With the paint around the helm windshield ground back and new fiberglass installed to fit the new windshield frame to this old boat, next I made the patterns for the new windows and we wrapped up the bodywork on the hardtop.
Center helm windshield pattern for new Motion Windows
Motion Windows did a good job making the bow seat windows, and they say they’ll be able to produce a 2-pane center windshield with a fixed lower and hinged upper, like the original but better. That center opening windshield lets the breeze in and really makes the helm and aft deck pleasant when it’s warm outside. I was glad to hear they’ll be able to make it.
Center opening windshield typical of late ’60s Chris Craft cruisers
I’m shipping the patterns off to Motion today, which means the windows should be ready to install before November. It’ll be nice to have glass back in the boat. With the patterns made, next we removed the frame and got busy with the final bodywork.
The hardtop is shaped to the windshield and sprayed with Awlquik
Lower windshield landing changed shape just a bit
Carbide circular saw blade shaped the new fiberglass
Ah, yes…there’s nothing quite like being surrounded by fiberglass dust again. I hope we never have to do this again.
Several layers of new ‘glass fill the old gaps
The biggest gap filled with the most ‘glass
Oh, and here’s some free advice about fiberglass and marital bliss: Even fully suited up, it’s inevitable that some ‘glass dust will find a bare spot of skin. Fortunately, loofa sponges are great for scrubbing itchy glass fibers out of your skin after all the nasty FRP work is done. But–and this is critical–DO NOT USE the missus’ loofa that’s always sitting there in the shower at home no matter how itchy you are. You’d think she wouldn’t mind, but apparently some of the glass fibers can end up taking up residence in the loofa and…um…surprising the loofa owner the next time she uses it.
Let me tell you, whoever came up with the phrase hell hath no fury like a woman scorned clearly never experienced the fury of a woman whose loofa has been tainted with FRP dust. Lesson learned…perfectly justified bruises heal. 😉
Black guide coat helps ensure consistent sanding
Primed and sanded hardtop
The hardtop fillets are turning out nice, and are a good alternative to the OEM aluminum drip rails that were stolen by the bastard thieves back in May 2014.
Guide coat sanding on the hardtop
Awlgrip primer over shiny Awlgrip paint on the underside of the hard top at the transom
We’ve got to finish sanding the primer and prep for paint. But first, the windshield frame needs to be primed and painted since it will be much easier and a more efficient use of materials to tape off the freshly painted windshield to paint the hardtop than it would be if we put “the shiny” (as my Boatamalan painter calls it) on the hardtop first.
Next up on our 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Sparkly Shiny Helm Windshield Frame
1969chriscraftroamer46 