Windscreen framing companies?

[prv]

Can anyone recommend a company that makes aluminium-framed windscreens and would do a one-off?

The boat is a sailing yacht, but I thought I'd ask here since windscreens are more common on motorboats.

The backstory is that the main large, curved glass screen broke last year due to a latent defect. We were able to buy the very last one ever made by the original supplier in the late 90s, but it turned out to have a slightly different curve to our original and didn't quite fit in the frame. The fitters wrenched the frame about quite a bit in an attempt to install it; the two recently started to part company again, but fortunately the glass is undamaged.

Since the difficult part is the glass, which we have, the best approach seems to be to bin the (in any case rather battered) original frame and have a new one made up to fit the existing glass panels. It looks to be made from standard extrusions, albeit with custom gentle bends on two sections to fit the curved glass, so hopefully not a massive job for a specialist.

I've found Trend Marine, and also seen a recommendation for Houdini, though I'm not sure if this is quite their thing. Can anyone recommend any others for my shortlist? Boat is in Southampton.

(Please don't post general "boat window" companies unless you know they do freestanding windscreens. There are loads of window firms, but almost all of them only sell products that mount into cabin sides.)

Thanks.

Pete

 

[tillergirl]

I was thinking of getting a quote from these: Welcome, we make marine windows and doors for worldwide customers - Technautic Marine Windows, Branchsound Ltd Not too far of course for me.

 

[prv]

Thanks, but I don’t see any reference to windscreen frames on their site.

Pete

 

[Blue Sunray]

Thanks, but I don’t see any reference to windscreen frames on their site.

Pete

They are the manufacturers of those on my boat and produced a replacement (to a template) a couple of years back, though I did not deal directly with them.

 

[Freebee]

give em a try they can only say no!!!

 

[burgundyben]

I looked into this when I bought my Huntsman 31 with the ali framed screen in bits.

I think you'll find there really isnt anyone. Or if there us it'll be hugely costly. You need to source the ali channels and find a competant fabricator that can roll the curved sections.


I concluded there wasnt an easy option to outsource the task and so did a 'best can do' diy job.

 

[stelican]

I looked into this when I bought my Huntsman 31 with the ali framed screen in bits.

I think you'll find there really isnt anyone. Or if there us it'll be hugely costly. You need to source the ali channels and find a competant fabricator that can roll the curved sections.


I concluded there wasnt an easy option to outsource the task and so did a 'best can do' diy job.

I think you are probably correct , however might be worth contacting Marine windows scours Lane Reading.
maybe they can do the job or give you a lead MD Paul Hughes. companty has over 30yrs track record

 

[prv]

They are the manufacturers of those on my boat and produced a replacement (to a template) a couple of years back, though I did not deal directly with them.

Thanks - can I ask what kind of boat so I can see if it’s at all similar?

Pete

 

[prv]

I think you'll find there really isnt anyone.

They certainly don’t seem to be common ?

New boats presumably still have windscreens, so there must be someone making the things, but I guess they‘re done in-house by the builder rather than being a standalone trade.

I did also look into makers of windscreen frames for classic cars, but for whatever reason the preferred material for those seems to be brass.

Pete

 

[Freebee]

I suspect your fitters did not anneal the frame to change its shape and now its springing apart. I had to rebuild a windscreen recently with a home curved perspex panel. My home bent panel needed to be coaxed into fitting the frame. I found ratchet straps are pretty good at pulling everything together. in your case I would anneal the frame parts (soften the aluminium by heat treatment using a blowlamp and soap method) once annealed the frame can be fitted and coaxed into the new shape using ratchet straps quite easily. once in place over time the frame will work harden and hold its new shape.

 

[Freebee]

deleted

 

[prv]

I suspect your fitters did not anneal the frame to change its shape

I'm quite sure they didn't. My dad went along to help/supervise and he'd definitely have mentioned the use of blowtorches!

To be fair, we wouldn't have expected any need to change the shape given that the glass was supposed to be a like-for-like replacement from the original supplier, who'd had it lying in the back of some store-room for 20 years.

Pete

 

[BruceK]

I presume you've looked at Seaglaze. They claim to do custom jobs

 

[solitaire11]

Clearview enterprises worcestershire may help

 

[PlanB]

Try a bespoke double glazing manufacturer, perhaps.

 

[prv]

I presume you've looked at Seaglaze. They claim to do custom jobs

We actually buy hatches from them at work, and indeed they will make any shape, latch combination, etc, that we ask for. But as far as I know, they’re another maker of windows and doors that fit into cutouts in GRP or metal hulls, not freestanding windscreen frames.

Pete

 

[burgundyben]

Someone on facebook calling themselves Custom Boat Screen Solutions

 

[burgundyben]

Log in to Facebook | Facebook

 

[petem]

They certainly don’t seem to be common ?

New boats presumably still have windscreens, so there must be someone making the things, but I guess they‘re done in-house by the builder rather than being a standalone trade.

I did also look into makers of windscreen frames for classic cars, but for whatever reason the preferred material for those seems to be brass.

Pete

Trend Marine make the windows and frames for Fairline.