Skagit 20 windsheild

[Steve_Kiesel]

Correct. Shooting for April 26th. 82 days to go, but who's counting. Then it will be followed by :fishing: and :boater1:

[GregJ]

Good for you Steve! The best thing about retirement is the freedom.

[Marty Loken (Norseboater)]

Skagit Windshield Done, At Last

Yesterday, Charlie and Pat Johns were finally able to take delivery of the '58 Skagit we restored for them, picking the boat up at Associated Glass in Lynnwood.

As reported earlier, Associated installed plexiglass in the cabin windows (still covered in brown paper for Charlie and Pat's road trip home to Richland), and then attempted to install 1955 Ford windshield glass in the upper frame. After receiving the one-piece wraparound windshield, Associated cut the piece down the centerline, then radiused the inside corners before installing in the Skagit windshield frame. Unfortunately, after completing the install, the starboard-side piece of glass developed a vertical crack...ruining the piece.

After debating the subject, Charlie and Pat opted not to invest in another expensive piece of automotive glass, and had Associated install plexiglass panels in the frame. The plexiglass looks great, but it's too bad that the auto glass broke...and that the experiment in using original Ford glass ended on an incomplete note.

Our speculation, for future reference, is that if anybody wants to go with auto glass on their 17' or 20' Skagit express, the safest approach is to remove the fiberglass windshield frame from the boat during windshield-glass installation, then gingerly reinstall the frame atop the cabin. If it doesn't want to seat comfortably, adjust with semi-soft rubber gasket material between the frame and cabintop, rather than forcing the frame and glass down into what might be a tortured position. (In the case of Charlie and Pat's boat, we restored the windshield frame off of the boat, painted it and reinstalled prior to Associated's work. While that seemed to be the logical approach, the glass clearly didn't nest in the frame comfortably or it wouldn't have broken...unless there was an inherent flaw in the particular windshield glass ordered by Associated, and/or it was damaged in shipping or during the cutting-fitting process. Just impossible to say for sure, but the fact that so many vintage Skagits with original Ford glass have panels of auto glass that have been trying to "walk" out of their rubber gaskets in the lower outside corners, would suggest that the Ford glass may never have fit perfectly into already-mounted frames.)

In any case, Charlie and Pat were happy with the final results, and we look forward to seeing their boat on the water later this Spring, following installation of a new four-stroke outboard.

- Marty

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Automotive Laminated Glass in the Saratogan

What Skagit did with automotive glass in their bridge windshields was at the time pretty ambitious. Despite their attempts to reverse engineer the glass to fit the 20's bridge, they in my opinion never did fit perfectly. The boats are very flexible and the laminated auto glass doesn't flex at all!

The glass on the Saratogan bridge is also automotive glass from a 1957 Chrysler.
The curvature of the glass was such that it wouldn't fit the straight across bridge of the Saratogan. So the inside lower corners always stressed the rubber weather strip. Still does.

The fiberglass bridge was off the Saratogan for a good six years. I built a stand for it and spent six months reworking the huge piece. My daughter and I spent seven hours installing the original Chrysler curved glass. I was so concerned about breaking the glass. I made some oak tools to work the glass into the rubber weather strip. Beat on it, pounded on it...finally they were in.

After several attempts to install the flat center glass I gave up and had a professional glass guy come in to do it. He broke the first one and I had to leave while installing the second one. There was a lot of swearing and pounding and banging noises...I had to leave. It was stressful.

When it came time to install the bridge, I tried to pick it up with a chain fall and lines attached to the hand rails. The whole assembly which now weigh'd over 250 pounds flexed like a giant noodle. It flexed so far out of shape I had to set in back down again. No way!

I got a 4X4 for a strong back and installed eye bolts in the wiper motor holes.
Was then able to pick it up, but it still was very flexible. Wheeled the boat under the bridge which was 13 feet in the air and then let it down. At first there were four inch gaps at the outer front corners. The thing was WAY OUT OF SHAPE. I installed two screws to keep it from sliding off the boat and we went to lunch.

When we came back, the four inch gap was down to two inches. We sort of massaged it back into place and let is rest for a few days. Then I picked it up again briefly and applied sealant to the flange. Let it back down and installed the 75 or so screws that secure it.

In the end it turned out okay, but was the most stressful part of the restoration.

McSkagit

I'll try to find some pictures of the bridge and glass install

[Charlie]

Skagit

Thanks for your interest in our Skagit restoration. Marty has kept you folks up to date on the progression. We made it over the pass just before this recent storm and our beautiful boat is safe in the driveway.

Next, we will have the canvas completed then a new Mercury 115. Still debating 4-stroke or Optimax. The 4-stroke is 40 lbs heavier. I have a 115 Optimax on my Lund fishing boat and really like it. Any ideas or imput you folks have on this would be welcome.

Some of you have wondered about the cost of the windows. The final cost for the acrylic windows was Cabin windows = $700.00 Upper windshield
= $500.00. Add tax for the total. Note, this included the rubber and labor.

The problem with the Glass windows has been documented. Jim at Associated Glass in Lynnwood was totally up front about the glass. They could NOT gurantee the cut (it went fine) and the ordering and process took more time than I expected. Bottom line...I think the acrylic looks just fine and they did clean professional work. Also, Jim worked with us on the broken glass to make it less painful.

Knowing what I do now...I would go with acrylic at the start. I feel the glass is too heavy, and the expense and process of it is really not worth it. Also, the acrylic will flex and if it gets cracked/broken it is easily replaced. If you do go with glass I agree with Marty's thoughts.

The Island Boat Shop is #1 in our book. Marty and Will are both true craftsmen and...just good guys. Special thanks to Chuck Carey...he stored our boat and was a great help during the window phase.

I will post pictures as things continue. Thanks in advance for any motor thoughts and have a safe and fun boating season 2012.

Charlie & Pat Johns
West Richland, Wa.

[Helmar]

Don't trust a 50 year old fiberglass window frame

Just a note about the windshield cracking like it did.

Working on all the glass in Bruce Drakes Bell Boy, I noticed that All of the wrap around glass had "blown out" in all corners.

We were going to have to replace all the glass in the boat and I was looking at a job that I sure didn't see any way it was going back in.

So, one day at lunch, Ole (Marty) was off running parts so I just took my lunch to the boat and studied the upper bridge window problem that we seen.

This boat came from Nevada and in that hot sun, we seen several issues of Sagging that had be dealt with.

With almost a full roll of tape, I started Fitting the glass back in.
Its Fiberglass right, so out came the jacks, blocks, clamps, And the Sawsall :Scared1:

I found that after making several cuts, moving the frame around to where it was not Sagging, the glass started to fit..
The corners of the windows no longer Puckered out.

Just so you remember this boat, Bruce chose Not throw away the aluminum trim and go with the rubber.
Most of you know that boat is totally Gorgeous.

Even the Cabin windows were blown out on the corners until I put some timbers and jack in to jack up the framework just under the cabin windows.
We bridged that area so it would stay up.

Its just Fiberglass and when we were done with the Bridge Windshield on Bruces Bell Boy, you could Stand on it and it would not sag down.
It took Several heavy fiberglass roving build ups to stiffen it up to hold.

Some of the window frames that I have looked at on the Skagits, I would have to say, they All have moved some...

My 59 Skagit has the glass one piece cabin window in it and I can see the rubber and window is starting to come, up and out.. It no longer fits like it should.

So, what gave, what moved, the Glass window or the Fiberglass :BigWink1:

Just my :TwoCents1: again

Don't suppose you have some pictures to share on that do you Ole ?
If not, I might still have some.