Forget curtains, blinds or tint.

[FlyWright]

On the King Air turboprop, we had polarized window panes with a rotating polarized interior pane that resembled Lexan. When the 2 polarized panes were aligned together, you could see out normally. When the inner pane was rotated 90 degrees so that the 'grain' of the panes were opposite, the window would black out, blocking the sun and much of the light. No power was required and it was a very simple task to adjust for current conditions.

This works well on round windows...maybe not so well on other shapes.

 

[tadhana]

ABYC treats glazing in the operators field of vision the same as the requirements for automobile windshields.
3.6 GLAZING
3.6.1
The application of glazing material in marine use shall comply with TABLE 1.

3.6.2
Glazing material used in the boat operator's range of visibility in a forward horizontal arc that extends from 90 degrees to port to 112.5 degrees to starboard (see ABYC H-1, Field of Vision From The Helm), shall

3.6.2.1 comply with the test requirements for that material as specified in ANSI Z26.1 Table I, Item 2, and

3.6.2.2 have a light transmission of not less than 70 percent as determined by the appropriate test in ANSI Z26.1.

NOTE: Glazing materials used in areas other than the boat operator’s range of visibility described in H-3.6.2 may have a light transmission of less than 70 percent.

 

[dhays]

Wow that is cool. But to many $$$ for my 1988 boat. Last year we installed day and night blinds from Blindster.com. For all 4 windows it was less than $400.

Those may be just the thing that I have been looking for. Our saloon gets pretty hot in the summer with lots of glass letting in the sun. We have curtains but I tend to hate curtains.

Do you have clips on the bottom to keep the shades from swaying back and forth when under way? How easy are they to open, close, adjust etc...?

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Those may be just the thing that I have been looking for. Our saloon gets pretty hot in the summer with lots of glass letting in the sun. We have curtains but I tend to hate curtains.

Do you have clips on the bottom to keep the shades from swaying back and forth when under way? How easy are they to open, close, adjust etc...?

Yes they have clips and very easy to open and close. You take a few measurements such as width and length. Order your colors and about 2 weeks later you get your blinds. We find the keep the heat out and in the winter keeps the heat in.

 

[dhays]

Yes they have clips and very easy to open and close. You take a few measurements such as width and length. Order your colors and about 2 weeks later you get your blinds. We find the keep the heat out and in the winter keeps the heat in.

Nice. So far that is the best option I've seen. Time to talk to the wife and do some measuring.

Winter sure is becoming expensive....

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Winter sure is becoming expensive....

Yes it is and I haven't even been to the boat show yet!!!

 

[dhays]

Yes it is and I haven't even been to the boat show yet!!!

Yeah. In fact when I mentioned to my wife about going to the boat show she gave me The Look ™ and suggested that maybe I have been spending money too freely on the boat lately and that it might be better for my long term health to forego events designed to separate more boat bucks from my wallet.

 

[Northern Spy]

Yeah. In fact when I mentioned to my wife about going to the boat show she gave me The Look ™ and suggested that maybe I have been spending money too freely on the boat lately and that it might be better for my long term health to forego events designed to separate more boat bucks from my wallet.

I know that look. I am fortunate that the Vancouver boat show is this weekend. I am away at work for the event.

 

[LaBomba]

I know that look. I am fortunate that the Vancouver boat show is this weekend. I am away at work for the event.

Toronto boat show starts this weekend, already have tickets

 

[Eddieandgail]

I bought a number of these on clearance through Amazon. A company called Mirage is selling some pre made sizes in a few colors for $30-$45 range but you need to be able to make their sizes work, 23x48, 27x48, 31x48 and hard to predict what sizes they will have. I have installed 4 on one side of my salon so far and really like them. If custom I would have bought 3 for $400 but the 4 I got were 1/3 of that. No cords. Light filtering, room darkening or up out of the way.
Eddie

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Deleted

 

[dhays]

I bought a number of these on clearance through Amazon. A company called Mirage is selling some pre made sizes in a few colors for $30-$45 range but you need to be able to make their sizes work, 23x48, 27x48, 31x48 and hard to predict what sizes they will have. I have installed 4 on one side of my salon so far and really like them. If custom I would have bought 3 for $400 but the 4 I got were 1/3 of that. No cords. Light filtering, room darkening or up out of the way.
Eddie

Nice tip. I just checked to see what they have. Do you keep checking to see when they have what you have needed?

 

[Eddieandgail]

Dave,
My 2 main salon windows surprised me when I measured them, seemed identical but starboard side 108" and port 96". So I watched them come and go until one night I found 2-31" and 1-35" for port, then 2-23" and 2-31" for starboard, thankfully it doesn't look at all weird. After a couple weeks I saw 2-27" for galley 53" window and then 2 -23" for the windows next to cockpit entrance. They come with those clips to hold in place but not sure if we work on my trim so may have to go all the way up when underway. Eleven shades just over $400

On another note I bought 11 of those Clozure shutters that used to be called peek a boo shutters from Zarcor for heads and cabins. I did a test fit and like how they look but haven't lived with them or the day/nights yet.

 

[Art]

Dave,
My 2 main salon windows surprised me when I measured them, seemed identical but starboard side 108" and port 96". So I watched them come and go until one night I found 2-31" and 1-35" for port, then 2-23" and 2-31" for starboard, thankfully it doesn't look at all weird. After a couple weeks I saw 2-27" for galley 53" window and then 2 -23" for the windows next to cockpit entrance. They come with those clips to hold in place but not sure if we work on my trim so may have to go all the way up when underway. Eleven shades just over $400

On another note I bought 11 of those Clozure shutters that used to be called peek a boo shutters from Zarcor for heads and cabins. I did a test fit and like how they look but haven't lived with them or the day/nights yet.

This all sounds great regarding "new" type blinds. We have regular HD style blinds in our salon and Linda sewed double thick, light blocking curtains for master stateroom. Forward V berth cabin's port holes are too small to bother to cover; only one is in room itself above 1/2 high closet with books blocking light when desired, other's in head.

Suggestion: I recommend having all shades fully open and secure when underway or at all moving boat - including docking and anchoring or re docking and re anchoring. Cause - Ya just never know when emergency comes up! I am a bit of a "cautionary" freak about boats/boating.

 

[rwidman]

Seems to me that a system that "fails" to the blind mode ain't all that smart.

Exactly. You're in a crowded waterway and the breaker trips. You better have a window or roof hatch to stick your head out of pretty quickly.

And of course for those of use who anchor from time to time, do you really want to have to supply power to your windows so you can see out of them?

That might be OK in your house, but not on a boat.

 

[rwidman]

That is what would be nice about this type of tinting technology. Tints on the windshield would be fine for bright sunny days but are dangerous in low light conditions.

Sunglasses would be cheaper. And legal.

I have a problem with solar heat gain in my boat. The PO had installed tint film everywhere except the front windows but at my dock, the bow is lined up pretty well with the afternoon sun.

3M makes a film with a very low light loss but very high heat reflecting properties. It's not cheap and only available through M approved installers.

I had my entire boat done and I'm pretty pleased with the results. It's not a miracle but the AC is able to keep the boat cool now and I can see out the windows, day and night.

 

[Art]

I'm old school: Notice blue canvas (sunbrella) covering exterior of front windows. Helps Keep wiper blades fresh too. When at anchor... I simply off snap the canvas from top and sides to fold it down to the deck, leaving lowest snaps attached lets me put it up quickly if sun becomes an issue. When traveling I remove it completely. Side and rear windows have either venetian blinds or curtains; always wide open when boat is moving under power - for any reason at all.

 

[rwidman]

I'm old school: Notice blue canvas (sunbrella) covering exterior of front windows. Helps Keep wiper blades fresh too. When at anchor... I simply off snap the canvas from top and sides to fold it down to the deck, leaving lowest snaps attached lets me put it up quickly if sun becomes an issue. When traveling I remove it completely. Side and rear windows have either venetian blinds or curtains; always wide open when boat is moving under power - for any reason at all.

I have that cover (different color) but I don't often use it. At the home marina we want to see who is around and what's going on so it's normally left off. It usually only gets used if we are in a transient marina where there are lots of lights and people walking by.