Mirrors on Boats

[silverp40]

Hello all

Does anyone have any experience with acrylic or polycarbonate mirrors on their boat bulkheads insofar as scratching, cracking, shattering, etc?

I know acrylic mirrors are more scratch resistant but tend to shatter if too thin(we broke one that was 1/8" thick trying to install it in the head - bad luck?). Polycarbonate ones are probably stronger but scratch easier ...

Has anyone installed a larger (perhaps top to bottom) polycarbonate mirror? Maybe a scratch resistant polycarbonate one that is still affordable?

Any help would be appreciated!!

Cheers

[mrohr]

Once sailed with an old sea dog (5 atlantic crossings) ;he claimed that he never got sea sick as long as he did not look into the mirror in our cutters cabin which reflected the sky out through the compainway. I tried a peek in a seaway and I didn't feel so well afterward myself. Of course everything seemed to be moving about above and below but in the mirror the same thing was happening in reverse! So you might think about mirror placement as well .

[Hud3]

My wife wanted to "lighten up" the forward and aft cabins of our boat, so I bought a sheet of acrylic mirror material and cut pieces to fit the hull area above the bookshelves over the bunks. In spite of the fact that the surface was slightly concave, I had no problems installing it, and it held up very well over time.

It was special-ordered by the local glass shop, and the first sheet arrived completely shattered. The second one fared better.

[Sunspot Baby]

We have two acrylic mirrors on the back of our cabin doors. They are not in an area subject to much contact but have held up well for several years.

George

[Blue Stocking]

Check for salt corrosion resistance for the coating. Used offcuts from a "oneway vision" security job on a boat, and it didn't last long.

[MarkJ]

Sea Life has 5 glass mirrors I installed in Malaysia to replace the old ones where the silver had come off the backs.

The 5 have done us from Malaysia to the Caribbean with lots and lots of upwind thuming about

I love looking in mine! I often stay in the bathroom for hours! Somtimes days!!

[Cheechako]

Just an interesting side note: Someone I knew bought a brand new 60 ft Motoryacht at salvage. It had been dropped on its keel while being removed from a container ship. The keel cracked lengthwise for about 20 feet. The master stateroom had two huge glass mirrors on the bulkhead...each maybe 3 ft by 4 ft. No mirrors broke in the accident...

[silverp40]

Thanks all for the great input!

MarkJ, are your mirrors glass or plastic and if plastic what kind(if you remember at all...)?

Seems like a thicker (maybe 3/16" or so) thickness might be better, less prone to bending or cracking...

[mjwarner]

We just installed a seven foot long backsplash mirror in the galley. So far, so good. We had no problems with getting it below or bending it around behind the companionway steps to fit it. It is acrylic, but I wasn't aware there were a lot of different types. We ordered it through a glass shop.

[silverp40]

Originally Posted by mjwarner

We just installed a seven foot long backsplash mirror in the galley. So far, so good. We had no problems with getting it below or bending it around behind the companionway steps to fit it. It is acrylic, but I wasn't aware there were a lot of different types. We ordered it through a glass shop.

Could you tell me tthe thickness of the mirror?

Thanks

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by silverp40

MarkJ, are your mirrors glass or plastic and if plastic what kind(if you remember at all...)?

Seems like a thicker (maybe 3/16" or so) thickness might be better, less prone to bending or cracking...

Glass. Cheap glass at that: 3 circular and 2 rectangular for US$40 cut to size. 3mm thick.

So we are not talking top of the range.

Fixed to the wall with the standard Beneteau clamps. So just whack em on and enjoy them.

[zeehag]

my formosa has 2 glass mirrors on board--kinda uilt in-- large one in masters cabin and a small one in head-- the one in head is wasted--glass intact, but most of silvering is lost to incomin grains in yrs past.... the large glass one in my master stateroom is perfect. tried a camp mirror--they sukk. havent tried acrylic.

[mjwarner]

silverp40,
They are 3/16". Sorry for the delay, I was in the car with CF's cell app only, and it will let me look at CF, but the app is not allowing me a way to post on CF. Seems like a waste of space on the phone. MJ

[perchance]

You could bed the acrylic to a stiff backing to stiffen the mirror and keep the moisture out of the silvering.

[mjwarner]

Careful with the adhesive: when we bought ours, the glass company said not to use any adhesive, even mirror mastic can eat the silvering on the acrylic mirrors. We were told to use anchors or the 2 sided sticky tape squares only. Larger acrylic mirrors are not real cheap, so figure out how much $$$ experimenting you are willing to risk.