Windshield Removal / Glass Removal - TINT

Hey crew, long time lurker.
Looking to get the windshield tinted 20%.
Currently most tint shops in my area are requesting to take the windshield out. I do not trust this due to many reasons.(mostly idiots, pro idiots and the standard idiots that think they know how to wrench on a boat and will take the work on for the $)
So..

Do you really need the windows out?

Are the bottom brackets on the window frame , held on with Rivets or Screws? (Not the screws holding it down the the surface.)

Anyone one know more about this and could shine light or maybe a picture?


Thanks

I'll say this. we just pulled the tint off our windshield from the boat we bought last year as it's hard as hell to see thru it especially at night. it may look cool but sacrificing safety on the water doesn't make sense to me.

that being said pulling it off was a major boitch. I would suspect any reputable tint shop will want them removed to ensure a clean tint job as tinting and trying to get it down along the dash/windshield frame will be quite a challenge. I'd remove them but if your boat is from 1999, 20 years on the glass i'd be extremely careful. breaking a piece won't end in a cheap solution.

I am also interested on this topic. I love the looks of a boat with tinted windows but, I have read several reviews that said they also ripped the tint off because they hated it. Can anyone chime in that has tinted windows and likes them? Also, what is the difficulty of taking the windows out? The guy in my area said that he won’t step foot inside the boat due to complications he has had with customers in the past. Thanks.


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Sandm thanks for your input.

My thought would be to not be too dark . An Yes that’s a huge concern about 20 year old boat parts. Learning this the hard way.

Well I am becoming a 5.7 Indmar MpI APEX expert..

Some people say it’s a must others say to take out others say it’s a expensive job and I understand this. I just spoke with a buddy from out of state and he said they just REALLY got to know the trade. And expect to get charged more for a job without windows removed due to the complexity of the curve. (Done right of course)

Anyone else want to chime in on this?

The local shop here in Knoxville takes out the glass for the SA and SL. Assume b/c of the curve an easier to apply.

Also have seen people do not take the windows out and use a small strip of 3M black piece of tape to conceal the small gap between the frame and tint. Looks good.

I'm going with 15% on my SL this spring.

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I was also planning on tinting my windows this summer too. I never thought about taking the glass out. I’ve had every car I’ve owned windows tinted since I was 16 and all have been tinted in place. My suggestion do some research, question the installers if they’ve done something like this before and if you get a bad feeling trust your gut and go to a different place. I will say window to tinters tend to be odd bunch of guys, put very politely. Go to the bigger shops that only do window tinting and they’ll have way more experience.

I’ve tinted a couple of my cars over the years and never once did they actually remove the windows, even the really tough curved ones. I’d be super careful letting anyone pull 20-year-old glass from a boat unless they seem really experienced, breaking a curved boat windshield isn’t something you want to risk, honestly. I’d say talk to a few more shops and push for a clear answer why the removal’s needed. Sometimes it’s just about making their job easier but might not be essential if someone’s skilled enough. It kind of reminds me of when I was researching window replacements for my parents’ place. A lot of installers insisted their method was better, but ultimately the ones with more experience in trickier installs gave the best result. That’s what I learned while looking into Canadian Choice Windows in Ottawa.

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Originally Posted by SupraNASTY

Hey crew, long time lurker.
Looking to get the windshield tinted 20%.
Currently most tint shops in my area are requesting to take the windshield out. I do not trust this due to many reasons.(mostly idiots, pro idiots and the standard idiots that think they know how to wrench on a boat and will take the work on for the $)
So..

Do you really need the windows out?

Are the bottom brackets on the window frame , held on with Rivets or Screws? (Not the screws holding it down the the surface.)

Anyone one know more about this and could shine light or maybe a picture?


Thanks

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I did mine last year. They did not remove the windshield.