Plexiglass vs Lexan vs ? for the aft deck

[Vincentc]

Our last time out the canvas and vinyl and zippers did not do so well in the March winds.
I started thinking about removable plexiglass panels for the aft deck for the space between the handrail and hardtop.

Which stiff clear material will hold up best to UV and handling?

 

[GJH]

EZ2CY is what we use and it is superb for visual clarity. Very easy to rig for removal; our center panel swivels up and attaches to the ceiling when the weather is god and for access to the swim platform. I wouldn't contemplate a hard material myself.

 

[BUSTER]

If that is really what you want to do lexan is far more durable than plexiglass.

 

[Fanfare]

I have a Clear View Screen in my forward salon window. That's one of those spinning things which replaced the wiper. It's about two feet wide and has a dozen thru bolts holding it on. After wasting two glass panels trying to drill it I decided to try Lexan. Lexan is more flexible than glass, so the whole thing vibrated a bit. Since I seldom use the lower station I decided it was tolerable. But over the next two or three years it really got scratched up, mainly from the dried salt spray, I think. Not big scratches, but it started looking frosted. Vision was getting hazy. Lexan may be bullet proof, but not scratchproof. So back to the glass shop who finally got the big hole drilled and the surrounding attachments drilled.

Over longer periods, plexiglass seems to suffer from UV or something that causes tiny checking which in turn reflects light like the facets in a jewel.

No other experience with other plastics.

 

[captddis]

Some years I got an education on Lexan vs Plexi. Lexan will stop a bullet, but it does not hold up well in the sun and you do not want to paint it as some paints will destroy it.
Plexi is not as strong but does fairly well in the sun and most paints will not bother it.

 

[Robby]

Our last time out the canvas and vinyl and zippers did not do so well in the March winds.
I started thinking about removable plexiglass panels for the aft deck for the space between the handrail and hardtop.

Which stiff clear material will hold up best to UV and handling?

If you might change your mind:We recently got an estimate for all new everything,new zippers new curtins and see thru materal for 3K.They will remove and install also.I thought it was reasonable.

 

[labrador]

Lexan is polycarbonate. It has to be coated or co-extruded with a UV inhibitor or it will yellow right away. If scratched, it will yellow and degrade at that spot. Yes it's bullit proof! Acrylic will maintain it's light transmission or remain clear for at least 30 yrs that I've seen on greenhouses. It is not as impact resistant as polycarbonate however. Use both in my business and always go with polycarbonate at schools as you can throw rocks at it all day long. Also get repeat business for it after 15 yrs or so.
Skip

 

[REBrueckner]

When I put in solid clear material ACRYLIC was recommended to me....not LEXAN as noted above. Removable may not be worth the effort....I also used 1" thick ACRYLIC for the wing doors....I do not know whatthe difference is among the three materials...

All is still fine after about 8 or 9 years...no discoloration, but you need to use polish to clean them as acrylic will scratch from surface dirt....

Take care: side windows will NOT likekly will NOT fit in and out easily...the opening was NOT square on my 1972 YF...I screwed single channel ss window channel to the handrail and underside of the roof...And cut the Acrylic and had to bend it to fit it....I think 3/16" thick...Then I locked it in place with a ss screw into the side of each window channel into the acrylic...

I never missed not being able to open those side windows as there is plenty of ventilation in the bridgedeck area....

 

[Vincentc]

Thanks,
Sounds like acylic over lexan. As I understand it acrylic = plexiglass.

My canvas enclosure looked fairly new when I bought the boat < 3 years ago. Since then I have replaced zippers, inserted panels to adjust for shrinkage and have numerous loose tabs. UV seems to be the most damaging.

I spent some time looking a new Hatteras MY at the Miami Boat show. It had what looked like hard plastic panels which when opened, attached to the overhead with snaps. The overhead on the 43 is too cluttered for that, which led to the idea of hard plastic panels set in tracks ( ie hardwood strips with slots ripped to the width of the panels.

The side sections of the aft deck are about 4 feet long and 3 feet high. Two 2x3 ft panes would cover the area and 2x3 panels could be stored on their side behind the weatherboard and below the handrail. I have not seen this type of arrangement, but I never saw a 2 piece hinged swim platform before now, but it appears to be working.

Is there any particular brand or type of plexiglass to look for regarding UV resistance?

 

[labrador]

Just make sure it's Acrylic when you ask for it. There are polycarbonate panels that some will call plexiglass out there

 

[GJH]

Thanks,
Sounds like acylic over lexan. As I understand it acrylic = plexiglass.

My canvas enclosure looked fairly new when I bought the boat < 3 years ago. Since then I have replaced zippers, inserted panels to adjust for shrinkage and have numerous loose tabs. UV seems to be the most damaging.

I spent some time looking a new Hatteras MY at the Miami Boat show. It had what looked like hard plastic panels which when opened, attached to the overhead with snaps. The overhead on the 43 is too cluttered for that, which led to the idea of hard plastic panels set in tracks ( ie hardwood strips with slots ripped to the width of the panels.

The side sections of the aft deck are about 4 feet long and 3 feet high. Two 2x3 ft panes would cover the area and 2x3 panels could be stored on their side behind the weatherboard and below the handrail. I have not seen this type of arrangement, but I never saw a 2 piece hinged swim platform before now, but it appears to be working.

Is there any particular brand or type of plexiglass to look for regarding UV resistance?

What you saw on the new Hatt is EZ2CY. that is the set up I have on the rear panels of my aft deck. In our case the center panel folds up and attaches to the ceiling for access to the swim platform and stern line handling and additional fresh air. We really love it. It is somewhat flexible, but not like Strataglass. As I said before, the visual clarity is really outstanding, virtually no distortion at all.

 

[REBrueckner]

"Sounds like acylic over lexan. As I understand it acrylic = plexiglass."

yes..here is what I found in Wikipedia:

wiki says Acrylic = Plexiglass = Lucite....(so the first is a generic name,PMMA(see below) the chemical name, the latter two brand names)

(Is nothing straightforward anymore???)


From Wikipedia:

(Lexan)
"Lexan is a registered trademark for SABIC Innovative Plastics' (formerly General Electric Plastics) brand of polycarbonate resin thermoplastic. "

(Acrylic) wiki redirects you to PMMA....

"Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate.The material was developed in 1928 in various laboratories, and was first brought to market in 1933 by Rohm and Haas Company, under the trademark Plexiglas. It has since been sold under many different names including Lucite and Perspex."


....you can verify what you are buying by mentioning PMMA...

(Plexiglass)

Wiki directs you to PMMA....


So when buying either ACRYLIC = PLEXIGLASS = LUCITE, I would be sure to tell the source it will be used outside and subject to sunlight...just to double check....in case brands some have sunlight inhibitors and some don't....

 

[Boatsb]

Thanks Rob. I don't think I will ever do my own research again.

 

[REBrueckner]

Well believe me, when I bought mine I just followed the advice of the guy from this huge "plastic" supply place....now closed.....and he told me use ACRYLIC in sunshine....that's as far as I "researched" at the time.

Lexan WAS available with sun light inhibitors back then....(that may not be the right word) but is was waaaay more expensive than ACRYLIC at the time....

It would be interesting to ask Fuller Brush, the makers of Hatteras portlights, what they use...

 

[Vincentc]

I followed up on George's reference to EZ2CY and checked their web site. Very informative re acrilic vs lexan etc.

 

[bobk]

If you have any question whether the product is acrylic (polymethylmethacrylate) or polycarbonate (polybisphenol-A carbonate), put a match to a sliver. Acrylic burns quite cleanly and releases a methacrylate odor while polycarbonate burns with a sooty flame.

Bob