Storm boards for windows

[Ryban]

I have decided not to replace the windows on my Albin Vega with oversized plastic windows bolted and sealed to the outside of the hull. Instead, I'll be keeping the rubber gasketed windows, and replacing the gaskets.

Though my boat has sailed around the world once already with these windows, I would feel more comfortable fabricating storm boards which I can affix to the outside of the windows in heavy weather -- as to avoid a window punching-in from a large beam-on breaking wave.

I've seen polycarbonate boards and wood boards that can be screwed into fittings placed around the windows, but I would rather have a solution that allows for quick placement of the boards, such that I'll be more motivated to put them in place early, rather than waiting for the weather to get bad.

Any good ideas out there?

[TeddyDiver]

I'd place them inside. Hinged on the top edge..

[Ryban]

I think the reason I'm worried about placing them inside is that it won't actually prevent the window from blowing out. The window will still take the full force of the wave.

[model 10]

They don't always blow in. Sometimes they blow out from the compression of the cabin. If the boat falls off a wave and lands on it's side, the cabin can get squashed and blow the windows out.

[anacapaisland42]

I used a full length fender board, reversed with the fenders outboard, wide enough to cover the height of the window, dual use.
Bill

Originally Posted by Ryban

I have decided not to replace the windows on my Albin Vega with oversized plastic windows bolted and sealed to the outside of the hull. Instead, I'll be keeping the rubber gasketed windows, and replacing the gaskets.

Though my boat has sailed around the world once already with these windows, I would feel more comfortable fabricating storm boards which I can affix to the outside of the windows in heavy weather -- as to avoid a window punching-in from a large beam-on breaking wave.

I've seen polycarbonate boards and wood boards that can be screwed into fittings placed around the windows, but I would rather have a solution that allows for quick placement of the boards, such that I'll be more motivated to put them in place early, rather than waiting for the weather to get bad.

Any good ideas out there?

[dcstrng]

Originally Posted by anacapaisland42

I used a full length fender board, reversed with the fenders outboard, wide enough to cover the height of the window...

Hmmm... that's a good idea...

[UNCIVILIZED]

My question is, if they're easy to put in place, won't they also be easily displaced?

[barnakiel]

Ye. It is just two teak slides each way and a piece of clear plastic.

The slides / rails are a bit of pain when not in use. They catch lines and toes.

Cheers,
b.

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by Ryban

I have decided not

Though my boat has sailed around the world once already with these windows, I would feel more comfortable fabricating storm boards which I can affix to the outside of the windows in heavy weather -- as to avoid a window punching-in from a large beam-on breaking wave.
Any good ideas out there?

To fulfill our Cat1 requirements for leaving NZ we carried plywood panels and a hammer and some big nails.
I thought our windows were more at risk from a flying shackle than wave pressure

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Ryban

I think the reason I'm worried about placing them inside is that it won't actually prevent the window from blowing out. The window will still take the full force of the wave.

And the stormboards would be intact and closed. However placed inside they better be perfectly fitted. I'd be more worried about what Barny said about lines and toes.

BR Teddy

[maxingout]

One of my friends on a 42 foot yacht was sailing from Fiji to New Zealand, and when the boat heeled over suddenly, he lost his balance and his elbow hit a port light and shattered the port light. The elbow survived without significant injury. So it doesn't take a knockdown or a large boarding sea to break a port light. He already had plywood port light covers on board that he placed without much difficulty.

If I was worried about broken port lights, I would precut plywood to the size required for a repair.

[JPA Cate]

maxingout, et al,

Funny how one's experience affects one's thinking on this. We had some friends who lost their boat in part due to not having storm boards for their ports, so I would look for solutions that allowed me to use them, despite the hassle. The slide in channels for a lexan storm board seem good, if there is some sort of keeper to keep them in place in a roll over situation.

Ann

[DeepFrz]

I think that Lexan installed before any large passage is probably the best idea. That way you could pre-install mounting pads for machine screws.

Are you going to cover your hatches as well?

[Snowpetrel]

My first boat had plywood storm boards for the trip out from the UK to NZ where I bouggt the boat. First time I used them across cook strait one got ripped off as we plowed through the karori rip. Probably my fault for not lashing them on tight enough, but they do need to be very well secured.

On another vessel we had a window punched out by a rogue wave in otherwise ok conditions, so the storm boards were not in position. So anything you have needs to be used all trip.

For your boat Id probably put 6mm lexan bolted on outside with a small air gap. And some reinforcing bars inside. The outside lexan takes care of shock impacts. The internal bars stop the window punching in.

[UNCIVILIZED]

I posed my "question" earlier, as I have trouble seeing a way of essentially, permanently mounting such covers in a hurry, while on a wildly bouncing boat in a seaway, when you also have other, quite pressing, matters to attend to in order to be properly prepared for the blow. Plus which, there are times when weather catches you unawares, & you're in the s**t before you have time to do much more than put on your foulies.
Think about how quickly a line squall comes upon you. You've got a few minutes, tops. And with downdrafts, microbursts, or katiabtic winds, even less.


The word "permanent" is in quotes above, as if the boards are easy to slip in place, will they then also not be easily forced out of place? Much better to permanently bolt some thick Lexan covers on from the beginning, as Snowpetrel suggests. And keep in mind that even Lexan which is quite thick is still surprisingly flexible when pressed on with force. There's little question as to it's strength, at least when new, but it does have it's weaknesses. Flexibility being one. And a couple of others are it's shocking strength losses due to UV, & also from long term moisture exposure & absorption.