The top sliding lexan companionway on my 2008 Beneteau 323 is badly weathered and I am looking to replace it. I would like to hear from anybody who has experience with that job.
Replacing Companionway Lexan
- Thread starter John Moore
- Start date
Wow, Beneteau wants a few beans for that hatch. I'd look at a local Plastics supplier first.
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Yikes! That is almost a boat unit. I would definitely look for a local plastic supplier and fabricate your own.
I can't imagine that the existing hatch cover is so weather beaten that a little bit of work with a buffer and polishing compound would not salvage it.
I can't imagine that the existing hatch cover is so weather beaten that a little bit of work with a buffer and polishing compound would not salvage it.
Thanks! The sliding component alone (item 40) is $750 and it looks to me like the easiest to fabricate myself starting from a blank 1/2" thick piece of acrylic. I would prefer to match the greenish tint on the hatches elsewhere on the boat but haven't been able to find that color yet.
John -
Mine is crazed all over (on a 311 but I think it's a very similar design). I am very interested as to where you find the material (I'm not too far away Ft Myers Beach) and if you do it yourself or get someone. I'm not too bothered about the color as I replaced all of the opening ports with the grey color as it was so much cheaper.
Mine is crazed all over (on a 311 but I think it's a very similar design). I am very interested as to where you find the material (I'm not too far away Ft Myers Beach) and if you do it yourself or get someone. I'm not too bothered about the color as I replaced all of the opening ports with the grey color as it was so much cheaper.
I don't know if this would be the green you're looking for.
http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic?search=2111
Would be nice if someone could actually determine what material the hatch is made of.
Also, if you have definitely decided to change it, it might be worth trying to polish it with polishing discs made of abralon.
It is used to polish bowling balls to a high luster finish. I purchased some off Ebay to polish a desk top that I was finishing with polyurethane; came out great. Would probably be best to start with wet sand paper and progress with the abralon discs. I believe that I used the discs on a random orbital sander. The cost was reasonable. If you try it, please let me know as I have a few scratches in my hatch that I might try to buff with the abralon; I don't want to experiment with it as the hatch is in fairly good condition sans the few scratches. Another possibility is to purchase a headlight polishing kit that includes foam pads that can be with a polisher.
Also, if you have definitely decided to change it, it might be worth trying to polish it with polishing discs made of abralon.
It is used to polish bowling balls to a high luster finish. I purchased some off Ebay to polish a desk top that I was finishing with polyurethane; came out great. Would probably be best to start with wet sand paper and progress with the abralon discs. I believe that I used the discs on a random orbital sander. The cost was reasonable. If you try it, please let me know as I have a few scratches in my hatch that I might try to buff with the abralon; I don't want to experiment with it as the hatch is in fairly good condition sans the few scratches. Another possibility is to purchase a headlight polishing kit that includes foam pads that can be with a polisher.
Try Meguires Plastic X with buffer on drill and have had good results with
plastic type windows.
Nick
plastic type windows.
Nick
I used E Street Plastics.. cut to size and the tint I wanted. Good folks to work with.
http://www.estreetplastics.com/Default.asp
http://www.estreetplastics.com/Default.asp
So what material is the factory slider made from? Acrylic (plexiglass) or Polycarbonate (lexan). Acrylic is typically 4 times stronger than untempered glass; polycarbonate is approximately 200 times stronger than untempered glass. In 1/2" thickness, I think that I would want to use the stronger material for safety reasons.
Is it acrylic or lexan? They are not the same thing. Acrylic is PMMA. Lexan is PC. Regardless, I do believe they can both be polished to remove a lot of the scratches and hazing that occurs. See YouTube videos.