Before many of you set sail for the busy summer season in the Mediterranean, join us for our monthly networking event on the first Wednesday in May.

This month, we will be gathering at the Downtowner, just south of the New River off Andrews Avenue. Scott Frischhertz, a former captain, is sponsoring The Triton’s monthly event and will be on-hand to talk about lowering the temperatures in your pilothouse with V-Kool. So join us at the Downtowner on May 7 from 6-8 p.m. for cocktails, appetizers and some great networking.

Q. What do you do?

We manufacture and install a clear film for windows that blocks more heat than dark tint. Until now, window coatings in pilothouses were unheard of due to the reduction in visible light and the increase in reflectivity. V-Kool is clear, 1 percent less reflective than clear glass and rejects 55 percent of solar heat.

Q. How does the V-Kool technology work? How can the coating be clear and still block the sun?

V-Kool is made of multiple layers of optically clear polyester sheets embedded with silver. The silver allows visible light to pass though while rejecting 94 percent of infrared rays. Infrared is the largest component of heat from the sun.

V-Kool was invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the mid 1970s. It wasn’t until 1995 that the film was incorporated into a retrofit application that is mounted to the inside surface of glass.

It is most commonly installed in pilothouses because of its clarity and low reflectivity but is also installed in any stateroom where you want to reduce heat.

Q. How long does the treatment last?

The very first application of V-Kool is now 13 years old and still looks and performs as the day it was installed. We’ve been installing V-Kool in yachts in South Florida for the past five years.

Q. What does the ‘V’ stand for?

A. It represents the angle at which infrared rays bounce off of the glass. 

Q. Working on a megayacht is different than working in a home or on a car. How are your installers trained for marine work?

Being a former captain of 14 years, I’ve trained my marine installation crew in the extra preparation and protection required on the megayacht. The installation of window film in a yacht takes three or four times longer than a home, as it should.