Portholes

[Yannis]

Has anyone installed/do you advise in general, to put two small OPENING portholes on the sides of the bow - where your head pillow would be (that is just fwd of the cabin bulkhead) on either side?
It gets very hot in the summer and these additions would probably create a draft in the cabin.

My fear is that in a serious dunk they may become submerged. If they hold it's ok, but if they don't?
Also, how will they tie to the old Bertram looks? Will it seem like an ugly addition?
Thanks.

[ktm_2000]

I googled it and can't find an example in either a 28 or a 31.

Personally I would think that any of the "small" Bertrams aka B31 and smaller are all built fairly low to the water and there is not a lot of room to place a porthole and thus your concerns about being water tight.

it would also seem to me that the bow is quite curvy and to get to a flat spot big enough to get a window of any usable size, you may be going closer to the water line or further aft away from the v-birth.

[Yannis]

Interesting points!

There exist though in the 35 and above.

In the 33 they are placed on the sides of the step, on the bow area above deck.
The 28 has a similar step, only it is too narrow to place a porthole, let alone an opening one, where the frame should be more significant.

I have seen some oval ones, on Searays and other makes, that don't seem too wide, perhaps these would do.
On the other hand, we see these huge side windows on most newer yachts today, even on sail boats. If these don't break, why would a small porthole glass break? I am not concerned if they leak, because this can be fixed by tightening the inside bolts. My concern is if the glass would break in a dunk and at that moment it means you can do nothing about it. You can't leave the helm in a heavy sea and go down to check...

Alternatively I could drill a hole on the bow deck and put this funnel type aerator...but how would that look!!!

[Carl]

I have not seen a 28 or 31 with portholes, but have seen them with docking lights installed. They kinda look like headlights on a car.

If I was trying to make any kind of point, I do recall several occasions were they were removed as they leaked and/or had issue with them.

Me, if I wanted more air I'd consider one of those breeze catchers that get attached to the hatch when stopped/moored etc. Aside from that I' prefer to install an additional hatch on fore deck over penetrating the hull.

[Yannis]

Carl,

I have the fwd hatch and it creates enough breeze, even on calm days.
The problem is that this breeze is funneled from the hatch directly to the door, and the corners of the two beds (where most of your body and head are) are not influenced by it. These two corners remain hot, hot!

I have another idea, but it requires some upside down work...make a hole on the cabin bulkhead, somewhere above where my head is, and install a duct, 10-15cm in diameter, that will run all the way behind the backrest of the salon couch and will end at another hole on the rear bulkhead.

[ktm_2000]

back in blow boat days, parents boat we had one of these

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=htt ... AdAAAAABAJ

Is there any reason a smaller version could not be upside down under the deck redirecting the breeze?

[Yannis]

It will be in the way...

Imagine wanting to get up at night and stumbling on the rope that ties it down...haha!

Alternatively, similar to the idea of the duct, a hole on the cabin roof or the salon ledge above the pillow area, with a scoop that directs the breeze down below.
Only problem is that the ledge under the forward window in the 28 is not as deep as in the 31 and doesnt allow for a wide hole. Additionally, the slope of the window doesnt allow for a tool to make the hole, so it has to be made from below...which runs into other problems...

[Tony Meola]

Yannis

I would use a Fans. I think adding a Port Hole up there is asking for issues.

[Carl]

A fan with a long extension cord.

[Tony Meola]

A fan with a long extension cord.

I was thinking Yannis was tied up with his 1000 feet of anchor chain and had dockside power. LOL

But then again, it's Greece, maybe no dockside power. An invertor would work just fine.

[Yannis]

Tony, you're right...electricity has not reached us yet...LOL

I was thinking to not always use the fans - I have two - because they consume electricity and they are a bit noisy.
I'm thinking this hole/duct project quite some time now...who knows, one day it may come true!