curtain magnets???

[Ken Cross]

Our new to us 1989 Hunter 30 needs port light coverings. At night with lights inside everyone and everything is on display. My daughter suggested mounting magnets and sewing curtains with matching magnets. The idea is to be able to easily completely remove the curtain and not obscure any of the port. Our port lights are odd shaped and don't allow a lot of room for tracks to retract curtains outside the viewable area.

Has anyone tried this?
Ken

 

[centerline]

magnets on a boat is not the best idea due to the affects they have on autopilots and compasses...

a better method for curtain "rods" is to epoxy small hooks into position so that 1/8 bungie cord can be stretched between them... at the top of the windows and at the bottom of the windows.
you can drill holes and bolt on pad eyes, but there is no need for more holes in this case....

the bungie cords, top and bottom, holds the curtains nicely to the windows, yet they still open and close nice and easy.

on my 34, we made new curtains with a large hem in the top and bottom, so the cords hold the curtains even when heeling.
the bungie goes from the front of the front windows to the rear of the rear windows with a small clip in the center to hold it into the windows due to the curvature of the cabin top sides.... its a quick, simple solution to a problem that cant even be fully solved by hard curtain rods.

 

[caguy]

Magnets and ferrous rods will rust. Might work if you paint them. Hmmm interesting concept.

PS Just remembered there is such a thing as magnetic stainless.

 

[Ukeluthier]

magnets on a boat is not the best idea due to the affects they have on autopilots and compasses...

I really don't think this is much of a practical concern unless the magnets are quite close to the compass(es).

If I recall my basic physics correctly from 50+ years ago, the magnetic field decreases as the cube of the distance, so every time you double the distance, the field decreases by a factor of 8. If you're really concerned about this, you should purge your boat of all DC motors, including the one in the autopilot. They all contain pretty hefty magnets, as do the speakers on your cockpit stereo.

 

[Coyote]

this is why G*D invented -- VELCRO!

cheers,
Coyote

 

[Justin_NSA]

Have you considered Peek-a-Boo shutters by Zarcor?

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

An even easier solution is self cling Vinyl. Cut to fit with scissors. It's white, lets in light but can't be seen through. You dampen a sponge, wipe the port, lay the self cling on and squeegee it on with the sponge. When you don't want it, just peel it off til next time. No residue. I store mine under a berth cushion when not in use

Looks like this from the outside

 

[Ken Cross]

I was thinking of ceramic magnets. I've never seen one rust. As for compass interference, the nearest one would be at least 10 feet away and they would be way smaller than the speaker magnets.

 

[Ukeluthier]

Hold one of your magnets a foot away from the compass and see if it affects it. Then be aware that the effect will be 1,000 times less at ten feet.