Flybridge Enclosures

[golfcaptain]

I am finishing construction of a 67' powercat. I have a large area flybridge. I am considering either strataglass or a new product called Cool To Sea. Anyone have any experience with Cool To Sea?

[ranger58sb]

Don't know that one, but part of our enclosure (the front three panels) is Makrolon -- probably similar, it's also like EZ2CY -- and it's great for visibility.

Our original enclosure was all Stratoglass. The current aft portions are a similar sheet vinyl, can't remember the brand name of it off-hand... but it comes with the same pros/cons.

Stratoglass will roll up, and that can be an advantage is some cases. The coating needs care; not difficult, but you have to follow their recommended cleaning regimen or it will scratch. It can also scratch if rolled up dry, unwashed. That's manageable... but it's also best to wash both surfaces before rolling, and even better to insert a fabric of some sort in between the surfaces as you roll.

Makrolon and EZ2CY are rigid, so opening usually works best if you can pin up the opening end, snap it to something like a hardtop. If Cool to Sea is similar, that might be your best plan.

Our design has evolved a bit, so our next iteration might include more Makrolon.

Imagine three rigid front panels, 4 sheet panels on the sides, 3 sheet panels aft. The center rigid panel unzips on the bottom and two sides, then pins up to the hardtop. All the other panels have U-shaped roll-up sections. I'm inclined to experiment with almost all rigid panels, with zips on all 4 sides, so a complete panel can be easily removed and stowed flat. (But that also means needing room to stow flat panels.)

FWIW, all our zips are also covered by a flap that's hook-and-eye'd over the zip; the flap keep salt out of the zipper, and it also add strength to the whole enclosure during high winds. (That's been proven out, here.)

Another FWIW: #10 YKK zipper suck. Not much alternative, but they're nasty buggers. Zips used for curves, as in a U-shape "smiley," ought to be coil zippers, instead. I mention that simply because I see so many struggling with #10 YKKs when they're not made to go around curves.

-Chris

[golfcaptain]

The Cool To Sea is a rigid acrylic. It would pin to the flybridge top. The biggest advantage advertised by Cool To Sea is the ability to be perhaps 10degrees cooler than strataglass during 80-90 degree weather. Also, it has a built in 98% UV protection. The downsides. It has a pale green tint to it. I do not find this objectionable but others may. It is expensive. Perhaps, 30-40% more than strataglass.

[ranger58sb]

I think EZ2CY is also that much more expensive than Stratoglass. The Makrolon was more, but I don't think that much more.


The UV protection and lower temps would seem like a good thing. OTOH, opening the panel would probably lower temps, too, if there's any sort of breeze.


Not sure I'd care for the tint, though. Have you actually looked through a sample?


-Chris

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, golfcaptain.

[golfcaptain]

The Cool2Sea will have zippers and panels to attatch to the top of the flybridge when we want fresh air. We also will have a 25k BTU air conditioning up there if we so desire when the temps or bugs are extreme. If you look up cool2sea on the web it will show the light green tint. I saw it in person and it looked unobjectionable to me. They say on the website that it actually helps visibility on low light times of the day.

[ranger58sb]

Come to think of it, there's a relatively new-to-our-marina boat nearby, with what looks like rigid acrylic enclosure, and it's a green-ish/yellow-ish tint. Looks a little strange from the outside. (Not bad, necessarily, just different.) Haven't been on board to see what it's like looking out.


-Chris