Sprayhood woes

[mireland]

Replaced my sprayhood last year at great cost. Over the winter the windows have become completely opaque. It looks as if some liquid ran down the windows depositing rivulets of limescale. It isn't limescale - I have tried removing it with vinegar, brasso, toothpaste and T cut. There is a slight improvement but you still can't see through the panels. I am wondering if someone was using some chemical or other on a nearby boat which was carried by the wind onto my sprayhood especially since one part panel on the starboard side was virtually unaffected. What could have caused this and any ideas for restoration greatly appreciated.

 

[EdWingfield]

I'm wondering if your plastic is UV resistant?

 

[mireland]

I wondered about that but the hood was made by a reputable sail repairer in Bristol. The hood material is very high quality and can't think they would have used the wrong plastic? I guess I need to go back to them with the problem and see if they have any ideas.

 

[Searush]

If the maker isn't helpful, Renovo have a product aimed at flexible windows on sportscar hoods, that should do the trick.

 

[Billjratt]

Interesting. I had a new wheelhouse cover made and it looks as if the raindrops have started to eat into the plastic windows.
I say raindrops because it's only on one side and the back. Acid rain? I thought that was a thing of the past...
I have also tried to scour and polish to no avail.
Maybe it IS a bad batch of plastic - my boat was in Troon on the Clyde when it was contaminated assumedly nowhere near the OPs, so it's unlikely to be local industrial pollution - or is it?

 

[mireland]

Interesting. I had a new wheelhouse cover made and it looks as if the raindrops have started to eat into the plastic windows.
I say raindrops because it's only on one side and the back. Acid rain? I thought that was a thing of the past...
I have also tried to scour and polish to no avail.
Maybe it IS a bad batch of plastic - my boat was in Troon on the Clyde when it was contaminated assumedly nowhere near the OPs, so it's unlikely to be local industrial pollution - or is it?

Interesting - the damage to my hood occurred in Cardiff Bay so a long way from the Firth of Clyde!! Could be something carried by rain from local industry I suppose but I think there might have been general complaints from lots of upset people. Seems more likely to have been something local to the marina or within the marina?

 

[Zagato]

After quotes of £350 to £550 for a new burgandy one (worst colour for fading even after one year apparently!) I'm not going to bother with mine. I will try the renovate stuff but it's too far gone apparently - looks better without one anyway

I think a Hilda is more useful to me than a sprayhood

 

[RivalRedwing]

The treatments that you have carried out should have been more than enough to renovate the plastic, don't think Renovo will prove any better. If it was something carried by the wind then other boats nearby would similarly be affected - are they? If not then it would seem likely that the wrong type of plastic has been used (as already flagged ? not UV resistant) The sooner you get back to the original supplier the better.