Cape Canvas & Rigging, West Yarmouth, Mass.

In November 2006, Alex Bell of Mariner Canvas Co., New Bern, N.C., a beloved member of MFA, passed away unexpectedly. The MFA board of directors voted to rename the New Member Award in his memory.

This project, which won the Alex Bell New Member Award in the 2008 MFA Awards, included a four-sided polycarbonate and Strataglass enclosure. The client wanted an enclosure that maximized his forward visibility. The forward section needed to be watertight with easy ventilation and clean lines. The 60-gauge Makrolon polycarbonate helm windshield is limited by an upper instrument pod, which is built into the top. The top and bottom of the window panel are just wide enough to accommodate the Keder tape. No zipper connectors were used, and the lower track was screwed to the windshield after sliding it onto the window curtains. The side and aft windows are 40-gauge Strataglass. All window joins have rain flaps, and the joins complement the boat’s architecture. Both side windows flip and roll up. The oversized center aft window has a fiberglass batten embedded in the bottom edge to ease rolling. The enclosure maximizes visibility and water resistance. The client gained a full two inches of visibility at the helm, and his instruments are moisture free.