thompsondockside.com

I am working on a 1967 20' Offshore Camper (Peshtigo). The windshield front frame is shot, It's on the borderline of trying to refurb it or build new, using the old pieces for a pattern. If I go to all of the work building a new frame, does any of the readers of these posts have any digital pictures or plans for building a ventilating windshield out of Mahogany for a Thompson? If anyone could reply with pictures or info it would really be appreciated.
Thanks Don

This model and year probably had a wooden windshield frame with aluminum front inserts that opened. Do you want to change this?

I just made a new similar type windshield frame for the '61 Peshtigo Sea Lancer I am restoring. Did that same thing last year for the '59 Peshtigo Sea Lancer I restored. I do not have any plans or drawings. I may have taken some pictures.

If you have the old pieces, use them as patterns. Pay close attantion to how everything was assembled. It is fairly complicated millwork!

Andreas

Don,
I have finished restoration on a 1964 20' Seacamper, see details
http://www.thompsondockside.com/views/v ... .php?t=912
http://www.thompsondockside.com/views/v ... 95e72ac021
"seacamper lake test" there are some detail photos of windshield. I had to have windshields remade after I had sanded on them too much. I took pieces to my wood boat guy and he made them to match, AJR is right they are a complicated construction and attention should be paid to grouve for glass thickness and grouve for rubber seal.
I am currently refinishing a 63 Cruisers Inc
that has exact same windsshield structure, would be glad to help any way I can.

Thanks guys for the posts. I've seen some Thompsons with aluminum windshield frames but I'm a traditionilist, I prefer the look of all wood. I have built a lot of cabinet doors, china hutches with glass doors,etc and the joinery of a windshield while exacting doesn't frighten me. I really enjoy woodworking. My concern is hiding the top hinge from view and at the same time providing some sort of weather seal for the hinge itself. On your boat Dan ( a beautiful job I might add) I noticed a cap strip on top of the windshield, protecting the hinge area. Is this a Cruisers feature or did the Peshtigo Thompson's have something similar? My boat was stored for years in a woodshed with the bow sticking out covered with an old plastic tarp. Over the years the deck and the windshield bore the brunt of the elements. The windshield parts have severe weathering, checking and most all the glue joints and dowels have failed. Trying to save the old wood could be a huge problem. The first order of business is to finish painting the Hull and topsides before the weather starts to change and then work on the windshield this winter in a nice warm workshop.
Don

If you have the old windshield frame, why can't you use it as a pattern to make a new one?

Peshtigo built Thompson boats did not have the horizontal "cap" on top of the wooden windshield frame. That was a Cruisers, Inc. and T & T Boats feature.

Some Thompson Boats came standard with the aluminum framed windshield.

Andreas

Yes, I can use the old parts for patterns. If I can't save them by sanding, bleaching and staining, then I'll have to make new. If I have to make a new assembly I wanted to know if it was feasable to make a windshield that opens instead of being fixed because of the heat here in the summer months. The old windshield literally fell apart at the joints when I removed it from the boat, so disassembling it is not a problem but trying to put it back together so it looks well, might be. Hopefully, by next summer I'll be able to post some before & after photos. If they will inspire folks to to get interested and try to save some of our old wooden boats that would be good.

If you have a 1967 Thompson Bros. Off Shore Camper it should have come standard with a ventilating windshield. Meaning the front windows should open. They are aluminum inserts that pivot at the top so that the bottom portion opens like an awning window.

Do you have something different?

Maybe you could email a picture to me directly???

The answer is yes, I am sure you could build a new windshield frame that would have operable front windows.

Andreas
email: thompsonboat@msn.com