Storm shutters

JonnyBoats · Post by **JonnyBoats** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:40 pm

On a boat like a Triton with large portlights in the main house, are storm shutters advisable for crusing? If so, what are people using?

Post by **dasein668** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:19 pm

Coastal cruising? Not really.

CharlieJ · Post by **CharlieJ** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:18 pm

We are planning a sail across the gulf in May and I don't plan to put storm shutters over ours on the Meridian for that. When we eventually do longer sails THEN I'll add them. What I plan is 1/4 or 3/8 lexan mounted on standoffs over the ports, set about 1/2 inch.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:55 pm

Last fall I sailed offshore on a boat with large saloon windows. It had storm shutters similar to what Charlie describes except for the fact that - being a large boat (65') - the coach roof sides were thick enough to accept permanently installed stainless... not sure what to call them, but let's say "threaded ferrules."

The shutters (Lexan of about 3/8" to 1/2" thick) were mounted nearly flush to the cabin sides - there were just some thin, closed-cell foam strips used as a sort of scratch-resisting washer between them and the outside of the cabin, then they were fastened on with stainless bolts and plastic washers on the outside.

When the shutters were not being used, the holes were filled with some white plastic "bolts" so that they were relatively unnoticable.

I suppose your coach roof sides have to be of a certain thickness to make this practical - not sure what sort of boat you're thinking of.

--- Rachel

kendall · Post by **kendall** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:37 pm

Should be able to mount the same style nuts in the cabin sides on any boat with a liner so they'd not show.

Without a liner it'd be a bit more difficult to have them look nice from inside, but would likely be a stronger installation due to the ease of reaching both sides.

Seem to remember reading on James Baldwin's site that he had made up a set for atom, but later stopped using them as he thought they weren't needed.

My thought's are that if I'm going to be anywhere that there is a liklyhood of damage I want to have something to reduce that chance as much as possible.

My triton has laminated safety glass in the large ports, not sure if that's standard or added in, but if it's as tough as automotive safety glass, you'd have to get hit with something hard to break it.

ken.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:54 pm

Oh, perhaps I'd better clarify something: On the installation I was describing, the bolts did NOT go through to the inside of the cabin - they dead ended in the cabin-side (perhaps that makes them screws even though the end was not pointy :-). So they were just tightened into the threaded inserts that were permanent.

Of course that's not to say that there is any reason they can't go all the way through and have nuts -- I was just clarifying what I had described earlier.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:20 am

I was just re-reading Atom's storm window installation the other day. James used to have wood shutters(or plywood?) but got rid of them when he replaced his windows with 10mm lexan.

I think if there is a possibility of the boat getting picked up and dropped on its side (BANG!) then shutters are a good idea. They are an awfully bulky item to store on a Triton though. That is why I would look closely at James' installation.

Or... you could have those threaded receptacles Rachel mentioned and make some plain plywood shutters. After the passage you could just dump the shutters rather than storing them and make up a new set for the next passage.

-Britton

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:24 am

My triton has laminated safety glass in the large ports, not sure if that's standard or added in,

Oh, and I am pretty sure plexiglass was the standard on Tritons. Flimsy, shatter prone, plexiglass...

CharlieJ · Post by **CharlieJ** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 9:08 am

My Meridian has tempered glass ports. The fear is not of breaking the glass- the fear is of having the boat slammed onto a wave on her beam ends and forcing the whole port out into the cabin.

If you felt they were needed, then the ends of the bolts, probably with acorn nuts on them, showing on the interior should be something you just lived with.

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Wed Mar 15, 2006 8:00 pm

The fear is not of breaking the glass

Then why are so many installations done with 3/8" or 1/2" Lexan?

Getting the whole assembly punched out is a valid concern though. On the Triton I think there is only about 3/4" of the frame outer edge keeping the window in place. I like the look of replacing the ports with a thicker lexan material but I think I would feel safer with a large panel with more surface area backed by the cabin sides.

Who am I kidding though. It will be a long time before I seriously contemplate deep water passage on my boat. I think I will just let you guys and girls figure out the best system and just copy it when the time comes :-)

-Britton