Mainship Pilot Opening Front Window

Has anyone converted the center fixed window of a Mainship Pilot into an opening window? Sure could use the extra fresh air down here in SW Florida. If there's a thread about this, please redirect me

Last Laugh welcome to the trawler forum. What year is your Mainship? Do you have opening side windows? Mine is a 2004 with an opening center window but fixed side windows. Lots of good info in the Mainship sub forum. You can browse it or try a search for specifics.

Thread moved from "General Discussion" to "Marlow-Mainship"

What year and size is the Pilot? Is this a hardtop or a canvas top. I don't think it will be possible on a canvas top.

Last Laugh is a 2000 Mainship Pilot 30 - I have a rigid top, with canvas & isinglass side windows - the center pane of the windshield is fixed, and I would dearly like to convert it to an opening port, providing good breeze and better night visibility

Need starboard windshield on 2007 Mainship Pilot. Or at least a recommendation for a company who will replace it..Worker replaced through glass wiper motor and shattered the driver side tempered window. Local recommended glass guy doesn't want to touch boat windows. On Florida west coast. Can't use boat till I get this replaced.

Bluerun,
I’m in the process of doing the same for the exact same reason on a 2007 Pilot 34. Only difference is I’m the one who installed the new wiper motor which caused the problem. It seems the screw securing the pantograph wiper arm pivot sticks out on the inside and the motor was actually mounted with a rubber shim on the motor shaft and not flush to the glass.

Ocean Dynamics in Miami, where I am, is making the new windshield. They came out and templated the frame and the port side. They are scheduled to install next week. Call them at 3057701800, Ron Kappy is the guy I’ve been dealing with. If you have the same model Pilot, they may be able to just duplicate mine.

Just to plug the hole, I bought a sheet on thin Lexan from Home Depot and installed with 3M VHB double sided tape. Very flimsy but keeps out much of the rain.

Good luck

Well this is a silver lining onto a problem. So I need a clarification on the washer location is it under the through glass stud that attaches to the wiper arm,, or is it inside between the motor and the glass?

Mine have what appears to be a couple of o-rings, or rubber washers on the motor shaft. This angles the base of the motor away from the glasses enough to clear the screw head on the pantograph bracket. Kind of a cheesy way to install it. Plan is to make a lexan plate to shim the entire motor out. This plate would match the outline of the blacked out area on the existing windshield. Be prepared for sticker shock when you get the price on the glass. For me it was $385 to measure and design glass, $470 to fabricate the glass and $500 to install. If you and they are comfortable duplicating mine, some decent savings can be had.

Realized I wasn’t very clear, the washer is on the motor shaft, between the motor and the windshield. The lexan spacer likewise will be on the inside.

Have an openable pilothouse window. Rarely take advantage of it since opening one or two of the pilothouse doors provide plenty of ventilation.

Tonic1 said:

Realized I wasn’t very clear, the washer is on the motor shaft, between the motor and the windshield. The lexan spacer likewise will be on the inside.

Click to expand...

ahh, thank you that makes sense.. So then you feel the goal is to back the motor face away from the window when it is pressed against the inside of the window? Either by o rings and/or lean piece. Your thinking then is that the problem happened from the inside of the window and not from tightening up the shaft nut from the outside??

Greatly Appreciate your input and help.

Greetings,
As a general rule, glass MUST be cushioned from contact with a hard surface (steel for example). One can use pretty well any material, even thick paper just as long as there is something to act as a cushion. Glass ONLY breaks in tension.

This is all great feedback and appreciated.

Yes, I think the tension came from the screw head on the bracket pushing one way and then tensioning the motor shaft trying to pull it back. Glass hates to bend. I had barely tightened the motor shaft nut when mine seemed to explode.

Brett

Greetings,
Mt. T. Sounds like tempered glass (exploding). Yup, cushion,cushion, cushion and your glass will be happy.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
... Glass ONLY breaks in tension.

Click to expand...

RTF is spot on once again...
and the break starts from a surface defect and it doesn't have to be large as it will grow with moisture, time and tension.
Boat structure moves around a lot and can create defects at the mounting or put stress on an existing defect.

Yes it all makes sense that a cushion is needed. My window also exploded within 30 minutes of the motor being installed by the yard. The mechanic and I left the boat after installation and came back to glass everywhere. Never left the dock or saw the first raindrop.
John

Has you window installation been completed? And does Ocean Dynamics have the Black molding Mainship used on our 2007 boats?

John
301 219 4060
Bluerun720@gmail.com

Not completed yet, they called over the weekend and had a couple more questions to resolve. Not sure if they have the molding or not. If not, will reuse the original. Awaiting call to set up installation.

Have they completed the glass replacement?
John
Bluerun720@gmail.com
301 219 4060