Storm Boards

[webcraft]

We hope to take our Albin Vega offshore in the next couple of years, but before we do we need to make various modificatons / additions.

One known weakness of the boat in severe conditions is the large saloon windows, which have been known to pop out in a knockdown resulting in the ingress of potentially fatal amounts of water. (2 well documented incidents, one in the Atlantic near Bermuda, one in Drake Passage).

Some people replace the windows, but storm boards seem a cheaper option - possibly even made from acrylic so they could be left in place in the open ocean without blocking all the light. Is there any reason for not making storm boards from acrylic?

Secondly - and more important - how can they be attached only when required without the fittings looking ugly when not in use or being a potential source of leaks?

Counting on you lot for the usual collection of good ideas and lateral thinking . . .

- Nick

 

[fireball]

Well - if your not replacing your windows then a storm board is there to spread the shock loading of masses of water - rather than let the window take it...

Common sense would suggest that an external fitting is required (water hitting the board from the outside and thus not getting to the window) rather than internal where the board would provide strain releif?

For an external fitting your probably looking at some sort of slots to fit the board into with a clip at the top to stop it rattling around too much. The problem with the slots is that when the board isn't fitted they will gather dirt and catch lines/ankles.

An alternative external fitting would be to have a number of thru-bolts normally bunged up that you just remove the bungs and bolt the board in place - this would give a cleaner look and nice secure boards, but introduce the leak possibility and provide extra stress areas as well as not being so cosmeticly good inside...

Isn't it easier to just replace the windows?

 

[webcraft]

Replacing the windows is not cheap, and the existing ones are great in most conditions.

Obviously the boards would be fitted outside . . . I thought of slots, but how?

Through-bolting normally bunged up also thought about, but how to make watertight and non-intrusive / ugly? (I don't believe a few 6mm holes would weaken anything significantly).

- Nick

 

[fireball]

Hmm ..

Well - the slots is easy - two U strips of SS/Alli bolted to the outside of the structure - just wider than the window - let the extra strain go on the frame.
Then either 1 long U strip along the bottom or a couple of shorter ones sutibly placed should do.
To bolt them in - drill bolt sized holes on one side of the U and head sized holes on the other - then you can slip the whole bolt through and nut from the inside - you'll probably need countersunk bolts so not to be too obtrusive in the u section... Alternativly have an S section that then uses the infrastructure as the inner ..

Or ...
If a U section is really the best and you can get hold of it then get some studs welded to the inside edge - I had this done on an SS tray for a battery holder - worked wonders!!

 

[Robin]

If you are going to make acrylic storm boards you might just as well make new windows which are larger than the aperture and bolt these in place to replace the windows that are set in rubber mouldings. Not sure which is the strongest material to use (Makrolon?). That way you have new windows for the cost of storm boards.

 

[William_H]

The windows are weak when hit with water because of the unsupported area. I think a better approach would be to try to support the existing windows from the inside. Permanent S/S or ali u channel or box section say 25mm square bolted on the inside from above the window to below may do the job. You need enough of these to reduce the unsupported area of window to manageable size. If necessary you could glue a rubber strip between the support metal and the acrylic to support the acrylic to mimimise flex before the support takes up. Of course it is all a question of what you feel good about but seems better idea to hide support bars behind curtains than attach stuff on the outside. regards will

 

[Coppershield]

This is what I plan on doing

Hi Nick,
my first concern with acrylic will be if I remember correctly. It is only three times stronger than glass. My first choice would be polycarbonate,
problem with polycarbonate is it is expensive, it is not as scratch resistant as acrylic and it doesn't do as well in the UV light.
But it is a very tough material.

I have tried to find some photos of your yacht showing the windows from inside and out side no luck so far, if you have photos that may be helpful. William_H have the right idea of strengthening windows from inside. There are many ways of doing this. The one I have considered doing involves taking out the windows , as well as the panels surrounding the windows and then laminating additional layers of fiberglass and carbon fiber and blending this into structure. So that it does not create any abrupt changes in stiffness and after bolting the window frames I plan on making protective covers out of polycarbonate that will set flush with the window frames in semipermanent installation.
Whole idea was to make the installation , so it does not take away the looks of the boat so that can be left on a long periods without worrying that it will snag anything.
I don't know how your yacht is windows are manufactured. But in my case , this whole process is lots easier than it sounds.
Send me a personal message if you have any questions.
Good luck.
Muzaffer

 

[john_morris_uk]

Re: This is what I plan on doing

Why not simply carry some pieces of plywood cut to be larger than the window size, drilled in a couple of places with some suitable strongbacks to bolt them into place in the unlikely event of your windows ever being stove in?

No modifications to the boat, but you are ready and prepared to make a good effort at sealing off the hole if you ever lose a window altogether.

 

[claymore]

Webby
Is this youse venturin aff oot by Bunessan again - nae guid wull come o' it laddie!

 

[webcraft]

Nah . . . .

It's yon sherp turn gangin' through Cuan a'hm worrit aboot . . . hingin a richt at the Cleit ye ken . . .

- Nick

 

[AndCur]

Hi

Does your Vega have the smart aluminium window frames? If it does why not use
some of the fittings already there to hold the boards in place.

Regards

Andrew

 

[webcraft]

If it had aluminium frames I would not be looking to fit storm boards . . . the problem with the Vega's windows is that the glass is smaller than the hole and is held in with rubbers car windscreen style - the windows wil not break in extremis, but can get pushed out. Alloy windows are an aftermarket fitment. I was just exploring alternatives.


- Nick