Polycarbonate Deck Hatches

[Agape39]

Does anyone have any experience with polycarbonate deck hatches?
I need to replace my aluminum ones ( 33 yrs old and in bad shape)
Are they worth looking at for the tropics?

Thanks for any input...
Boe

[Exmoor]

Do you want to replace the whole hatch or just the lens

If it is just the lens, the preferred material is cast acrillic as opposed to extruded acrillic, The surface finish, flatness and optical properties of Cast Acrylic are all superior to those of Extruded Acrylic sheets.

Polycarbinate is generally only used in areas which may be sublect to very high impact

Chris

[Cheechako]

If they dont leak and the frames are still good shape... definitely worth putting new plastic in. It's a lot more work than one might think to remove and replace the frames etc....

[Agape39]

No, they leak......Isaac just passed, time to get busy. The whole hatch will be replaced, these have been re glassed a couple times already.

[Agape39]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

If they dont leak and the frames are still good shape... definitely worth putting new plastic in. It's a lot more work than one might think to remove and replace the frames etc....

Yea man......isn't that why we buy old boats?

[Jon Hacking]

Polycarbonate (Lexan, etc) is stronger but has less UV resistance & tends to craze in the sun. I think this is why Acrylic is preferred for deck hatches.

[Agape39]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

Polycarbonate (Lexan, etc) is stronger but has less UV resistance & tends to craze in the sun. I think this is why Acrylic is preferred for deck hatches.

These frames are poly from bolmar hatches