What's everyone doing about curtains?

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Tomfoolery
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What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by Tomfoolery »

I've been fighting with the dried crud that used to hold velcro some PO used for curtains, and so far I only have one port cleaned up to clean white. Using some really nasty chemicals, such that I need to use organic filters on my respirator, and a bucket or two of elbow grease I might add, and that was just on the galley window. I don't think my shoulders can take that sort of effort on the two 'windshield' windows/ports toward the bow.

So I'm giving up. I'm going to put up curtains. I really need them anyway, so I'll stop messing with that dried glue and just hang curtains. With string, or tracks, or velcro. Or whatever.

How did those with curtains support them, and if pictures are available, may I see some please?

Even better, if you've done curtains on an :macx: boat, do you have any measurements I can work off? The boat is buttoned up for at least another month, probably more, and with the snow falling right now, I'm getting in the mood to do a bit of sewing.
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NiceAft
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by NiceAft »

For years now I have been thinking about this type of product.

https://windowfilmworld.com/collections ... indow-film

I have seen it used on glass, and it performs the job of making clear glass look like etched glass. It makes a window semi-opaque. I never followed through because (a) I did not have the need, and (b) I never researched whether it would adhere to plexi. A frosted window look good.

Ray

P.S. The beauty of these things is that they just peel off when you want, and press back on when you want. they just roll up for storage.
Last edited by NiceAft on Wed Feb 27, 2019 5:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Chinook
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by Chinook »

We just stuck those round velcro "dots" (the hook half) on the plastic screw caps that surround all the windows. We then cut out window covers that match and fit over all the windows, sewed bias tape around the edges, and sewed velcro wooly pieces to connect with the velcro'ed caps. The adhesive on the velcro caps can't be relied upon, but a little quick set epoxy glue does the trick. The window covers store easily and go up quickly. This has served us well for many years.
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Starscream
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by Starscream »

'sfunny, but I don't have a lot of photos of the inside of my boat. Here's one with the curtains in the background. She's under several feet of snow right now but I'd be happy to take up-close photos of the curtains and hardware, and take measurements, but it's gotta be just a bit closer to winter's end. Tarp is in fragile condition after a couple of windstorms.

Image

They're mounted on some stretchy cords that run the width of the curtains, one at the top and one at the bottom. Each of the cords has a hook at each end, and the hook wraps around a little plastic wheel that's screwed into the fiberglass.
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Starscream
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by Starscream »

This is about the closest thing I can find to what I have:

https://www.jtsoutdoorfabrics.com/Stayp ... 15393.html

with the springy cord running through the curtain and hooking onto the knob.

A non-openable curtain could be made by sewing up a simple hemmed rectangle and using one of these in each of the four corners? https://www.jtsoutdoorfabrics.com/Stayp ... 15389.html with the shock-cord-knobs screwed into the fiberglass?

The nice thing about running a stretchy cord from side to side is that you can actually make two "curtains" per window and there's a bit of space to slide them open.
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ris
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by ris »

We put velcro dots on the covers of the window screws. We then made curtains slightly larger than the window, out of the same sunbrella fabric we put on the cabin cushions. The velcro dot with the hook will stick to the sunbrella. Easy to install and easy to put on or take off when you want to see outside.
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rsvpasap
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by rsvpasap »

Seems to me the solution depends upon why you want to cover the windows. I didn't go with curtains because I feel they make the cabin seem smaller and cluttered.

But I definitely definitely want to be able to cover the windows. I've been on my 26x for two months now in a liveaboard slip with other liveaboards around me. Obviously, you have to cover the windows, especially at night.

This product was the perfect solution.

http://www.seoladair.com/waterline/blac ... index.html

The shades adhere directly to the windows with suction cups with an unbroken success rate, whether it's a hundred degrees and 100% humidity or 30 degrees and snowing (as it has been a surprising amount here in Seattle recently). I've had them for three years. Once I learn how to put them on properly, they have never once fallen off the windows.

Perhaps best of all, for storage, the shades fold up and store in tiny nylon sleeves. Collectively, when folded up for storage, all six sleeves combined are about 8 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick, smaller than a novel, kind of like a little pack of tortillas or pitas.

They are completely opaque and you can neither see into nor out of the windows when they are in place. When you go sailing or want to let in sunlight, it requires about 2 minutes total to take them all down and put them in their little bags.

If I lost these I would purchase them again immediately.
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dlandersson
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by dlandersson »

Yeah, but at night, sleeping/camping out inthe marina, they make it "cozy". 8)
rsvpasap wrote:Seems to me the solution depends upon why you want to cover the windows. I didn't go with curtains because I feel they make the cabin seem smaller and cluttered.

But I definitely definitely want to be able to cover the windows. I've been on my 26x for two months now in a liveaboard slip with other liveaboards around me. Obviously, you have to cover the windows, especially at night.

This product was the perfect solution.

http://www.seoladair.com/waterline/blac ... index.html

The shades adhere directly to the windows with suction cups with an unbroken success rate, whether it's a hundred degrees and 100% humidity or 30 degrees and snowing (as it has been a surprising amount here in Seattle recently). I've had them for three years. Once I learn how to put them on properly, they have never once fallen off the windows.

Perhaps best of all, for storage, the shades fold up and store in tiny nylon sleeves. Collectively, when folded up for storage, all six sleeves combined are about 8 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick, smaller than a novel, kind of like a little pack of tortillas or pitas.

They are completely opaque and you can neither see into nor out of the windows when they are in place. When you go sailing or want to let in sunlight, it requires about 2 minutes total to take them all down and put them in their little bags.

If I lost these I would purchase them again immediately.
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Tomfoolery
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by Tomfoolery »

rsvpasap wrote:Seems to me the solution depends upon why you want to cover the windows.
As much to block some heat and allow a little privacy as to cover the crappy, dried adhesive that's around the windows from the PO, or the OO (I'm the third owner). Naked, in new condition, it's a rather sparse white interior, and that crud ain't helpin'. So a little nautical themed curtain material might dress it up a little. I hope. :|
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BOAT
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by BOAT »

Tomfoolery wrote:
rsvpasap wrote:Seems to me the solution depends upon why you want to cover the windows.
As much to block some heat and allow a little privacy as to cover the crappy, dried adhesive that's around the windows from the PO, or the OO (I'm the third owner). Naked, in new condition, it's a rather sparse white interior, and that crud ain't helpin'. So a little nautical themed curtain material might dress it up a little. I hope. :|
pics are old but you get the idea:

Image

Image

Image
C Buchs
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by C Buchs »

I found these "Adhesive Male Snaps" via MJ Sailing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OB ... W3DL&psc=1 I used them to hold my new cushions in place. So far they've been working great. I think I ordered them from somewhere else. $20 for freight is robbery.

Jeff
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nedmiller
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by nedmiller »

The P.O. took some very thin plastic laminate left over from a kitchen island project and cut out pieces a bit larger than each window. He cut 2 slots in each piece, horizontally opposite each other (centered vertically). He then held each piece over its respective window and drilled & put a small screw in the boat liner at the innermost point of each slot...leaving screw head sticking out 1/4”
When we want the window cover on:
Since the laminate is flexible, we just slide one slot over a screw, flex the laminate and slide the opposite slot over the opposite screw...<5 secs. per window.

We pop them off in the morning and store them under the mattress. Storage takes up zero space.
The laminate is thin and a bit fragile and after 10+ years, a few of ours have cracks from enthusiastic removal. The wood inside our Mac is all cherry and I am thinking when I replace them, I will get a cherry laminate. I may add cloth to the sides facing out to provide a bit of insulation.
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by Highlander »

Tom
Here,s some pic,s of my drapes mod with tracks & bungee cord , go down to the last post
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=23023

if u need more pic,s let me know & I can send u them

J 8)
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Jimmyt
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by Jimmyt »

Boat; would you mind sharing your shade source? I like the way those look.
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Russ
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Re: What's everyone doing about curtains?

Post by Russ »

Starscream wrote:'sfunny, but I don't have a lot of photos of the inside of my boat. Here's one with the curtains in the background. She's under several feet of snow right now but I'd be happy to take up-close photos of the curtains and hardware, and take measurements, but it's gotta be just a bit closer to winter's end. Tarp is in fragile condition after a couple of windstorms.

Image

They're mounted on some stretchy cords that run the width of the curtains, one at the top and one at the bottom. Each of the cords has a hook at each end, and the hook wraps around a little plastic wheel that's screwed into the fiberglass.
I really like this idea. We put curtains up mostly to add some color to a normally sterile beige cabin (I love the wood trim earlier boats had).
For the head window and "hatch" I used film similar to what Ray linked to. I don't need/want to see out of the head windows.

My idea was to use a wire where you have bungee cord. It doesn't work because I can't get it tight and has horrible AAF (Admiral Acceptance Factor) I'm going to replace with bungee.

How are yours terminated? You say something "like" the stayput devices you link to. Seems like there could be many ways to do this.

--Russ
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