Adding a portlight to sliding cabin door?

**Loneranger** · 10-02-2012, 06:43 PM

I have an idea that I am bouncing around with the guys at Newfoundmetals.com, a maker of stainless steel portlights. When I boat with the children they are constantly opening and closing the cabin door usually briefly to check that we are still there I suppose. I think a portlight in the sliding door would allow more light into cabin, allow me to look in and check on children, allow children to talk to me through the door without opening and closing the door. The installation of a portlight is not too tough. The problem is the clearance available to slide the door under the helm. There is only 11 mm in front and 27 mm behind the door with a 30 mm thick door. I can place a nonopening portlight in the space but the dogs that close the glass are too thick.

Anyone have any ideas of how to accomplish this? Or ideas of why not to do this? The only down side I can see is the structural integrity of the door since it is designed to be stepped upon to access the bow.

I put a gray oval where I was thinking of placing the opening.

**Russ Calasant** · 10-02-2012, 07:30 PM

I think your on to something, it's a great idea. My door is thin and has a lot of clearance and not strucual. I am always torn in the summer, save AC or looking into the cockpit while I'm in the cabin. I wonder why it's never been done.

**Havana Shamrock** · 10-03-2012, 09:28 AM

I like the idea except i would try for a rectangle , since the door has steps incorporated into it i dont think the structural integrity would really be comprimsed all that much. Keep us posted.

**CliffA** · 10-03-2012, 09:32 AM

i think the idea is good for letting in additional light into the cabin...as far as stopping the children from opening the door so much this may not solve that problem....i have noticed my two grandsons love to open and close doors and cabinets for no apparent reason...your children may continue to open the cabin door even after the porthole is installed.....my only concern about the location of the porthole in the sliding door is the possibility of someone breaking the glass with their foot/shoe as they climb up the steps to the bow...but that may be an acceptable risk as the chances of this happening may be slim....

i would like to carry your idea a little further....why not have a couple of decent size removable panels in the sliding door that have screens over the openings?....by also opening the deck hatch this would allow for air circulation throughout the cabin and keep bugs out while the sliding door was closed for boats without AC or for boats that do have AC but do not want or need to run it that day.....the openings would also allow a considerable amount of additional light into the cabin and allow for easy communication between someone in the cabin and someone in the cockpit....of course the openings in the door would need to have weatherstrips around the edges to seal out water when the panels are installed....also the overall weight of the door would be reduced by installing the panels so that may make opening and closing the sliding door a little easier.....

sometimes my brain just wanders thinking about stuff like this....

cliff

**ZZ13** · 10-03-2012, 09:53 PM

If you can't get a window to work and the main purpose is for the kids to check for you in the cockpit, what about adding one of those little hotel room door viewer things?

**Russ Calasant** · 10-04-2012, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by ZZ13

If you can't get a window to work and the main purpose is for the kids to check for you in the cockpit, what about adding one of those little hotel room door viewer things?

That's a good idea too. For my purpose it's when I am down below, door closed and sometimes you feel the boat move or hear something and it would be nice to be able to look into the cockpit without opening the door for several reasons. Maybe a camera out there but seems like a lot of work/money.

**KP49** · 10-04-2012, 10:52 AM

How about a sliding window/screen like the mid cabins have except a little more square to fir the door. Lot of sizes available for RVs, tinted or not.

Quick photoshop, just walking out the door so didnt have a lot of time to spend on it, doesnt look too bad, an off white frame would look better maybe:

**Loneranger** · 10-04-2012, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by KP49

How about a sliding window/screen like the mid cabins have except a little more square to fir the door. Lot of sizes available for RVs, tinted or not.

Quick photoshop, just walking out the door so didnt have a lot of time to spend on it, doesnt look too bad, an off white frame would look better maybe:

I had not really thought of a slider but that may need to be the answer. I am still waiting to hear back from Newfound Metals but i suspect the dogs on a traditional portlight will be too thick to still allow the door to slide. I am not partial to rectangle or oval. I used the oval in the first picture since all the other portlights on the boat are oval and most commercial options i have seen are oval. There is a weird curved rectangular porlight that slides underneath the port side lounger so a rectangular one may look better in the cockpit.

Any ideas on a source for the slider you mentioned? I have not seen one available where I have looked so far.

John

**Loneranger** · 10-04-2012, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by ZZ13

If you can't get a window to work and the main purpose is for the kids to check for you in the cockpit, what about adding one of those little hotel room door viewer things?

Good idea but i would really like to be able to use something larger to open so that i can yell at them in the cabin or improve airflow.

John

**Loneranger** · 10-04-2012, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by CliffA

i think the idea is good for letting in additional light into the cabin...as far as stopping the children from opening the door so much this may not solve that problem....i have noticed my two grandsons love to open and close doors and cabinets for no apparent reason...your children may continue to open the cabin door even after the porthole is installed.....my only concern about the location of the porthole in the sliding door is the possibility of someone breaking the glass with their foot/shoe as they climb up the steps to the bow...but that may be an acceptable risk as the chances of this happening may be slim....

i would like to carry your idea a little further....why not have a couple of decent size removable panels in the sliding door that have screens over the openings?....by also opening the deck hatch this would allow for air circulation throughout the cabin and keep bugs out while the sliding door was closed for boats without AC or for boats that do have AC but do not want or need to run it that day.....the openings would also allow a considerable amount of additional light into the cabin and allow for easy communication between someone in the cabin and someone in the cockpit....of course the openings in the door would need to have weatherstrips around the edges to seal out water when the panels are installed....also the overall weight of the door would be reduced by installing the panels so that may make opening and closing the sliding door a little easier.....

sometimes my brain just wanders thinking about stuff like this....

cliff

You are correct I may not stop them from opening the door but at least i can spy on them.

Your further idea is interesting. I suppose you are describing something like the rectangular portlight with a sliding glass above only able to open the entire cut out.

John