Window covers: Inside vs. Outside

Hi, folks.
I'm looking to add window covers for the pilot house on our Pacific Trawler 40. Most of the ones I've seen on trawlers are snap-on mounted on the outside. I have seen some, particularly on a Flemming, that were mounted on the inside and more like the roller shades in our salon.

Is there a reason most shades are on the outside?

Carol.
Easy Wind
Pacific Trawler 40
Nahant, MA

Many PH windshield windows are not easily accessible from the inside. There are often companionway stairs, extended dashboards, and instrument panels. Wrapping around the outside is pretty easy.

I have seen motorized shades that work well until they don't. They seem to always fail in the lowered position.

Peter

ex-sailor said:

Hi, folks.
I'm looking to add window covers for the pilot house on our Pacific Trawler 40. Most of the ones I've seen on trawlers are snap-on mounted on the outside. I have seen some, particularly on a Flemming, that were mounted on the inside and more like the roller shades in our salon.

Is there a reason most shades are on the outside?

Carol.
Easy Wind
Pacific Trawler 40
Nahant, MA

Click to expand...

I install clear covers on the exterior in winter because:

Keeps glass from fogging up in winter

Prevents window leaks

Keeps green mold from growing in window tracks

Snaps already installed on exterior for summer Phifertex window covers

Keeps heat in and cold out

If you are looking to keep the heat from the sun out, outside covers work much better. I have made them out of Stamoid to help stop window leaks since Stamoid is waterproof.

During spring fall and summer I install Phifertex covers on the exterior to keep sun and heat out.

If you install them on the inside, the glass will heat up and transmit that to the interior.

Somewhat depends on the intended purpose I think. One of the first things I bought when I purchased my boat was some custom made window covers that snap on the outside. I only really use them when I am away from the boat to protect the interior from heat and UV. If you want something to use when at anchor, inside shades would probably be better, but not for the windshield.

Ours are installed outside to keep the heat out and protect the windows.
We used to use an inside curtain but it did not block the heat very well and the dash was frying.
To boot it protects the windows varnish from the sun and rain.

syjos said:

I install clear covers on the exterior in winter because:

Keeps glass from fogging up in winter

Prevents window leaks

Keeps green mold from growing in window tracks

Snaps already installed on exterior for summer Phifertex window covers

Keeps heat in and cold out

Click to expand...

I'm curious... how does it prevent the windshield glass fogging up? When we go out in winter months, especially with more than just 1 or 2 people aboard, the forward glass fogs up quite heavily (on the inside). I've been pondering whether I could install some sort of defogger that uses engine heat (like in a gas car) but haven't figured out the best way yet.

I’ve always figured the main purposes (on my boat anyway) of the covers are to protect the wooden window frames from weather and to prevent window leaks. Obviously they need to be on the outside to do those things. Secondary purposes are to keep sun from damaging the interior and to keep the cold out in winter.

Has anyone thought to use the new clear (or tinted) ceramic window films that are being used on cars?
Claimed 50% reduction in solar energy, 99% reduction in UV and no interference with radio signals.

SeaDogAK said:

I’ve always figured the main purposes (on my boat anyway) of the covers are to protect the wooden window frames from weather and to prevent window leaks. Obviously they need to be on the outside to do those things. Secondary purposes are to keep sun from damaging the interior and to keep the cold out in winter.

Click to expand...

Yes, on a previous boat of ours I made them to prevent leaks in the teak window frames. Used an aluminum keder strip across the top and used Stamoid to make the covers. Stamoid is waterproof and with the keder all the way across the top water couldn’t get in behind the covers. I used the thinner version of Stamoid in white so it let in quite a bit of light.

I have both in the saloon. The outside snap on covers protect, block light, and reduce the impact of rain. The inside curtains also reduce the impact of the sun on the wood work and reduce heat build up while cruising. They also add privacy when desired.

Ted

My brother, a talented seamstress, came up with the concept for front curtains for the inside of the front windows while I was in the same circumstances as yours. He'll put in a drawstring that I'll be able to tighten around the window panes when we're in port and staying on board. For the side windows and the back windows, he had already produced monogrammed curtains. For the back doors, I had purchased blinds. On my 21 SC, I utilized the same type of metal track that I used for the berth curtains.

The AT comes standard with fantastic two part pull down shades on the inside. The port holes, had inside covers with draw strings to hold them in place.

For the pilot house area, I had external canvas made but moved them inside due to wind and I found them easier to remove without getting wet.

Gotta remember no matter what film you put on the windows, during the day you get some privacy but at night with the internal lights on, people can see in so keep your robe on.

bowball said:

Has anyone thought to use the new clear (or tinted) ceramic window films that are being used on cars?
Claimed 50% reduction in solar energy, 99% reduction in UV and no interference with radio signals.

Click to expand...

We're in the process of installing interior window tint.

Our front windows will be 3M Prestige 50 (lets 50% of light in) and the back "patio" window and sliding door are Prestige 60 (60% of light in).

The vendor said Prestige uses a multi-layer technology (?) and is a slightly better performer than the 3M Ceramic IR that they use more often for auto installations. They said the most extreme Prestige can reduce IR by up to 97% whereas the most extreme Ceramic IR reduces IR by up to 85%.

But then, they don't use anything darker than Prestige 50 for a situation like ours because the tint itself can absorb too much heat, so presumably there'd be some worry about windows shattering.

And too... Prestige comes in the sizes necessary for our two largest front windows, whereas Ceramic IR doesn't.

Our front window tinting replaces some old baked-on blue stuff the came with the boat, not particularly useful for heat, disconcerting exterior views... and the new stuff is at least much easier to see (out) through. And outside isn't blue anymore. Don't have temp comparisons for the films yet. Hopefully they finish up this coming Saturday...

We also have an exterior mesh cover. Seems to me it might be Textilene... maybe 90%... and I did recently see a 30° reduction in temps (with no interior tinting) on the interior surface just below those windows with the mesh mounted.

-Chris

Just a thought... If you tint the windows, even with a 50% tint. Won't that make it harder to see out in fog or at night?

I like the idea, but that's what comes to mind.

Iggy said:

Just a thought... If you tint the windows, even with a 50% tint. Won't that make it harder to see out in fog or at night?

I like the idea, but that's what comes to mind.

Click to expand...

Yes, perhaps... and that could be especially relevant for boats with lower stations.

We don't have that, but I still much prefer the lighter (50%) tint compared to the dark blue stuff that came on this boat. I suspect that was simply privacy tinting, no significant heat reduction... but don't know that for sure.

-Chris

We have Sunbrella white canvas and duplicate set of white phifortex.

The white canvas allows light in without being see through. I call it putting the boat in it's pajamas.

Windows stay dry in rain.

The Phifortex stained from Pine pollen in a covered slip. Waiting for Sailrite to do something. Only three screens stained out of about twelve. Will not come clean even with bleach. Disappointing warranty response.

We have an old set of outside sunbrella covers that are suitable only for layup as they eliminate 100% of the light.
We also have Phifertex covers. The one for the front windows wraps around, from the triangular side window, across the front, to the other triangular window. That one cuts about 95% of the light and is removed for travel. On the side windows we have 90% Phifertex that stay on all the time. before those covers, the interior curtains were always in use, lots of changing from open to closed, to open, as the angle of the sun changed. Now, with the outside 90%, the curtains rarely get used.
The Phifertex has the added feature that our boat looks a little more modern.
Since we are in SW BC, cutting temperature is not our goal and we have no way of measuring any reduction.
Keeping the Phifertex clean is easy enough, just a light scrub annually seems to work well enough.

About to do the top 3/4 of our front windows in perforated film
Sitting in the helm seat , water to a bit above horizon will still be clear

ranger58sb said:

We also have an exterior mesh cover. Seems to me it might be Textilene... maybe 90%... and I did recently see a 30° reduction in temps (with no interior tinting) on the interior surface just below those windows with the mesh mounted.

Click to expand...

Found the receipt for that, today. For completeness, our mesh is Twitchell Textiline Sunsure... and they have factoids about it on their website.

-Chris

Started with outside covers... later had inside Phifertex 1% pieces made for inside pilot house. Obviously its different for all of us that have reverse-rake front windows (like Old Dan and OC Diver); reverse rake is great for laying inside screens against the glass with simple hooks at the top corners of the glass.
After getting the inside shades, we've never gone back to using the outside screen. It snaps on but its more work to place it and then it gets dirty and has to be stored... We found its just so much easier to use the interior Phifertex.

ranger58sb said:

We're in the process of installing interior window tint.

Our front windows will be 3M Prestige 50 (lets 50% of light in) and the back "patio" window and sliding door are Prestige 60 (60% of light in).

The vendor said Prestige uses a multi-layer technology (?) and is a slightly better performer than the 3M Ceramic IR that they use more often for auto installations. They said the most extreme Prestige can reduce IR by up to 97% whereas the most extreme Ceramic IR reduces IR by up to 85%.

But then, they don't use anything darker than Prestige 50 for a situation like ours because the tint itself can absorb too much heat, so presumably there'd be some worry about windows shattering.

And too... Prestige comes in the sizes necessary for our two largest front windows, whereas Ceramic IR doesn't.

Our front window tinting replaces some old baked-on blue stuff the came with the boat, not particularly useful for heat, disconcerting exterior views... and the new stuff is at least much easier to see (out) through. And outside isn't blue anymore. Don't have temp comparisons for the films yet. Hopefully they finish up this coming Saturday...

Click to expand...

Our interior film tint install finished yesterday. First glance, looks like about a 20°F reduction in heat on the surface directly below our front windshield. That's "measured" with an inexact spring-powered oven thermometer, though, so accuracy is a little suspect.

-Chris

sledge said:

Started with outside covers... later had inside Phifertex 1% pieces made for inside pilot house. Obviously its different for all of us that have reverse-rake front windows (like Old Dan and OC Diver); reverse rake is great for laying inside screens against the glass with simple hooks at the top corners of the glass.
After getting the inside shades, we've never gone back to using the outside screen. It snaps on but its more work to place it and then it gets dirty and has to be stored... We found its just so much easier to use the interior Phifertex.

Click to expand...

Now that's a great point / idea. Thanks for that.

The first attempt using adhesive perforated film on inside of windows
Bottom left clear as when seated, that line is an inch above the horizon
Seems to be a static cling, not hard sticking like tinted film.

Visibility better than expected
Yesterday with full afternoon sun, other windows had blinding light
That window no sunglasses required
Expect heat will be reduced considerably in summer.

Enough film to do all windows in wheelhouse, $60 delivered.