looking for ideas for a windshield lift

[tallcanadian]

i'm thinking about raising my windshild around 4 inches or so. my boat is a low profile and i'm 6'5 so my head sticks above it. this isn't so bad except for rainy and windy days, or spray from waves. even when i duck down i can't quite get down enough not to get wet. my thoughts were one of the two ideas
1. i could use a 2" x 4" aluminum channel. this would be fairly light and could be easy enough to construct.
2. make 2" x 4" fiberglass mold.
now to make a plug for this, could i make it out of plywood? and what would i have to do to seal it to remove the glass? something like maybe using epoxy first then wax after it dries??. any help and ideas would be appreciated.

 

[redfury]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

i'm thinking about raising my windshild around 4 inches or so. my boat is a low profile and i'm 6'5 so my head sticks above it. this isn't so bad except for rainy and windy days, or spray from waves. even when i duck down i can't quite get down enough not to get wet. my thoughts were one of the two ideas
1. i could use a 2" x 4" aluminum channel. this would be fairly light and could be easy enough to construct.
2. make 2" x 4" fiberglass mold.
now to make a plug for this, could i make it out of plywood? and what would i have to do to seal it to remove the glass? something like maybe using epoxy first then wax after it dries??. any help and ideas would be appreciated.

Why not just get a bimini top with windshield extensions.?

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

i'm not a big fan of bimini tops. another reason i wanted to lift was i'm hoping in the spring to get a full convertible top made. so this will help with the head room as well. my only worry is that i may make this to gaudy looking. i'm hoping all this will blend in. i notice that boats such as g3 yamaha boats have the windshield on a vinyl lift from the console. doesn't look too awful bad.

 

[DaveHawkins]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

Instead of altering the design of the existing windshield...could you just fab some lexan extensions to mount on top of your existing windshield? A piece of lexan with a channel mounted on it that would just slide over top of the existing windshield frame. I would be removable and not change the value of the boat.

Also could you possibly cut down the seat pedestals and inch or two?

 

[Mark42]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

If you want a 2x4" spacer to raise the windshield, I would make it from wood and then polyester/glass coat with gel coat finish.

Start by ripping some 1x pine to 1-1/2" strips. Then "frame" the 4" high wall same as a house is framed, with top, bottom and some studs every foot or so. Then cover both sides with 1/4" plywood. Cover with some fiberglass mat then 8oz cloth. Sand, fair it out with bondo, then paint on a few coats of gel coat and sand smooth and polish. By using polyester resin, you can then use bondo filler for fairing and gel coat to finish. Using epoxy you can basically just paint it.

Should be a quick and inexpensive project.

If you want to add a navy top, you might want to consider making the spacer a little higher, say 8 or 10 inches, to give you a little wider view from your seating position.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

I'd try to find a taller windshield before trying to make a riser or extension for the existing windshield. You may be able to find one a bit taller from another boat, many windshields are pretty standard. I've been able to swap windshields between many boats over the years.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

thanks dave for the reply. i never thought of extending on top of the windshield. certainly something to consider. as far as cutting the pedestals, they are now only 7 inches high. i could perhaps cut 2 inches off. just wouldn't want to get that sit on the floor feeling..lol.

thanks mark, i like the idea. and i would love to go 8 or 10 inches but i am afraid that would take away from the look of the boat. i may have to build two spaces. one around 4" and maybe one that is 8 or so inches. hmmm. got me thinking now.

thanks to everyone with these ideas. i appreciate it greatly. keep em coming...

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

thanks reelfishin. around here i'd be lucky just to find a windshield let alone another one from a boat. i wish it was that easy. i find that most boats are wider than mine. it's also a walk thru, so it will be that much harder to find.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

Instead of altering the design of the existing windshield...could you just fab some lexan extensions to mount on top of your existing windshield? A piece of lexan with a channel mounted on it that would just slide over top of the existing windshield frame. I would be removable and not change the value of the boat.

Also could you possibly cut down the seat pedestals and inch or two?

I saw two of these a couple of hours ago for the first time on a "go really really fast boat”.

It was cool looking, cheap, and looked easy to build. They where like two Plexiglas sun visors in a car, just bigger, that you could flip up or down at will.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

thanks snap. you got me thinking now. i could see that working for me. hmmm.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

My 63 Starcraft had one of those wrap around plexiglass windshields but I wanted to built a complete enclosure for winter use. I looked around and found a metal frame and glass windshield from a small trihull that worked. I actually found several that would have worked, I went with the most vertical and the tallest. Since most of these windshields mount to flat surfaces, they are pretty universal.
I saw one boat this summer with flip up extensions, sort of like the sun visor in a car. They were hinged to the windshield and folded down when the convertible top was up.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

i wouldn't mind checking out these extensions. might be the real deal.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

i found them. www.windaway.com. 18" long and 9" wide. hmmm. i must look more into this. thanks guys.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

i found them. www.windaway.com. 18" long and 9" wide. hmmm. i must look more into this. thanks guys.

You could even make a set out of some lexan. The hinges and clamps will be the challenge but I'm sure they used something common.

The theory is sort of like that of a bug shield on a truck, they direct the wind upward and over. They may not even have to fold down, depending on your situation.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: looking for ideas for a windshield lift

your absolutely right, reel. i'll have to put these items to good use. i'll have the winter to manufacture something. then i can make my own size. i appreciate all the thought from you fellas. awesome as usual.