...
 
Interesting-still a can of worms I think. Yet many new bubble boats seem to have plenty of flat-ish surface where they stick the small portholes that could accommodate a larger window, as if they were designed for long windows.
 
Lots of window area on the 2858 .... Jeff, you have E-mail.

site1004.jpg
 
Simple solution is to consider an aft-cabin as your next boat.

Safe and Happy Boating!
ColonyCove
 
The cave problem is why we dont have an express type boat.
 
quote:
Originally posted by mx8

My 89 Wellcraft Monaco had a window all the way around the cabin at basically eye level, darn nice viewing out and never had a leak or a problem.

Click to expand...


That design was WAY ahead of its time.
 
Too each his/her own. I love the cave effect of an express boat with a midship cabin. I didn't even consider any other type when I was boat shopping.

The "window" is shown in this photo. It seemed bigger when you were in the cave looking out.

Flutterby.jpg
 
No aft cabin in the cards yet. And Liz, that's my idea of windows in an express! Similar to our previous carver-these provided a huge view.

HOCinventory331.jpg
 
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