Switching out windshield?

[JoshOnt]

I currently have a 1977 Crestliner Crusader 550 with a single front pane windshield. Well with these winter months I have been thinking of a spring project other than rewiring the whole thing. I would like to switch out the windshield for one that has the ability to open in the middle. As of right now there is some nice wood on the front deck with a tiny railing, I would love to be able to go sit up there or maybe install a anchor hide away where could open it and pull out. Does anyone know how I would go about finding a windshield that would fit? I know I have the skill to switch it out (well it seems easy anyway) but have no idea where other than boat junk yards to start looking for a replacement.

 

[GA_Boater]

Josh - Got a pic or 2 for a starting point?

How wide is the current W/S?

 

[JoshOnt]

Josh - Got a pic or 2 for a starting point?

How wide is the current W/S?

I sadly don't have exacts but I would guess in the 60"


Here is a link to a bunch of images of the boat and trailer I took to help with planning for the spring.

http://imgur.com/a/8YMBD

 

[GA_Boater]

Your link isn't showing any pics.

I found a 60" walk-thru W/S on CL for 40 bucks. Just took some looking.

EDIT - No boat pics on the link.

 

[JoshOnt]

Your link isn't showing any pics.

I found a 60" walk-thru W/S on CL for 40 bucks. Just took some looking.

EDIT - No boat pics on the link.

Thanks I'll have a look on CL, and they should be there the top ones are trailer though as it is an album I made with all of the images I took one day to help plan a few things for spring.

 

[JoshOnt]

How crazy would I be for wanting to convert the boat into a bow rider? I know they made a model of the same boat in 1977 that was a bowrider. This makes me think the structural parts should be the same so it would just be sorting out dash, seats and walk through. Would someone on here have happened to do something similar I can look at?

 

[jbcurt00]

Not to a fiberglass boat that I recall, or at least not to bow rider. Open bow fishing, yes, thats been done to a closed bow.

Hull bottom might be the same, the cap similar from the windshield back, but from the consoles and windshield forward it would be different. Boats are built in 2 halves, upper cap, lower hull. Bow rider cap would be quite a bit different then a closed bow.

Is your windshiled topic the best place to discuss a rebuild to bow rider?

 

[JoshOnt]

Not to a fiberglass boat that I recall, or at least not to bow rider. Open bow fishing, yes, thats been done to a closed bow.

Hull bottom might be the same, the cap similar from the windshield back, but from the consoles and windshield forward it would be different. Boats are built in 2 halves, upper cap, lower hull. Bow rider cap would be quite a bit different then a closed bow.

Is your windshiled topic the best place to discuss a rebuild to bow rider?

Thanks and maybe not the best place just figured might add it in to it, I can create a new thread of you think that would be better. I'll do a bit more research first though.

 

[jbcurt00]

If you want suggestions, ideas or help on a conversion, then yes, I think a new topic about it would be better then having both a swap windshield and a possible conversion all lumped into 1.

Google

Sleeper-6 fishing iboats

Thats an old closed bow to fishing boat, perhaps the best I've seen posted on any forum.