Posted: 25 Jul 2007 at 11:09am
Curious what people think of the round portlights that have shown up in some Dolphin renovations. A great example is RECOVERY:

RECOVERY on her mooring

Our esteemed Webmaster has called them a "virus".

I really think the Dolphin looks classic and salty with those round ports. And if they are openable, so much the better. When I find me a Dolphin, I'll consider adding the "portholes", especially if the existing ones need some work anyway.

Thoughts?


Posted: 25 Jul 2007 at 4:43pm
We are actually considering round portlights for Passage.
Webmaster


Posted: 27 Jul 2007 at 10:32am
My own Dolphin suffers from poor ventilation, which I'm remediating with a solar fan and a few vents. Portlights that open would help that cause, but they can be incredibly expensive.
ericsorensen


Posted: 03 Aug 2007 at 11:44am
I decided to put the round ports on Recovery because I had to replace the originals. The originals were enormous plexiglass with black rubber frames around them. They were too big for the boat and pretty ugly. The plexiglass was also crazed to the point where I could barely see out. I was not opposed to rectangular ports, in fact, that was my first choice but I couldn't find any that were bronze (all the hardware on Recovery is now bronze), the right size and affordable. It was only then that I started thinking round. I looked at countless boats with round ports and convinced myself that they'd look good on a Dolphin. I was aware that they'd completely change the look of the boat but I was pretty sure it wouldn't hurt them. All of the ports on the sides are non-opening, the one on the forward is opening. They were surprisingly inexpensive.

Since changing them, I've never regretted it. The boat certainly has a more classic, salty look but I like that. I also think that I get more compliments on it now.

As far as ventilation, I leave the forward port slightly open all the time and when I leave the boat, I put a bucket on the berth directly under it. Whenever it rains, the water drips into the bucket. For my uppermost companionway slat, I have a wood-framed bronze screen that I leave in whenever the boat's on a mooring or anchor. I only use the solid teak one when I'm at a dock not facing into the wind or when the boat's out of the water. I also have two cowl vents on either side of the lazarette hatch that are attached to ducts that lead to either side of the inboard engine under the companionway. One cowl faces forward and the other aft and they provide an unbelievable amount of ventilation. In the slightest breeze if you put your hand in front of the duct inside the cabin you'll be amazed at how it blows in. The other duct sucks it out. Even if I had an outboard, I would continue to use the cowls and ducts.

I looked into some small dorade boxes with cowl vents on the cabin top (as I've seen on some dolphins) but as my halyards are led aft to the cockpit and there is precious little deck space on our little boats, there really wasn't room and frankly, I don't think I need them.

Even with all of the ventilation, I still get some mildew here and there and for that I keep a small spray bottle of cleanser with bleach and I spray and wipe as necessary.

Jay Picotte