Pram hood with a twist?

[Silent Flight]

Hullo all,

 

I’m looking to replace the wheelhouse on my boat for something more practical. When initially posted about the boat on here had some input that the wheelhouse might not be ideal, and some horticultural responses.😅

It’s tired and leaks in several places and was renovated badly last time. Plus the dismantle/reassemble is tedious when I know I could have a much easier setup. 

 

Anyway I budgeted for a new pram hood providing the rest of the reno goes to plan, which has hit a few snags but nothing major. 

Had a couple of quotes as a benchmark, however I don’t want a normal pram hood. 
 

Ideally I would like a glass windscreen angled inwards like Dutch barges and big ships do.  Practical for sun glare/ rain etc.
 

Then the rest of the pram hood to attach to the front windscreen. Windscreen to fold down forwards onto roof.
 

Hoping the hood can mimic the shape of the wheelhouse. With the canvas covering the length of the doors.

If anyone can answer some of these questions that would be great!

 

Has anything been constructed like this before?
Who can make a glass windscreen with a wooden frame?

Any recommendations for a company up for the job of something a bit different?

What material?

Am I mad? ( rhetorical ) 

 

 

[MtB]

5 hours ago, Owls Den said:

If anyone can answer some of these questions that would be great!

 

Has anything been constructed like this before?
Who can make a glass windscreen with a wooden frame?

Any recommendations for a company up for the job of something a bit different?

What material?

Am I mad? ( rhetorical ) 

 

Oh dear. 

 

Anything non-standard in the world of cratch covers and pram hoods will be nosebleed money. Once woodwork is involved too, you'll prolly really struggle to find one single firm up for doing it. I think you'll need to design the glass windscreen and frame yourself then once constructed, get a pram hood firm in to fit onto it. 

 

I doubt anybody experienced in boatbuilding will be the slightest bit interested in doing "something a bit different". They will all have learned the hard way why doing it the same as everyone else is the safest way of getting it "right first time". Which is what all customers actually want and expect. 

 

 

[David Mack]

Can you not use the existing glass windscreen and frame?

[Silent Flight]

13 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Oh dear. 

 

Anything non-standard in the world of cratch covers and pram hoods will be nosebleed money. Once woodwork is involved too, you'll prolly really struggle to find one single firm up for doing it. I think you'll need to design the glass windscreen and frame yourself then once constructed, get a pram hood firm in to fit onto it. 

 

I doubt anybody experienced in boatbuilding will be the slightest bit interested in doing "something a bit different". They will all have learned the hard way why doing it the same as everyone else is the safest way of getting it "right first time". Which is what all customers actually want and expect. 

 

 

Yeah did think need to sort the windscreen first then get the hood to fit it, will cost more but same time don’t want it to spiral out of control. Need some quotes but  unsure where to start with it. 

Your right all customers want it right the first time. 
 

But doing the same as everyone and carbon copying designs, cos it’s the ‘safest’ way is extremely bland to me. Progression in ships would never of happened if we all just did the same as everyone else.
 

Imagine the Cutty Sark with no copper hull for example. Not comparing a wheelhouse refit on a barge to the infamous clipper, just using as an example.
 

 

[MtB]

9 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

Yeah did think need to sort the windscreen first then get the hood to fit it, will cost more but same time don’t want it to spiral out of control. Need some quotes but  unsure where to start with it. 

 

Lol you have lot to learn, Grasshopper. Costs "Spiralling out of control" what happens all the time with boats.

 

For obtaining quotes, start by producing detailed drawings of what want. The more detail the better. 

 

Without drawings, you're asking your contractors to do the design work too, which doesn't usually come free.

 

 

[Silent Flight]

52 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Can you not use the existing glass windscreen and frame?

It’s Perspex and wood, could use the existing hinges but want glass ideally. 

27 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Lol you have lot to learn, Grasshopper. Costs "Spiralling out of control" what happens all the time with boats.

 

For obtaining quotes, start by producing detailed drawings of what want. The more detail the better. 

 

Without drawings, you're asking your contractors to do the design work too, which doesn't usually come free.

 

 

Aye but I’m learning the ropes fast, already knew the saying Break out another thousand.. Should be break out another ten thou 🤣

 

Have been making some digital designs this morning as it goes. Same method to the roof box designs I posted on my Dutch NB thread. Using Apple Freeform. 
 

Thing is I’m after some reputable companies to show designs to get the ball rolling. 
 

 

[MtB]

29 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

Thing is I’m after some reputable companies to show designs to get the ball rolling. 

 

Budget to pay perhaps £5k for a reputable engineering firm to do the design work and produce working manufacturing drawings then, I'd suggest.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2023 by MtB

[Silent Flight]

These pics are from canvasman website.
 

They are wheelhouse covers so not what I’m after.
 

But have sort of the look I’m after, apart from the canvas on the windscreen

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

Budget to pay perhaps £5k for a reputable engineering firm to do the design work and produce working manufacturing drawings then, I'd suggest.

Think you may have misread me.

 

34 minutes ago, Owls Den said:

Thing is I’m after some reputable companies to show designs to get the ball rolling. 

 

[Bacchus]

I would look at this as two projects - get a fabricator to make the folding screen out of either hardwood or aluminium, then speak to a cover maker to look at the hood - not sure about the world of narrowboats, but somebody like Jeckells of Wroxham will do a very good job, and they will give you an inclusive price for measuring and making - I think they will do the steel frame for you too. Their work is excellent and their prices reasonable.

[Mike Hurley]

Most local windscreen replacement guys will do the glass work, if flat the glass can be cut in laminated glass or toughened made to measure.

[Silent Flight]

1 hour ago, Bacchus said:

I would look at this as two projects - get a fabricator to make the folding screen out of either hardwood or aluminium, then speak to a cover maker to look at the hood - not sure about the world of narrowboats, but somebody like Jeckells of Wroxham will do a very good job, and they will give you an inclusive price for measuring and making - I think they will do the steel frame for you too. Their work is excellent and their prices reasonable.

Thanks for the suggestion. Totally hear you looking as two smaller projects. Think defo the trickier part of the project is sorting the windscreen out. That could be broken into 3 smaller projects. Getting someone to cut the glass, then getting it framed as a windscreen and finally then fitted in situ. 
 

It’s who is up for the task that’s what I’m stuck on so far. Most chippys don’t want to work with glass. Most glass folk wont want to work with wood. I don’t want to be transporting a sheet of glass around ideally. And cost will escalate if passed through three hands before me. 
 

I was thinking/hoping someone knew of a wheelhouse fitter type and this job is his bread and butter 

[Lady M]

Glass will be heavier than perspex.  Have you considered using a boat window fitted to your wooden frame?

[Silent Flight]

8 minutes ago, Lady C said:

Glass will be heavier than perspex.  Have you considered using a boat window fitted to your wooden frame?

Good shout, now looking at some marine websites that manufacture windscreens out of few different materials!

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Owls Den said:

Think you may have misread me.

 

 

Apologies, I think I did. I took your post to mean you wanted design companies to produce designs to show to you. 

 

 

[Silent Flight]

54 minutes ago, Mike Hurley said:

Most local windscreen replacement guys will do the glass work, if flat the glass can be cut in laminated glass or toughened made to measure.

Did look into getting flat toughened glass from an auto place. Just unsure who could carry out the next step once cut. 

[David Mack]

Any local joinery firm should be able to make you a suitable wooden frame.

Or try a local window specialist - not the sort that just cut and weld upvc profiles, but one which makes wooden window frames from scratch. They should be able to provide toughened or laminated glass too.

[Silent Flight]

https://www.houdini-marine.co.uk/windscreens

Thankyou for everyone’s suggestions. As a result I have found this and it looks promising!
 

Imagine on motorboats the screen hinges back into the helm rather than away from a NB wheelhouse but hopefully they could flip the design around. 

 

Like that its double glazed aswell so reduces misting.
 

I have two Houdini roof hatches on the boat which are working A okay so the slightly rubbish looking website doesn’t put me off 😅

[Silent Flight]

Just a quick update on the ‘pram hood with a twist’ for those in a similar boat 9 (pun intended) guffaw guffaw.

 

The Houdini windscreen are no longer being manufactured.

 

I have been to visit Titan boat covers and spent time with the designer.

 

They are cooking up something for me that isn’t standard. 
 

In case anyone else looking for something different they are up for thinking outside the box. 
 

Got a fitting date next month (booked this in ages ago) watch this space!

[PaulJ]

Have a word with Neil from Stittle- hes very capable and based at Crick Wharf so not a million miles away..

[Silent Flight]

7 hours ago, PaulJ said:

Have a word with Neil from Stittle- hes very capable and based at Crick Wharf so not a million miles away..

Thanks, will be at Crick next weekend for the show.

 

Although I’m positive Titan have figured out what I need down to a T !

[Silent Flight]

New wheelhouse / hood design installed! Folds down in couple of minutes. Kept similar look of wheelhouse for style but also practical having forward sloping windscreen for sun glare and rain. Front screen is made from Strataglass. It’s like glass but rolls up, tough with high clarity. Hood splits in half for shade in diff areas. All widows can zip out. Bug nets can be zipped in! Very happy with it. Titan boat canopies understood the assignment!

[Alan de Enfield]

Seeing the side of your boat ............................

 

We are off down to Capernwray for 3 days next week. (Staying in the Campervan about 3 miles away from the pond)

 

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[Silent Flight]

Ahh cool post some pics Alan! Heard it’s nice up there 

[StortSaunterer]

On 03/07/2023 at 14:26, Silent Flight said:

New wheelhouse / hood design installed! Folds down in couple of minutes. Kept similar look of wheelhouse for style but also practical having forward sloping windscreen for sun glare and rain. Front screen is made from Strataglass. It’s like glass but rolls up, tough with high clarity. Hood splits in half for shade in diff areas. All widows can zip out. Bug nets can be zipped in! Very happy with it. Titan boat canopies understood the assignment!

Hi @Silent Flight, your bespoke Titan wheelhouse/pram hood looks great. I'm looking at doing a similar thing but retaining existing folding front and back windows. Do you mind telling me ballpark what yours cost you?

 

[Silent Flight]

1 hour ago, StortSaunterer said:

Hi @Silent Flight, your bespoke Titan wheelhouse/pram hood looks great. I'm looking at doing a similar thing but retaining existing folding front and back windows. Do you mind telling me ballpark what yours cost you?

 

Thankyou I’m still really happy with it. I would recommend Titan, think they would advise you to not keep existing folding front and back windows. Will pm you ballpark.
 

My boat had steel framed folding windows front and back and lots of naff Perspex and wood on the sides with a canvas top and couple of old rusty ratchet straps off a wagon😂. 
 

Went to the office twice and spent a few hours with the designer, and it was evident that would be more complicated with the weight which would make it more expensive to keep existing structures. It also gave much more flexibility to create some different options for style, function etc. 
 

Intially I was taking all the window panels off, for cruising but now I tend to zip the side panels off and fold down the back with the panel in which folds and sits on my back cupboard/tank nicely. Then the front folds down onto a wooden platform I knocked up, with a soft towel to protect the strata glass( higher clarity ) still zipped in.