Trojan Boat Forum

Hello all,

In my project I find the simplest stuff confuses me the most but at least know enough to ask others. I currently have curtains that look like something the spirit of Christmas past might wear about town.

I am considering
Aluminum blinds
Faux wood blinds
Back to curtains again but cant spend $1000 on a set they'd charge me. And no I don't want to make my own. They shoukd enhance the salon of my tricabin.
Other criterion are they should not block out all light but nor be those solar shades that light up like a Chinese lantern when I'm hiding out from work.

Please post your thoughts and resource references or pics.

What about cellular shades?

http://tinyurl.com/qz2sntg

I don't have any shades on my boat because the windows are tinted dark enough that seeing inside the boat is near impossible. However, If I were to add blinds, I would choose this style. They are light and don't bang around like a lot of the venetian style blinds (wood, plastic or metal). Just my 1.5 cents.

^ I think those are the Chinese lantern shades that the OP was talking about....

I experienced this issue with my previous boat and I went with vinyl blinds. They were nice for a while but ended up being a magnet for dust and spider webs.
On my F-32, I opted for a snap-on window wrap made out of sunbrella fabric. I have 1 that snaps on the outside of the salon windshield, and 2 more that snap on the side windows. Enough day light filters through to see in the day time and total privacy day or night. It's also fantastic for keeping the heat out. The only down side is having to go out on the gunwales to snap them on and off.

on the rear doors, I have an adhesive window wrap and allows me to see out, but you cant see in. It has graphics on it advertising my fishing charter services. It also blocks UV light and cuts down on heat.

I'll be watching this topic, I to am curious about window coverings.
I was kinda leaning towards "snap-on window wrap made out of sunbrella fabric" that bjanakos says he has.

On my F32 I have an external windshield cover that covers the front and wraps around part of the forward sliders on both sides. It is Sunbrella, but a mesh instead of solid, so it lets light in but you can't see in very well (other than a bit at night with lights on inside) but you can see out. Years ago we had it made to replace a previous vinyl mesh that got stiff and started cracking (Phifertex make a similar vinyl mesh - here it is in blue - http://www.sailrite.com/Phifertex-Mesh- ... lue-G00-54#).

I rarely navigate from the lower station (unless bad weather or too darn cold...), so this cover stays on almost all of the time. For the rest of the windows I have old (probably not original) internal draperies.

These guys also have some interesting products http://www.oceanair.co.uk/marine/ Have seen their products at the boat show for the past few years. They have Canadian distributors, so have to also have US distributors too.

Offering my two cents . . . curtains should not cost a grand.

Do you have originals that someone can copy? You can go to Joann Fabric or other fabric stores, pick your fabric and probably hire someone in the store to make them on the side. Or you can look for a seamstress on Craigslist. Or your local dry cleaning tailor may be able to make them.

Mine for example, have plastic clips that have to be hand sewn on to the curtain to slide into my Trojan curtain track - sometimes it can be tricky to find the marine components to attach the curtains.

Curtains at least you can take down once in a while and wash - blinds not easy to clean.

Capt. Dave

I have horizontal mini-blinds. I keep them clean with one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/400423452023

Horizontal blinds are nice in that you can tilt them to reflect light to the ceiling, but block the view horizontally. I have fabric panels that stand off the windows on each end that covers the angled parts of the glass that the blinds don't.

Places that cater to RVs are always a good choice for accessories.

this fall/winter I decided to ditch my plastic mini blinds as they were yellowing and brittle, always got dirty and kind of cheap looking. for under $200 I had custom made covers made to tuck behind my front window cover and attach to the aluminum window railing. their two piece each side and joined with velcro. They 100% block all sunlight making sleeping late easier and lots of privacy. My front window covering is the mesh style, the sliders have regular home curtains I had hemmed and weights added to the bottom

Well, yeah I want something that would take the moisture that Seattle generates.

I wish it WERENT true but I have been in the marine biz in Seattle a long time. Twelve curtains by a marine outfit are almost a grand on sale and EVERYBODY is "two months out". This is the Northwest. Don't even get me started on real estate. Agents wont even call you with half a million dollars in cash. I am happy to mail stuff EAST however, if you know of someone.

I did have the Phifertex (90% not the see through...) mesh window visor made Barrie. That worked well. Just think I am headed toward blinds if I can't find a real deal back east on curtains. Unfortunately our model needs a lot of em.

Thats a cool blind cleaner!

Misty wrote:Well, yeah I want something that would take the moisture that Seattle generates.

I wish it WERENT true but I have been in the marine biz in Seattle a long time. Twelve curtains by a marine outfit are almost a grand on sale and EVERYBODY is "two months out". This is the Northwest. Don't even get me started on real estate. Agents wont even call you with half a million dollars in cash. I am happy to mail stuff EAST however, if you know of someone.

Interior draperies don't need to be 'marine grade'... unless you have one heck of a salty or humid interior.... If you do,the problem is the boat..... Curtains are curtains. You may need special marine fasteners on the top and magnets or weights on the bottom, but they are just curtains. (you go outside,hat's a different story)

If you have issues with fungus or mildew, that is a moisture and air flow problem, and has nothing to do with curtains, bedding, carpets, or other materials in your cabin. Improve airflow, and the problems will go away.

My boat is not covered. So yes, you need marine fabrics or at least something that holds up to fading. Moisture and Seattle go hand in hand. WE've had record rainfall too. Basically if you hope something dries out before May, again, this is the Northwest. What about these? http://www.blinds.com/control/subCatego ... 1-fauxwood

I'm going try regular shades with The curtains I have there only to hide the post and won't let light in not sure how they will hold up but there cheap enough to try mind you I don't have fly bridge so I need privacy at the dock and easy view when under way the front has wrap around fabric that snaps on not as convenient thinking of some kind reflective rv windshield block on inside Velcro maybe not sure on this yet

Follow up ( for those of you following the curtain Saga. Jeez, when I look at Barrie's progress on his tri fly I really start to wonder about mine ) I washed the curtains and am sticking with 1976. After all it was our Bicentennial down here in the States! Among the options I considered and liked were blinds dot com's THIN blade metal blinds in blue grey. Unfortunately I have some angles to consider and they really do block more light. The thing is with my curtains, the light comes in but with a white backing, NO ONE can tell I'm home with the lights on at night. Really like that. Plus theres just something about the wispy billowing curtains in the breeze compared to the blinds chattering...