Fixed portlights in topsides/hull?

[Noah]

Please educate me. Does anyone know the history/what year fixed ports were added to the hull/topsides? Has anyone retrofitted/added them as a modification? I've been toying with adding a fixed portlight to the aft cabin, but having trouble wrapping my head around the aesthetics of ending up with a non-symmetrical look, with adding a portlight to only the starboard side aft. It looks like Dave Spencer's Mk1.5, may have topside ports in different positions on both the port and starboard, but it may be a depth of field distortion in his photos (great sailing pic close reaching with spinnaker) he posted on the "buffing paint" thread today.

[Dave Spencer]

Hi Noah,
According to the history of the C34 from the main page, it looks like ports were added approx 1989 on the Mk 1.25. http://c34.org/history/
I have two hull ports in the salon.  I think they are symmetrical.  There is only an aft port on the stbd side in the aft cabin.  I understand your concern about introducing a non-symmetrical element to the boat but realistically, you can only look at one side of the boat at a time.  I've never seen the aft port as an aesthetic detriment and I'm very keen to ensure my boat "looks good".  (If I was on a mooring, I would definitely look twice or three times at our beautiful C34 as I was rowing away from it!  I've certainly taken enough glamour shots of the boat in anchorages all over Georgian Bay and the North Channel).
Ref your last post, I'm flattered to be called Dave Sanner - the technical genius that keeps this board running but, alas, I'm not.   

[Noah]

Thx, Dave SPENCER! Your boat does look beautiful. Some of the history dates/facts on the site may be a bit fuzzy, as mine is a 1990 Mk1.25 (sugar scoop/walk-over transom) and does not have hull portlights. I also believe due to my interior layout, hull portlights in the main salon aren't feasible, with the continous shelving covered by plexi sliding doors.

[Dave Spencer]

Yes, the continuous shelving would introduce a challenge if you wanted to add salon ports.  We have 2 other C34s at my marina, both are pre 1988 without portlights.  Although a bit darker below, they certainly have more stowage where my portlights are.
I've attached port and stbd side pics of my boat at anchor.  Asymmetrical to be sure but, after walking around the Toronto Boat Show for a few days in January, there were lots of symmetrical... but ugly power boats.   

[Ron Hill]

Noah : As far as not being non-symmetrical - I don't know of anyone that can see both sides at once!!   

[Ron Volk]

I don't know the exact time they added the hull ports, we have a 1.5 hull # 1235 built in 1992 and registered as a 1993 model and we have the 3 hull ports.

[Noah]

Yeah, probably a dumb worry/comment, as even the later Mk1s and MkII's are "asymmetrical",  with no portlight on the port side aft. I guess it wouldn't be too strange to have only one portlight aft starboard in my aft cabin.