I'm interested in a Hunter 32 Vision but I'm concerned about the durability of the large portals or windshield in heavy seas. Can they take heavy pounding?
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Port Srength
Suggest you call Hunter and get a specific technical description, but they are certainly as strong as the underlying structure and are a load supporting bonded component. I have had several 250 lb. crew climb up, jump upon and generally use them as you would a slab floor. They make the boat liveable and light. They sometimes leak, but in my experience, less than installed opening hatches. They do craze , require replacement sometime and are slick when wet. There are plenty of craft from many makers travelling oceans with acrylic ports. Bottom line...don't think it should be an issue. RD
Suggest you call Hunter and get a specific technical description, but they are certainly as strong as the underlying structure and are a load supporting bonded component. I have had several 250 lb. crew climb up, jump upon and generally use them as you would a slab floor. They make the boat liveable and light. They sometimes leak, but in my experience, less than installed opening hatches. They do craze , require replacement sometime and are slick when wet. There are plenty of craft from many makers travelling oceans with acrylic ports. Bottom line...don't think it should be an issue. RD
Not to worry !
The following information was excerpted from Jim Bohart's answers in the Hunter Q&A section. "All hull port lights are 7/16" thick polycarbonate sealed in place with Dow Corning 795. Deck hatches and opening ports Lewmar aluminum framed ocean series polycarbonate (lexan). Deck port lights are acrylic and also sealed into a 4" wide embossed flange set in 1" of DC795. Note: the use of acrylic in the larger deck ports is safer than the use of polycarbonate. They both are good materials and have similar strengths. The point impact strength of Lexan (polycarbonate) is 200 times greater than acrylic. While this is good for bullet proofing it does not indicate the best loading strengths. The tensile strength of Acrylic is 10,000psi and for Lexan is 9,000psi. The tensile modulus for acrylic is 400,000psi and Lexan is 345,000psi. Flexural strength of acrylic Vs Lexan is 15,000psi Vs 13,500psi while the flexural modulus for acrylic Vs Lexan is 450,000psi Vs 340,000psi. These are results from G.E. on 1/4" thick material and using the various cataloged test methods. ASTM D-638 and 790. The thermal coefficient of expansion for both materials is the same."
The following information was excerpted from Jim Bohart's answers in the Hunter Q&A section. "All hull port lights are 7/16" thick polycarbonate sealed in place with Dow Corning 795. Deck hatches and opening ports Lewmar aluminum framed ocean series polycarbonate (lexan). Deck port lights are acrylic and also sealed into a 4" wide embossed flange set in 1" of DC795. Note: the use of acrylic in the larger deck ports is safer than the use of polycarbonate. They both are good materials and have similar strengths. The point impact strength of Lexan (polycarbonate) is 200 times greater than acrylic. While this is good for bullet proofing it does not indicate the best loading strengths. The tensile strength of Acrylic is 10,000psi and for Lexan is 9,000psi. The tensile modulus for acrylic is 400,000psi and Lexan is 345,000psi. Flexural strength of acrylic Vs Lexan is 15,000psi Vs 13,500psi while the flexural modulus for acrylic Vs Lexan is 450,000psi Vs 340,000psi. These are results from G.E. on 1/4" thick material and using the various cataloged test methods. ASTM D-638 and 790. The thermal coefficient of expansion for both materials is the same."
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