plastic sprayhood windows - service life?

[Malish]

Hi
How long do your plastic sprayhood windows last (in the UK). I fitted a new sprayhood in 2003, removing each winter but leaving up through the sailing season. The windows are now pretty opaque and only partially recover with cleaning. Response from the supplier was that the life expectancy is 4-5 years - does this sound reasonable to the forum? Can anyone in the trade advise if there are options regarding the material used in order to extend the service life?

 

[sailorman]

i was recomended to use
Stratoglas

expensive but doesnt go opaque

 

[MoodySabre]

The sprayhood windows on the boat I bought last year are much older than that and were foggy. I washed the windows and polished them with car polish - came up clear and good for years to come.

 

[Poignard]

Ours lasted about 8 years before they started to become discouloured. [ The sprayhood was always removed during the winter]

 

[Billjratt]

Doesn't sound like "average life" to me - unless the Medway is a sunshine area, and even then, I'd expect to hear you complaining about uv and wear causing thread damage -split seams etc etc. My plastic usually gets broken by wear and tear before it goes milky.(years - even in the Med.)

 

[nimrod1230]

3 to 4 years on the Hamble.

 

[wotayottie]

It depends. On my last boat I replaced the windows using a large "canvas " company to do the job. They lasted 3 years. On my present boat, I've just replaced them at 14 years. So I suspect there are better quality materials out there but since people chose suppliers largely on the basis of who is cheapest (and they do! and yes it applies to me) it not really in the interests of the makers to use them.

So did you go for the most economic supplier or did you go for the pricey upmarket one?

 

[brians]

Got about 4 years out of mine.

 

[theotter]

Replaced one at 8 years due to damage from flogging sheet. Now due to replace other at nearly 10 years, it split while folding on a frosty morning, so apart from asking for trouble I guess it was nearing the end. It was still quite clear though.

For what it is worth, I have, as advised by someone, applied baby oil to the screen periodically over its life.

 

[Endeavourquay]

The plastic windows on the convertable roof of my Morris minor did go opaque, but it took 20 years, now on the third roof with nice shiney new(three years) one. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jaybee63]

Window material contains a plasticiser, which uv degradation, and some cleaning chemicals and pollution will affect, causing the glass to become brittle. The more vertical the window panel, the greater the life (probally due to less exposure to uv, and pollutants washing off). This is why we would always recomend a blind over any horizonatal roof window.
We recommend cleaning with a soft bristle car wash brush, and plenty of fresh water.
Be careful with cleaning chemicals. Advances are being made all the time with regards to resistance to uv, and materails generally give a far greater life now. Life span can be from 4 to 10 years, dependant various factors outlined above.
Some of the so called premium materials are very brittle, and liable to damage from folding, or perhaps being whipped with a loose halyard.
All plastics are temperature sensitive, so great care should be taken when folding in cold weather. It is almost possible to crack new glass when folded and extremely cold (leaving marks).
Be wary of leaving a hood folded down over winter, as water can collect and stagnate in the folds, causing algae/mildew problems.
We use a uv stabilised window material as standard, but this does not mean it will not eventually degrade.

Hope the above helps

John Bland

Tecsew ltd www.tecsew.com