A guy from CABBS made a powerboat that has about 12" of freeboard, and you sit in a sort of acrylic sided bathub, underwater. He took p0ictures of being underwater while on Lake Hurona nd the pics were aewsome. Tonight, I was watching NOVA and some guy made a submarine that was acrylic almost all the way around the front seating area. They powered their way out to sea, and back in, on the surface at a clip of about 5 knots from the look of the bow wave. One of the cool things for me, and others when I show them, is to be below when we are healing at 30 degrees and looking out the clear fixed ports. The water line is a foot or so at that level and with 8 footers, it is awesome too. So has anyone seen a sailboat with acrylic (lexan, etc. I know...there are different flavors of it etc. KISS) sides? Anywhere on the net showing how to build a boat of any sort out of acrylic? Could you imagine if the bow were made of it? Wow, wouls that be wild with dolphins swimming in the bow wave (and no, we don't have dolphins on Lake Erie...nor apparently are they on the Yangzee either, having been exterminated forever.)
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Before diving goggles were commonly available
there were glass bottom boats (real glass set in wood in the early ones) I don't think passengers were allowed to walk on the glass. You can fool around with the idea with a sheet of clear glass or plastic on a simple plywood box with caulking goo in the seams and handles so you can push it down in the water a bit. You can really see a lot! We've stretched plastic wrap over a piece of 6" plastic pipe 2 to 3 feet long for kids. Held by 5 or six strong rubber bands. Sand the pipe edges smooth or it will cut the kids and the plastic wrap. Cruise near the beach in the dinghy and you/they can see as well as with a diving mask. It ought to be pretty easy to put a lexan window on the hull. It will probably cancel your insurance unless a professional approves the design. Maybe not a great idea on a boat where resale value is important.
there were glass bottom boats (real glass set in wood in the early ones) I don't think passengers were allowed to walk on the glass. You can fool around with the idea with a sheet of clear glass or plastic on a simple plywood box with caulking goo in the seams and handles so you can push it down in the water a bit. You can really see a lot! We've stretched plastic wrap over a piece of 6" plastic pipe 2 to 3 feet long for kids. Held by 5 or six strong rubber bands. Sand the pipe edges smooth or it will cut the kids and the plastic wrap. Cruise near the beach in the dinghy and you/they can see as well as with a diving mask. It ought to be pretty easy to put a lexan window on the hull. It will probably cancel your insurance unless a professional approves the design. Maybe not a great idea on a boat where resale value is important.
My Hunter has
...a total of 5 fixed ports in the hull. 4 are on the port side and when we get to 30+ heel on a stbd tack a couple of them are under water. These fixed ports are made of smoked Lexan and set into a recess in the hull and sealed with a Dow bonding agent. Very strong and water tight.
...a total of 5 fixed ports in the hull. 4 are on the port side and when we get to 30+ heel on a stbd tack a couple of them are under water. These fixed ports are made of smoked Lexan and set into a recess in the hull and sealed with a Dow bonding agent. Very strong and water tight.
Glass bottom
I recently met the new owner of an old twin keel Westerly at my marina. He was showing me the interior when he asked me to pull up the carpet and remove an inspection plate. Thinking I would be just looking at his bilge I was surprised to find a glass "port" underneath, approximately 8 inches in diameter. From what he told me the it looks like the story is a previous owner had the boat in Florida (down in the Keys I think) and had it installed. After the boat was hauled I took a look underneath and it seems to be a serious piece of glass and metal retaining ring under there. It's also neat to see it sitting on the two keels. It looks like the boat has small legs. Not much user for the glass bottom on the Delaware River though, on a good day you would be lucky to be able to see a foot down!
I recently met the new owner of an old twin keel Westerly at my marina. He was showing me the interior when he asked me to pull up the carpet and remove an inspection plate. Thinking I would be just looking at his bilge I was surprised to find a glass "port" underneath, approximately 8 inches in diameter. From what he told me the it looks like the story is a previous owner had the boat in Florida (down in the Keys I think) and had it installed. After the boat was hauled I took a look underneath and it seems to be a serious piece of glass and metal retaining ring under there. It's also neat to see it sitting on the two keels. It looks like the boat has small legs. Not much user for the glass bottom on the Delaware River though, on a good day you would be lucky to be able to see a foot down!
Ed
glass ports are not a new thing. they have been installed for years. a lot of the sorc vintage boats had small ports to look at the keep and rudder for debris crab trap lines and kelp. Ted Irwin desiged a glass bottom for his dingy back in the early 80.s it was neat! i have seen this done with a box arround the opening that comes up over the water line in case it leaked. we put a clear bottom in a bucket years ago to look at the bottom while going on dive trips. it worked great!
glass ports are not a new thing. they have been installed for years. a lot of the sorc vintage boats had small ports to look at the keep and rudder for debris crab trap lines and kelp. Ted Irwin desiged a glass bottom for his dingy back in the early 80.s it was neat! i have seen this done with a box arround the opening that comes up over the water line in case it leaked. we put a clear bottom in a bucket years ago to look at the bottom while going on dive trips. it worked great!
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