window tinting

[Bud]

Has anybody had there windows tinted?

Bud

 

[ghostrider454]

All my windows are tinted. Had them put up 35% residential bronze. Reflects the sun's rays and keeps the bridge and cabins cooler. Don't use black - it absorbs heat like crazy. The day they installed it on my pickup, the temp was 100F and afterwards it was 80F - that convinced me, because the grey-black just made it worse. I've now had it installed on two pickups and three other vessels including the new tug.

 

[boathealer]

All tinted.
30% forward, 40% the rest of the way around.
Ceramic Huper Optik done by previous owner. As such, don't have before-after comparisons, but it is obviously helping our AC A LOT in the FL summer......
I also like the look a lot.

----
Solar Control Film: Hüper Optik CERAMIC 40 film: Self-adhesive film, with following characteristics when
applied to 1/4 inch (6 mm) clear float glass:
Visible Light Transmittance: 42 percent.
Visible Light Reflectance: 9 percent.
Ultraviolet Rejected: 99.9 percent.
Infrared Rejection: 80 percent
Shading Coefficient: 0.52.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: 0.45.
Total Solar Energy Rejected: 55 percent.
Total Solar Transmittance: 29 percent.
Glare Reduction: 53 percent.
Film Thickness: 2 mils (0.05 mm).
Emissivity: 0.90.
U-Value: 0.97.

 

[IRENE]

Yes. Wintech ENERV G7080. It’s a 68% light transmission spec.

https://shopwintech.com/enerv-80-ir-cut/

We did all of the PH windows also, which worked out fine as far as night visibility is concerned.

Most people would probably want more protection on the non-PH windows, especially in the tropics. The boss was reluctant to go too “dark” and change the appearance of the boat from outside.

 

[Comodave]

The PO tinted the salon windows. Then he proceeded to scratch them all up... Thankfully we do not have a lower helm to try and see out of the tinting.

 

[Leatherneck]

Can anyone identify how much tinting will affect night visibility?

 

[Comodave]

Can anyone identify how much tinting will affect night visibility?

Well, any tint will effect visibility. How much it will effect it, who knows. Some people will say it is fine. But I have done a lot of nighttime running and I wouldn’t want any tint if I were driving from that station.

 

[Leatherneck]

That's kind of what I was thinking. But it might be good on my side saloon windows to help keep it cooler.

 

[ScottC]

My boat was manufactured with dark (black-ish) tint right in the glass. As others have mentioned on this thread, it definitely adds to air-conditioning challenges. I do a fair amount of navigation at night, however, and I can say that the tint really hasn't presented any visibility problem.

I've uploaded a picture of my boat in an attempt to illustrate just how much tint I am talking about, as I have no idea what the technical "percent tint" is.

P.S. - I have since let the decks go natural. They are now grey. Simrad radar has been retired in favor of a RayMarine

 

[IRENE]

Can anyone identify how much tinting will affect night visibility?

Our film makes visibility incrementally poorer. This is similar to looking through glass vs. being in the open. Window tint film on the glass adds another layer, no pun intended, to process the image through. Clear glass provides roughly 90% visible light transmission, and the window films have their respective ratings that reduce the visible light transmission further.

Here is a reference for visible light transmission from the code of federal regulations:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/46/127.430

I was very hesitant to put film on the PH windows as I have done much night running over the years on both open and PH vessels. Our goal was to filter UV and reduce glare, and the film has accomplished this. Most of our running now is during daylight hours. We have run in darkness on several occasions since the film application early this year, and on one occasion I didn’t even think about it until later in the day. Our film is very light, but so far we like it and the heat reduction is very apparent...even at our latitude.

In the end, the results are reversible via removing the film.

One tip...get a sample package from one of the window film producers. We got the samples from Wintech, which is the brand our installer uses, for a reasonable fee. We were able to put these samples on the windows to see what it was like to look through them, helping decide what we wanted. From the outside, it will not look like the installed product...it’s only useful for looking through from inside and comparing to the other films.

 

[OldDan1943]

Has anybody had there windows tinted?

Bud

Window tinting is nice during the day time, reduces the heat load in the saloon and provides privacy during the daytime but at night with the shades up, remember to wear clothes.

Oh get it done professionally.

 

[Bud]

Thanks for all the info. I was considering doing the side salon windows first see if we like it.
thanks,
Bud

 

[Group9]

I've been going back and forth. We have light green tint that was standard on our boat, and I love the look of it, and I like looking out of it, although it sure doesn't cut much sun or heat out.

 

[rgano]

Can anyone identify how much tinting will affect night visibility?

When I was considering tinting my the main cabin windows of my Grand Banks 42, I drove my car down to the pier and sat watching the dark night scene as a towboat went by in the channel. The car had 35% tinting as I recall. Looking through the windshield with NO tinting everything looked as though I was observing from my boat's lower helm. When i looked around through the other windows, something I don't do too much of when driving the car at night, I was highly distracted by the instrument lights and other outside lighting reflecting off the tinting on the inside of the windows to the point that I had trouble visually tracking the towboat. Since I operated the boat plenty at night, I opted against tinting except in the lower 1/3 of the forward windows looking over the white painted forward cabin top. To ward off the sun, I added white snap-on Sunbrella screen material to the exterior window frames which allowed me to see through it to some extent and which was removed when running at night.

 

[Capitaine R]

While re-doing our teak window frames we noticed some of the windows in the saloon had some de-lamination and was starting to get cloudy. We also wanted a little tint so we had four new "gray" laminated glass pieces cut. We have not installed it yet but we think it will make the boat look a little newer.

 

[Frosty]

Has anyone tried the (practically) clear Crystalline automotive "tint" from 3M? I like looking through clear glass (especially at night). This seems to do a lot of what tint does without the dark tint. Here is what they say:

• A clear breakthrough in automotive window films. The Crystalline Series rejects more heat than many dark films without changing the appearance of your vehicle, making it the superior choice for comfort.
• Light tint rejects up to 60% of solar energy and up to 97% of heat-producing infrared rays for the ultimate in comfort.
• Designed to enhance your view by allowing visible light into your vehicle while keeping heat out, so you can see clearly and safely.
• Non-metallized window film lets you stay connected with mobile devices, GPS or satellite radio reception without interference.
• Blocks up to 99% of ultraviolet (UV) light to provide a total Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 1000 for you and your passengers.
• Sold and installed by 3M Authorized Dealer Installers, our films are durable, virtually maintenance-free and backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

And a link:

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...ystalline-Series/?N=5002385+3290229310&rt=rud

This sounds like it could be great for someone like me who doesn't really want a dark type tint. Wondering if anyone here has tried it?

Frosty

 

[FF]

You will need to leave at least 1 fwd glass clear so it can see at night and operate a window wiper.

 

[Mako]

I left my PH windows alone (extensive night sailing) but decided to tint my huge saloon windows dark black. Boat was in Southern California.

One morning woke up to the sound of three giant explosions. Cold glass from a cold night. Intense baking sun rising in the morning. You guessed it... boom!

Perhaps black tint wasn’t such a good idea after all, like others have said on this thread. Traps the heat.

 

[Dwk]

I was on a boat this weekend that had some sort of tint on the salon doors that didn't allow anyone seeing in but had clear viewing to the outside. The owner demonstrated by standing against the door inside and I looked inside with my face up against the glass and couldn't see him, impressive.

 

[Easternshore]

Thanks all, we’re thinking of 3m clear on the front windows & 3m 70% vlt on the sides of our MS Pilot 34 to reduce the sun’s heat. 3m & huper optik claim their clear & 70 % vlt film can reduce heat by ≈ 50% while not adding to nighttime reflection like a darker tint would.
Has anyone used either and if so what was the approximate cost? We have about 67 sq ft of windows.
Thx in advance.

 

[tiltrider1]

I find tinted glass acceptable. I don’t find glass covered with a tinted film to be acceptable. To much distortion.

 

[Easternshore]

Has anyone tried the (practically) clear Crystalline automotive "tint" from 3M? I like looking through clear glass (especially at night). This seems to do a lot of what tint does without the dark tint. Here is what they say:

• A clear breakthrough in automotive window films. The Crystalline Series rejects more heat than many dark films without changing the appearance of your vehicle, making it the superior choice for comfort.
• Light tint rejects up to 60% of solar energy and up to 97% of heat-producing infrared rays for the ultimate in comfort.
• Designed to enhance your view by allowing visible light into your vehicle while keeping heat out, so you can see clearly and safely.
• Non-metallized window film lets you stay connected with mobile devices, GPS or satellite radio reception without interference.
• Blocks up to 99% of ultraviolet (UV) light to provide a total Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 1000 for you and your passengers.
• Sold and installed by 3M Authorized Dealer Installers, our films are durable, virtually maintenance-free and backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

And a link:

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company...ystalline-Series/?N=5002385+3290229310&rt=rud

This sounds like it could be great for someone like me who doesn't really want a dark type tint. Wondering if anyone here has tried it?

Frosty

Hi Frosty, did you go ahead and use the 3m crystaline ?

 

[Wayfarer]

My big windows are all tinted dark, and not very reflective. They absorb a LOT of heat, and are the biggest reason that my cabin gets so hot. Visibility is fine.

 

[nobles9596]

I had tint on m one from the PO. Very very difficult to see out of at night, dusk or dark days. I believe phifertex window coverings are a much better option.

 

[ranger58sb]

I've installed tinting, since this thread started.

We went with 3M Prestige 50 (allows 50% thru transmission) on our front saloon windows, and Prestige 60 (allows 60%) on our rear sliders.

The installer wouldn't use anything more absorbent, especially on the front windows, due to potential temps, potential for shattering.

Near as I could tell with a not-very-good-thermometer, we saw a 20°F decrease in temps on the ledge just below the front windows.

Nicely, neither imposes much of a color difference in what we see looking out. (The previous owner's stuff was all dark blue/purple, weird, didn't do squat for temps.)

I'm still over-covering in July and August with a 90% mesh fabric cover on the outside of the front window... which I expected anyway.

-Chris

 

[OldDan1943]

Don’t tint the pilot house windows and remember, folks can see in at night.

 

[Mambo42]

We only have tinted windows in the salon and Galley, not in the pilot house. i want to have clear vision when we have to steer the boat from the pilot house.
The salon has 35 % tint, which means only 35 % of the light comes through.

It did not make a big difference in temperature compared to the non tinted windows, but it made a huge difference with people staring into the boat during day time.
If you are looking for a way to cool the boat I can highly recommend hanging these covers. They have an immediate impact on the temperature inside the boat. Even during the hottest days we don't need air conditioning inside.

 

[ranger58sb]

We only have tinted windows in the salon and Galley, not in the pilot house. i want to have clear vision when we have to steer the boat from the pilot house.
The salon has 35 % tint, which means only 35 % of the light comes through.

It did not make a big difference in temperature compared to the non tinted windows, but it made a huge difference with people staring into the boat during day time.

What product is your tinting material?

Our installer was going on about how some are for privacy, some are for UV/IR attenuation, not the same thing.

-Chris

 

[OldDan1943]

What product is your tinting material?

Our installer was going on about how some are for privacy, some are for UV/IR attenuation, not the same thing.

-Chris

Folks, gotta think about insulation of the overhead too.
IF you are stating out with a new build, get extra insulation of the overhead and sides of the pilot house and saloon too.

 

[OldDan1943]

If you just tint the windows and walk around naked, dont be surprised if at night you have a large crowed on your dock. I am very serious about this.