hatch cracks
- Thread starter TSailors
- Start date
Boathook
Well-Known Member
Are they surface cracks or all the way through ? Some 'Perspex' materials do develop surface damage and it is more un-sightly rather than 'dangerous'. How thick is the Perspex ?
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
Mine looked like that when I bought the boat in 1994. I have never replaced the perspex and it still looks much the same.
Mistroma
Well-Known Member
I replaced a foredeck hatch on my old Southerly a very long time ago. It was very badly crazed after about 15 years use. I suspect UV degradation. I tried really hard to smooth out the cracks on the acrylic I'd removed. Mainly to convince myself replacement had been the only option. When I'd eventually reached a 60 grade sanding disc it was evident that the cracks weren't on the surface. I polished a couple of areas back with fine wet and dry, leaving a nice smooth surface with crazing still just as visible as before it had been removed from the hatch.
I still have that large piece of acrylic and it has been used many times over the years to support heavy objects. It's still immensely strong and I'm certain it would still be fine if I'd just left it place for another 30 years.
. Slight exaggeration as it's not been in sunlight every day.
I still have that large piece of acrylic and it has been used many times over the years to support heavy objects. It's still immensely strong and I'm certain it would still be fine if I'd just left it place for another 30 years.
. Slight exaggeration as it's not been in sunlight every day.William_H
Well-Known Member
The daamge does look like crazing that is typical of perspex or acrylic from UV and time. As said it is probably ok for many years strength wise but you may have the urge to replace. I have replaced the windows in my little boat and one window yet again and another replacement needed. ie they last about 20 years only. ol'will
Neeves
Well-Known Member
Agree with Will on the age/life of acrylic. Ours cracked from the outside edge and were obviously cracked right through. We replaced the first one and by the time we had got round to actually making the replacement - others started to fail similarly. I'm not sure the damage was UV but cyclic expansion and contraction over the 2 decades, its sunny in Australia
Replacement was not difficult but it was time consuming
Jonathan
noelex
Well-Known Member
On our previous yacht, a hatch lens unexpectedly fractured into two halves. Although such catastrophic failures are uncommon, prolonged exposure to UV can degrade the strength of plastic hatch lenses, more than owners realise.