I want to replace the leaking rimmed ports with smoked lexan fastened to the outside of the cabin. Does anyone know of a source of lexan and where to have it cut. I need your help and any advice you can give me such as instalation,sealant,etc. How do I cut and polish the edges if I buy it by the sheet. My boat is a Chrysler 26.
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Cadilac plastics of Philadelphia or equiv.
I just ordered new acrylic for my ports (sidelights) and deck dorad box tops.....I am replacing the existing 1985 acrylic with new 3/8" grey UV protective plexi. This supplier is local and Im sure you may find a local dealer in your area......Make sure you ask for UV protected , Plexiglass, Polycarbonite, lexan or brand name..it comes under a few. I am purchasing the raw 4'x8' sheet. I have a shop where I am cutting to size, sanding and polishing... using the old ports and dorrad plates as template. Since I am replacing my white plastic dorades with stainless steel and the holes were slightly larger than the old...it seamed like a good time. to do it all. As far as adhesive....I too am researching the best for the job. I dont know about you but getting the sidelights out were tougher than I thought..the starboard was not a problem but the port side snapped every 4" it was a mess..then I taped the pieces together and used it as a template. When you install make sure you drill and counter sink all holes and do not over tighten the screws or the acrylic will crack. Our boat is a Morgan 46 with exterior mounted flush ports screwed in place. good luck. Rob
I just ordered new acrylic for my ports (sidelights) and deck dorad box tops.....I am replacing the existing 1985 acrylic with new 3/8" grey UV protective plexi. This supplier is local and Im sure you may find a local dealer in your area......Make sure you ask for UV protected , Plexiglass, Polycarbonite, lexan or brand name..it comes under a few. I am purchasing the raw 4'x8' sheet. I have a shop where I am cutting to size, sanding and polishing... using the old ports and dorrad plates as template. Since I am replacing my white plastic dorades with stainless steel and the holes were slightly larger than the old...it seamed like a good time. to do it all. As far as adhesive....I too am researching the best for the job. I dont know about you but getting the sidelights out were tougher than I thought..the starboard was not a problem but the port side snapped every 4" it was a mess..then I taped the pieces together and used it as a template. When you install make sure you drill and counter sink all holes and do not over tighten the screws or the acrylic will crack. Our boat is a Morgan 46 with exterior mounted flush ports screwed in place. good luck. Rob
Lexan
Remember that Lexan is softer than plexiglass and you cannot buff out scratches. Also, Lexan will craze if it is stressed. I have built landing light covers for airplanes out of both and prefer working with Plexiglass. Cadilac Plastic is the place to buy it . They are all over the country.
Remember that Lexan is softer than plexiglass and you cannot buff out scratches. Also, Lexan will craze if it is stressed. I have built landing light covers for airplanes out of both and prefer working with Plexiglass. Cadilac Plastic is the place to buy it . They are all over the country.
polycarbonate is harder than plexiglass
by about 10 to 1 I thought... That's why they use it in saftey glasses. Isn't Lexan the GE brand name for polycarbonate? They make bullet-proof windows out of it. any industrial supply shop near you should be a good source for polycarbonate, but smoke may be a special order. (Farco Plastics on Rt. 19 in Clearwater - just north of the BoatUS store - They don't have smoke, I tried already for a hatch lens ... talk to Jeffery.) They may not cut if for you, but unlike plexiglass, polycarbonate is easy to work with standard tools, but with special blades. Table saw is definitely required for base cuts with a jig saw for the corner curves. Have you considered asking the manufacturer of the portlights if they are able to supply replacement lenses pre-cut? I am going to replace the entire portlight since more is wrong than just the lens, and they aren't too expensive for the exact replacements for my boat.
by about 10 to 1 I thought... That's why they use it in saftey glasses. Isn't Lexan the GE brand name for polycarbonate? They make bullet-proof windows out of it. any industrial supply shop near you should be a good source for polycarbonate, but smoke may be a special order. (Farco Plastics on Rt. 19 in Clearwater - just north of the BoatUS store - They don't have smoke, I tried already for a hatch lens ... talk to Jeffery.) They may not cut if for you, but unlike plexiglass, polycarbonate is easy to work with standard tools, but with special blades. Table saw is definitely required for base cuts with a jig saw for the corner curves. Have you considered asking the manufacturer of the portlights if they are able to supply replacement lenses pre-cut? I am going to replace the entire portlight since more is wrong than just the lens, and they aren't too expensive for the exact replacements for my boat.
No - plexiglass is harder than Lexan
Jim is absolutely correct. While Lexan (polycarbonate) is bullet proof, it still will surface scratch much easier than plexiglass. Do not use Lexan for replacement ports unless you plan to replace them again in a couple of years. They scratch so easily that every time you clean a port you will be etching the surface - and the scratches cannot be polished out. Plexiglass is what the airlines use for windows, and they can be polished absolutely clear when maintenance requires it.
Jim is absolutely correct. While Lexan (polycarbonate) is bullet proof, it still will surface scratch much easier than plexiglass. Do not use Lexan for replacement ports unless you plan to replace them again in a couple of years. They scratch so easily that every time you clean a port you will be etching the surface - and the scratches cannot be polished out. Plexiglass is what the airlines use for windows, and they can be polished absolutely clear when maintenance requires it.
Greatly improved polycarbonate available
Seven or eight years ago, before crossing the Pacific from Mexico to Australia, we replaced our 5-year old tinted 1/2" acrylic hatches and cabin windows, all of which had crazed more or less strongly, with tinted 1/2" polycarbonate. The particular tinted polycarbonate brand Cadillac Plastics sold us (manufactured by 3M or GE, I believe) had a special hard top coating to improve scratch-resistance. Notwithstanding 8 years of heavy use in the tropics (although usually covered in the off-season)there is little sign of scratching or crazing! By contrast, however, the original polycarbonate lenses in the fixed hull ports installed by Hunter Marine have become difficult to see through, although still appearing to be structurally sound. Two caveats: (1)in view of the greater flexibility of polycarbonate we decided to mount two stainless steel support bars across each of the large cabin top window openings; and (2) the most heavily tinted polycarbonate available was still quite a bit more transparent to sunlight than we would have preferred. Attempts to apply heavily tinted car window film on the inside produced a messy looking labyrinth of lines and bubbles within 1 year. Altogether, we are VERY pleased with the overall results and would absolutely do it again. While sawing and drilling the polycarbonate the much higher fracture-resistance of polycarbonate compared to the harder and more brittle polyacrylate becomes quite apparent. If, heaven forbids, a wave were to break over our cabin windows, I believe the survivability of the present construction to be much better than that of the original one. Dry decks and warm bunks! Flying Dutchman "Rivendel II" (Legend 43, hull #1) PS Nelleke and I hope to visit the Pacific Sail Expo next week Thursday and Friday and will keep an eye out for other HOW denizens.
Seven or eight years ago, before crossing the Pacific from Mexico to Australia, we replaced our 5-year old tinted 1/2" acrylic hatches and cabin windows, all of which had crazed more or less strongly, with tinted 1/2" polycarbonate. The particular tinted polycarbonate brand Cadillac Plastics sold us (manufactured by 3M or GE, I believe) had a special hard top coating to improve scratch-resistance. Notwithstanding 8 years of heavy use in the tropics (although usually covered in the off-season)there is little sign of scratching or crazing! By contrast, however, the original polycarbonate lenses in the fixed hull ports installed by Hunter Marine have become difficult to see through, although still appearing to be structurally sound. Two caveats: (1)in view of the greater flexibility of polycarbonate we decided to mount two stainless steel support bars across each of the large cabin top window openings; and (2) the most heavily tinted polycarbonate available was still quite a bit more transparent to sunlight than we would have preferred. Attempts to apply heavily tinted car window film on the inside produced a messy looking labyrinth of lines and bubbles within 1 year. Altogether, we are VERY pleased with the overall results and would absolutely do it again. While sawing and drilling the polycarbonate the much higher fracture-resistance of polycarbonate compared to the harder and more brittle polyacrylate becomes quite apparent. If, heaven forbids, a wave were to break over our cabin windows, I believe the survivability of the present construction to be much better than that of the original one. Dry decks and warm bunks! Flying Dutchman "Rivendel II" (Legend 43, hull #1) PS Nelleke and I hope to visit the Pacific Sail Expo next week Thursday and Friday and will keep an eye out for other HOW denizens.
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