Installing Curtains on Your Grady-White Boat

When it gets cold or a storm is rolling in, you’ll be glad you have curtains for your boat. If you’ve never installed them before, you are going to want to get familiar with the process before you need them. Once you’ve done it a time or two, you’ll find it to be a lot easier. Here are a few pointers to help you get started. Note: Curtains vary by boat model and by options, like a hard-top or vista top.

1. Separate the curtains by section: front, aft, port, and starboard side. If you have a dual console model, you’ll also have one for the walkthrough section of the boat. (You may want to find an inconspicuous place where you write the position where it should be placed in an indelible marker. For example: Bow, Port 1, Port 2.)
2. It’s better to install when they are warm. Cold curtains tend to be hard to stretch and since you don’t want them flapping around when under way, they need to have a snug fit.
3. If you have snaps and zippers on your curtains it will be easier if you start by lubricating the snaps with a zipper and snap lubricant.
4. Take a little time to examine the curtains and determine which is the top, bottom, front, and back side of each.
5. For boats with a hard-top or T-top: Examine the track overhead and the round gasket at the top of the curtain that slides into the track, as well as the snaps and twist locks that hold the curtain down once installed.
6. If you have a dual console model, you’ll want to start with the walkthrough curtain first. Insert on the port side hard top track to avoid having to maneuver around the extra section that runs to the helm on the starboard side. Once it is in place, line up with the snaps and roll up so that you can open the window and access the front of the windshield to easily snap in the other sections.
7. Once in place and adhered to the top and bottom, velcro and zip where necessary.
8. Repeat on the starboard side.

When not in use, remember to store your curtains with paper, a towel or sheet in between them so that the clear vinyl does not stick together. If possible, it’s better to store them flat vs. rolled. If rolling be careful not to let the zipper scratch the clear vinyl. Many boaters opt to leave their curtains up year-round, keeping them open when the weather is nice. If you decide to do this, it’s important to rinse and wash them after each use due to being exposed to salt air and spray. (It’s a good idea even in freshwater environments.)

Let Eric Sorensen give you a few tips on installing and maintaining your curtains and canvas in this informative video: