New portlights on Gulf 32

[bwindrope]

I'm in the middle of many projects right now. Some are general maintenance, some are aesthetic improvements I've long wanted, and others related to our preparations for rounding Vancouver Island next summer. Unfortunately, one project has been fixing damage from a hit and run on Aeolus while she was on a mooring ball. Anyway, as part of fixing the fiberglass damage, I also had to replace the broken portlight.

I looked around at various options, having no hope that I would find an OEM replacement. I looked at all the usual manufacturers, and all of them would have required some amount of modification of the hull. Then, due to a voracious appetite for internet research, I found an outfit down in my old stomping grounds in SoCal that has the molds to make all the windows for Capital Yacht boats.

My Gulf 32 had sliding portlights in these spots, but Mark Plastics in Corona was able to fabricate my preference of a fixed window with 1/4" high quality plexi and for a very good price. Cheaper than the other options, and an exact fit! I ordered two, to have them match on both sides and am a very happy camper. Any other Capital Yacht people out there should know about Mark, and I have no affiliation other than being a satisfied customer.

To see a picture of the inside mounting, and to see a photo of the hull repair I had to do, check out my recent blog post: Stories of Aeolus- Our Gulf 32 Pilothouse: Multiple projects continued

[hydra-naut]

That is great information to know for the future if we ever need to replace the portlights on our Gulf32.Thanks..
We have made some major changes to our Boat over the last year including new fixed pilothouse windows to replace the leaky original sliders.
Have searched the net for information on the earlier Gulf 32's prior to the 70's but so far found nothing!Any suggestions where to find any info would be greatly appreciated.

[bwindrope]

I'm surprised to hear you replaced your sliding pilothouse windows with fixed windows. Among the most wonderful things about the Gulf 32 is the outstanding ventilation these windows provide while cruising anywhere in the summer time. Not to mention how often we use them to dump things overboard by reaching through them from the galley!

We replaced all our old original plastic pilothouse windows with new aluminum windows from Wayne Enterprises in Alabama. Here is the story:Stories of Aeolus- Our Gulf 32 Pilothouse: Finishing installation of new pilothouse windows

As for older Gulf 32's, that gets a bit murky. They are a Bill Garden design, evidently from the 60's, but I do not know of any commercial production prior to Capital Yachts. Here is a link to a story on the Capital Yachts site: William Garden

In any case, nice to hear from you and best wishes for you and your Gulf. We leave this weekend on a 75 mile trip up Puget Sound from the Seattle area to the San Juan Islands to return Aeolus to her rightful home there. Absolutely cannot wait for the time on the water and the incredible beauty of the trip.