wonkywinch
Well-Known Member
The bottom edges of the clear plastic in the spray hood have started going cloudy white. Can this be cleaned or polished out or is replacement imminent?
Fuzzy sprayhood windows, can it be cleaned?
- Thread starter wonkywinch
- Start date
johnalison
Well-Known Member
Not a hope. I had mine replaced.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
Yes it can be polished using something like Meguiars Plast-Rx
This worked very well on my old sprayhood.
I have most of a bottle left over. You can have it if you pay the postage
wonkywinch
Well-Known Member
Thank you, I have a set of Novus Plastic polish, grade 1, 2 & 3 that I use on light aircraft windscreens and car headlights. Wasn't sure if it would work on the pliable plastic windows, will give it a go, if not will send you postage.
Fire99
Well-Known Member
Depends how expensive the magic potions are to clean it plus your time. Window material isn't expensive and a friend recently had the clear window panels changed in his Trader canopy, where the large ones were near 2m by 1.4m, and was charged 40 quid to change a large panel and 20 for a small. So it's worth checking on replacement window costs in my opinion.
ylop
Well-Known Member
Had it been stored so those bits were in a puddle of water? Mind had some weird cloudiness (not as bad as than but enough that I was expecting a big bill to fix it) where water had gathered over winter - two weeks of warm dry weather and they sorted themselves out.
KevinV
Well-Known Member
I was going to ask the same - the windows in windsurf sails used to do the same if put away damp
wilkinsonsails
Well-Known Member
When the surface becomes Matt on the outside, the plasticity has gone .
This makes them very brittle .It won’t be long before they break when folded at that point .
I would suggest that you get them replaced, it’s well worth doing and saves hood replacement for another 3 to 4 seasons.
This makes them very brittle .It won’t be long before they break when folded at that point .
I would suggest that you get them replaced, it’s well worth doing and saves hood replacement for another 3 to 4 seasons.
Rappey
Well-Known Member
Ha, was just typing similar but you beat me to it. Better coming from a professional anyway .
Mine were cloudy for a while but lowering the sprayhood has now cracked it..
Some windows appear crystal clear, others not so great. Does thickness make any difference ? Its clear pvc? What lasts longest ?
Concerto
Well-Known Member
A decade ago I was recommended to use Pledge furniture polish on the clear plastic on my sprayhood. This is what classic car owners use on their soft tops. My sprayhood windows are still clear. So replace the window panels at your local sailmakers and then protect them for longer life.
jaybee63
Well-Known Member
U,V draws the plasticiser out making the windows more brittle, acid pollution, dirty diesel engine particulate for example and certain deck cleaning chemicals that may come into contact all have an adverse affect.
But probably and most importantly what is not being mentioned is there a large range of clear vinyls from different suppliers to different specs and quality and “pricing”.
So if it’s all about price you likely will end up with a budget quality window sewn with not a long life U.V resistant thread.
This is the product we use at Tecsew Prime Crystal Clear Window material
But probably and most importantly what is not being mentioned is there a large range of clear vinyls from different suppliers to different specs and quality and “pricing”.
So if it’s all about price you likely will end up with a budget quality window sewn with not a long life U.V resistant thread.
This is the product we use at Tecsew Prime Crystal Clear Window material
wonkywinch
Well-Known Member
Thank you JB. You're local to me so I may just pop over with the items next week. The section shown in the photo is a semi permanently fitted section on our Oceanis 38 that has an arch, so it doesn't fold but the appearance is beginning to suffer a little. We have a roll down windscreen section too but it's a little to blurry to look through in busy areas so tend to sail with it open.
Do TecSew carry out repairs to other suppliers canopies?
Do TecSew carry out repairs to other suppliers canopies?
jaybee63
Well-Known Member
Yes, we do. To replace a window economically a new window is sewn I. And then the old window cut out afterwards rather than unpicking. As such the seam section of the old window is sewn under the new window.
If you unpick or remove an old window it’s then very difficult to sew in a new window and know the correct shape.
This is standard industry practice.
Fire99
Well-Known Member
Well I don't want to blow smoke up the bottom of Tecsew, but a boat here has a new Sprayhood etc with a Tecsew label on it and credit where credit is due, it caught my eye. Looks a very nice piece of work.
LittleSister
Well-Known Member
They last best if stored in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight. 
alahol2
Well-Known Member
If you've got a half decent sewing machine it's one of the easier jobs to replace a window using the method stated by Jaybee. I've done a couple over the years.
Fire99
Well-Known Member
A touch tricky for a boat windowThey last best if stored in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight.
colind3782
Well-Known Member
When leaving the boat we cover the sprayhood with a cheap tarpaulin bungied to the toerail. Keeps the UV off it and makes it last for years.
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Graham376
Well-Known Member
When I made a new sprayhood 3 years ago, made the mistake of buying vinyl from local Leroy Merlin. It lasted 2 years before becoming opaque so replaced last winter with some from Profabrics Points North. I think it's Crystal Clear.
ashtead
Well-Known Member
We only have small plastic windows in the sprayhood as windscreen below but when we had the plastic replaced we also had three canvas covers made with pop studs by a firm in Thorney island marina . I’m sure the cheap tarp works but canvas covers are and alternate solution-in attached you can see the studs which hold on the canvas covers.
