We boat in a fully enclosed helm all the time and it is not a problem. Even with the A/C turned off it's good. You have the center window vent that opens. In our case we have hatches on the hardtop that open. And if it's really hot, we put a drop curtain on and turn on the A/C. If you boat on Lake Michigan, the more common issue is staying warm, and canvas offers an easy fix for that problem.

 

We run with front canvas in, aft canvas off, weather permitting. If it’s hot, we can open the hard top vent and front W/S vent. With newer front canvas, vision isn’t an issue.

Part of reason leaving Forward On is the polycarbonate glass, from what I’ve read, will get scuffed and scratched as you stack them on top of each other and zippers bang it and what ever else happens as you remove and re install over time. My previous canvas was all scuffed and visibility was an issue. Now it’s crystal clear and I want to keep it that way.

 

Weather permitting, I remove all canvas/glass.

 

While it is a personal preference I tend to leave mine up all the time. I will occasionally take down all the visors and side curtains to give a wide open feel on warm days with a good weather forecast ahead. Fall and Spring - they almost never come down. To simplify this I do have "frowns" sewn in to mine so that I can open up to let air flow through - but I have regular eisenglass and not a poly sheet.

Your intended use will (and should) come into play when designing your enclosure. There are many types and grades of eisenglass and each have their best use. As mentioned, the heavier gauge or poly sheets are probably best for visibility but do not function well for taking up and down and storing. Likewise a 20 gauge panel sewn in as a window will give good visibility and light in a piece of canvas that frequently gets rolled up and stored away.

The more canvas jobs I talk to people about the more I am surprised that a number of fabricators do not even discuss these things with client.

-Kevin

 

Up 90% of the time

 

View attachment 65715 Up 90% of the time

10% sitting on the helm seat. - Sorry ... just kidding, LOL

-Kevin

 

When I bought my boat new to me in 2013 I bought Great Lakes Canvas new which had the Rubber channel method of installation for the front windows I do not have a mooring cover for my boat so I leave my canvas up all the time I also thought it wouldn’t be a good idea in season to remove and replace the windows three or four times a week figuring that the rubber would just either wear out or not set the right way so for the last six years in season my canvases on most of the time I did have to have all of my windows i.e. isinglass Replaced approximately one year after they were new I brought them to a local canvas shop who put in 40 gauge OPTi clear which has lasted almost 5 seasons blemish free the factory 30 gauge roll isinglass is absolutely shit when I called my Great Lakes dealer within the first year he said that there was no warrantee for anything that goes wrong with the isinglass but when I sent him the pictures he could not believe how quickly it Deteriorated eventually I called the factory after the warranty. And the woman who I spoke to was nice enough to offer me a deep discount on a mooring cover that I have not yet pulled the trigger on ,Just my experience with leaving the canvas up from May until December in the Northeast I’m guessing the angle of the windows in the front and the aft curtain window ,the UV rays just destroyed them with the low-quality glass that was used from the factory

 

Most of the Time i just take down the middle if its really hot ill take down the hole front but i leave the sides on...

 

This is what I do too. But if it is really, really hot, its nice to take all the isinglass out, especially if we are at anchor and its light breeze. (its quieter at speed too to have all the glass out, even if it is a bit windier). But at night it all goes back in for bug/dew control. Its often easier to just leave the front on.

I always leave the canvas bimini and visor up. Its a bit of shade, even on our 330.

 

I leave the front on for three reasons:

1. Wind protection
2. Spray protection
3. My canvas is older and a bit tight so it's difficult to put back on

I remove the cockpit side panels....

Let me know what your quotes are. I'm going to either hire a canvas person or attempt to do it myself...

EDIT:

I will say that I can roll-up my side panels and the center front panel for air. So, it's really only the two on the port and stbd side that stay zipped... Plenty of air circulation...

 

In Virginia with our 320, I took the front curtains down occasionally for the air. In Wi. I never took them down.

 

Off, here in FL, unless it's cold or rainy. We have a cockpit cover when the boat's sleeping at the dock so all the panels are below with towels in between each.

 

Most of the time my glass is down. Early Spring and Fall I tend to leave it up. I stow it down below laying flat on the front bed with towels between each piece. I install it every evening when we return to the dock and remove it in morning before we head back out. I know it sounds like a lot of work but it's really not that bad and I just can't have the boat sitting without canvas overnight. My OCD would not let me sleep..

 

Here in Utah
It is up November to April 1st.. Then totally open spring, summer, fall.

 

It's a seasonal thing for me. In the winter, it's nice to block the cold wind. In the summer I prefer it to be open in the front. I just got a bid for a new camper top. I will be leaving the top on all the time, However, in the summer I will likely remove the front and sides and store them away. One thing I'm doing is getting extra-thick glass in the front which is better for clarity but not as good for rolling up. I'll use thinner material in the back and have some straps installed to capture the rolled up windows,

 

Off if the weather is good. I did both canvas and glass panels. Canvas takes 5 min to put up and take down. Only use glass when needed for protection under way. Keeps the cockpit cooler too. Bimini always on.

 

We rarely have any of our isinglass on. I do leave the front and usually the rear bimini up too but unless its raining or a cold day the curtains are all off. I like the wind in my face

 

Bimini and sunshade always up eisenglass and back slant canvas almost always off till night time then I button it all up even when I sleep on it

 

In winter they all stay up. In the summer, because we live in a desert area and often have temps 85* and higher, we leave the front window in but they stay rolled up all the time. The first curtains on the side we leave in but all the rest of the 13 panels come down. Just too darn hot with them all up.

 

Everything off except the bimini's. Moored under cover in boathouse. Front window and sides up at night to keep dew off cockpit when out overnight.

 

Bimini always on. I take the center windshield section out. Most of the summer I remove rear Eisenglass glass every morning and replace every night. Lake Michigan is cold for 8-10 months of the year.

 

All canvas off and front windows left in. On really hot days I’ll either remove the center window and/or crack the vent and hardtop window.

We’re getting closer boys!

 

I put "Smile" zippers in all my glass so its less than 5 minutes to roll it all up. Very easy to zip back down

also.

 

Minneapolis here. If its under 50 degrees the canvas with camper goes on. Any other time i use a cockpit cover when in the slip and use the dial biminis only for sun shade (no canvas front or sides when on onboard regardless of overnights.

Unless it rains, then front and sides go up.

The dash and instruments can get quite wet from dew so we drape a towel over them at night.

 

Our glass only goes up if a thunderstorm is incoming or if we are out of the slip and spending the night at the levee. We like the breeze.

 

Don’t have any! I had to drive back in a bad thunderstorm once in 2.5 years, I just try not to do that again!
We have debated getting more shade for the rear of the cockpit, but never follow through. In the winter, when it’s “cold” I put on a ski cap and/or a hoodie to keep warm, only have needed that a few times.

 

I just had my 3 front windows redone in policarb, so I will most likely just flip up the middle piece (snaps to the arch) and leave the other 2 up. The PO had really nice custom cloth containers for all 3 pieces, so like EZ I may remove and place in them on really hot days (or days I just want the breeze). But after having my 37 DA for 12 years (which I loved) and couldn't stand up at the helm, it's really nice with my 40 to stand up and feel the breeze. And makes the need even greater to have nice clear front panels.

As far as the front panels with the u-shape zippers, I believe that would annoy the crap out of me. But to each his own.

 

As far as the front panels with the u-shape zippers, I believe that would annoy the crap out of me. But to each his own.

Me too! It would irk my OCD as well