Great idea, I may just steal it. My forward hatch is detached
(some idiot forgot to tie it shut) and I had thought of a clear
hatch.
Smoked lexan with a teak frame sounds good enough to eat! Hatch
cover of canvas....hummmm!
Should I put the hinges in front instead of back in case I
forget to tie it closed again? Any pro's or con's on that guys
and gals? One more nice winter project. I think that makes
about 49 for this winter, not counting building a dingy!
Ted
Eric Johnson wrote:
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> > T.J.
> >
> > My understanding is that Lexan is tougher than plexiglass (much harder to
> > break), but that it scratches more easily than plexiglass.
> >
> > Anyone know for sure which is right? When one of my side windows cracked I
> > had Tap Plastics make me two new ones of smoked Lexan (polycarbonate?).
> > I've only replaced the cracked Plexiglass (acrylic) one so far. Haven't
> > noticed any excessive scratching on the Lexan, and it's been on the boat
> > for several years now, but someone here (Dik Richardson?) reported his
> > Lexan deteriorated very quickly.
>
> My understanding, (dare I say it? from Don Casey's book) is that lexan is
> superior in every regard except price. He particularly likes Lexan's
> resistance to internal crazing. He goes on to outline a project to cut out
> the top of a fiberglass hatch and replace it with smoked lexan/polycarbonate
> to allow more light down below. Like everything else in that book, it seems
> quite simple the way he explains it.
>
> I will probably do a similar project for my forward hatch, but I will likely
> just build a new frame altogether and make it from varnished mahogany. I
> think another splash of brightwork (or bluework, if you're Tim :) would look
> nice up on the foredeck. I think I'll also make an acrylic canvas cover for
> it to keep varnish maintenance to a minimum and to help prevent the points
> brought up about UV and wood rot.