Flybridge enclosure - Remove windscreen or no???

[ksanders]

I'm adding a hard top, and windows to my boat, creating a dry living space out of my existing flybridge.

Right now with a bimini we never, ever use the flybridge. In all the time i have owned the boat I rarely if ever drive from the flybridge, since the pilothouse is perfect.

So... thinking about the project, the windows I install will not be removed in the normal course of life. Once installed they are there.

Attaching the front windows to the existing windscreen means joining two opposite facing things together. The windscreen faces outward, and the windows will face inward keeping the lines the windows similar to the pilothouse.

Are there any issues removing the windscreen and attaching the new windows directly to the boat, in the same place the windscreen was attached?

What are your thoughts?

Here are a couple photos for reference

 

[tiltrider1]

I would attach to the existing venturi screen. There will come a day when you will not have the windows in place and you will want the wind deflected by the Venturi screen.

By removing the Venturi screen you will create a seal issue between the canvas and the boat.

 

[Shrew]

I would attach to the existing venturi screen. There will come a day when you will not have the windows in place and you will want the wind deflected by the Venturi screen.

Agreed. The venturi redirects wind from directly into your face to over your head. I would immediately walk away from a boat that had it removed. Replacing one is a PITA and not having it would be annoying. You may not drive from up there, but a lot of people do. Plus, it would look goofy with it missing.

 

[SteveK]

I may have misunderstood previous threads where it sounded like you will be installing glass or plexi glass windows. If canvas and eisenglass then leave the venturam if glass then remove.

 

[SIBERNUT]

I see no way to do glass given the curve of the bridge. Plexi might bend and work
If the lower helm is "perfect", leave the bridge alone for the resale or do canvas to the venturi.

 

[ksanders]

Thanks guys!

I'm installing a O Sea 40 MM clear vinyl, and will be using that trimmed with sunbrella.

I'll leave the wind screen, thanks again!!!

 

[SteveK]

In the other place I posted lookout for the angle to the roof. My boat roof shade allows the sun to shine behind my glasses in the seated position due to the slope matching the pilothouse.

 

[tiltrider1]

I find windscreen material other than coated polycarbonate to be unacceptable. Vinyl, even coated vinyl looses clarity so quickly you will be unable to drive with the windows in place. Uncoated polycarbonate has about a 3 year window before it turns yellow.

I have had good success with Makrolon.

 

[Greg QS]

I have removed the Venturi on my last 2 boats. Cleaner look I feel .
It increases the visibility also. But then again I am vertically challenged.

 

[Dougcole]

I took the venturi off of our Mainship on the advice of our canvas guy. It made for a much easier, cleaner and economical install of the new enclosure. I had the venturi on for two years and have not had it for 8 years now. Even though I always run the boat from the bridge, usually with the center panel open, I don't miss it at all. It didn't do anything on our boat other than get in the way.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

We took off the eisenglass (or isenglass) as soon as we got the boat and have never put it back on. Still have the venturi screen, but we have never missed the enclosure feel of all that plastic. If the weather is too foul to operate the boat from the flybridge, we go down to the pilothouse. I'm sure it would be different if we had only one helm station.

 

[heysteve]

I have had good success with Makrolon.

I'll second that... we had Makrolon on a previous boat and the clarity was incredible. Lasted for years.

 

[SIBERNUT]

Great stuff. But it doesn't roll well & sounds like thunder in a wind

 

[ksanders]

Wow!!! the boat photos above with the venture removed sure give me some ideas!

If I were to remove the venturi what I would do is use that exact same location to attach what is called "keeder" or "awning" rail, making for a water tight installation.

Lots to think about, as the stainless guys build the structure.

 

[Captain DJ]

Yep,
The boat without the plastic looks so much better. Bad weather we drive from Pilothouse, great weather from the fly bridge. I agree shade is important, but not sure I would use the plastic surrounding the bridge.

 

[Comodave]

Our last boat had a venturi with S/S supports. I took some 3/8” aluminum flat stock and essentially connected the tops of the supports. Then we attached the bottom of the EZ2CY panels to the flat stock. Worked well. We hinged the front 3 panels for air flow and snapped them to the bottom of the hardtop.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

We took the plastic off, stowed it, and have never put it back on.

 

[ABfish]

My boat has an enclosed flybridge. Don't particularly like the looks, but after two years of ownership, I'm sold.

The biggest plus is that it adds another dry, conditioned living space. (Your stated goal). Which means another private space for sleeping, phone calls, trip planning, and TV watching. If you open the sliding side windows on my boat as well as the aft sliding door, it has a nice open, airy feel.

As to the venturi, they function well if you're running 20 knots or into a significant headwind. I would imagine it keeps some wind pressure off of your forward enclosure panels.

My last boat had an enclosure that tied in neatly to the top of the venturi.

 

[ksanders]

My boat has an enclosed flybridge. Don't particularly like the looks, but after two years of ownership, I'm sold.

The biggest plus is that it adds another dry, conditioned living space. (Your stated goal). Which means another private space for sleeping, phone calls, trip planning, and TV watching. If you open the sliding side windows on my boat as well as the aft sliding door, it has a nice open, airy feel.

As to the venturi, they function well if you're running 20 knots or into a significant headwind. I would imagine it keeps some wind pressure off of your forward enclosure panels.

My last boat had an enclosure that tied in neatly to the top of the venturi.

you said it perfectly.

The goal is to create a dry, non wind blown space. Adding the roof and enclosure adds close to 100 sq feet to the boat, including about 15 lineal feet of sofa space.

That is HUGE.

 

[ABfish]

100 square foot addition on a 48 ft. boat is like adding 500 sf to your house!

 

[SIBERNUT]

The discussion has been on weight. A 10x10 enclosure 4 ft high on 2 windward sides adds 80 sq ft of windage on docking, and 40sq ft of surface to force thru the air = more fuel

 

[CaptTom]

I pulled off the venturi when I had my flybridge enclosure re-done, on the advice of the canvas guy. It's been several years now and I've never regretted it. It looks better and makes the vinyl panels easier to zip in and out. The full enclosure does add some windage, but on a nice day we can open it all up. On not-so-nice days it's well worth the trade-off to have the whole flybridge protected.

The vinyl "smile" pieces which open in front still have some vinyl below them, where the venturi used to be, so there's still some wind protection even with them open. If wind becomes a problem, we just zip up a bit. With two pulls on each zipper it's easy to get just the right amount of air coming in.