Glass windshield instead of Plastic???

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timo14

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My eisenglass windshield exploded this winter... leaving me with a very cold ride home. It was old and very brittle. I'm still trying to decide whether to get all new curtains and top, or just replace the windshield. My side and rear curtains are in ok shape... just barely useable, but i almost never use them. Anyway, I'm not a fan of the plastic windshield, it really distorts you vision and scratches too easily. I was thinking of having 2 pieces of glass cut to fit instead of the plastic. They'd be removeable and have snaps for connections to the real windshield and to the bimini top. I deal with glass contractors quite often, so i know they can help me out with the glass, snaps, etc... I haven't really thought about how it would actually work, but I'm sure it's do-able. Anyone ever done something similar to this?

Tim
 
I have the strataglass windows and they are just as clear as glass. Really, after cleaning them you do not see them and they seem to lay flatter than the vinyl windows. They do not like to be rolled up for extended periods of time. They do need some attention like using the special cleaner and "wax". This picture is before I even cleaned them. It could be sewn into your current encolsure zippers.
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eisenglass and strata glass are just as clear as glass, if not clearer at times since many of these high tech plastics are treated to prevent hazing and fogging that glass will not prevent. Also, a good cavas shop will use a thicker mil eisenglass that will not rip and will be harder and lay more natural then what is standard from Grady, it costs more but if cared for lasts way longer. As a tip, we use thick mil where I work on our sportfishermen, when we roll eisenglass we put wax paper ion the inside and then rool, it will prevent any scratches from zippers. We use shammy's to dry them after washing and always clean them with warm mild soap and when needed treat them with a good marine plastic cleaner and then wax. To allow air flow in, the top canvas portion just below the zipper's has a zipper that opens and folds in slightly to allow air flow in and relieve some stress on the canvas.

Nomatter what you use, glass or eisenglass, it will require care to keep it clean. Plexiglass or real glass will require cleaning as well and both can also scratch. There is no way to avoid or reduce care, it is part of boating.

Glass being held by snaps isn't the best option either, wouldn't want to clean that mess if it came unsnapped while you are running.

Personally I'd stick with Eisenglass, or if you want another product that is harder then a typical plastic, look into EZ2CY. they make a good quality canvas with a thick mil plastic canvas that stays somewhat ridig and if cares for lasts. No need for a full canvas if you do not use it, have them build you the front, and wrap around to end just where your back is, that way it gives you protection from spray on windy days. Will give you plenty of protection from wind and waves, but keep you in the open since you do not use the sides much anyways, no reason to extend all the way back and spend more money.
http://www.ez2cy.com/other_enclosures/mystery.html
 
I have a EZ2CY complete enclosure on a 272 Sailfish. It is 5 years old and have not had any problems. All the panels are as clear as the day they were installed.
 
I have eisenglass now, but not thick enough mil, but it is clear as day, I use a marine plastic cleaner after most trips, and about every month and half I wax them to keep dust and dirt from sticking, as well as keeping the water beeding off it.

When I do replace them in a few years, I will either go to a thicker mil Eisenglass, thicker mil will make it seem like glass more and make the plastic more rigid and smooth, and it lasts longer typically. My other choice will be to go to EZ2CY, they are equally as good, just depends who gives me a better price and can get it done when I need it in a timely fashion.
 
Thanks for the replies. My biggest problem with the "plastic," regardless of what type it is, is that storage is a problem. I dont use the curtains very often. I use the front curtain while running sometimes just to keep any spray off my face. I only use the side curtains in the cold weather. I think I've put the rear curtain up 6 times or so. So, all these curtains stay on- board, folded up and crammed into the small storage space. If I were to roll them up, I definately dont have room for them.

I was thinking that if i had two glass sheets that were connected in the center with some flexible fabric, I could store them more easily since they are flat. I was thinking of connecting them to the windshield and bimini with those little turn-button fasteners... not an actual snap.

I know this sounds like a pretty off-the-wall idea, and it probably is. I've never been acused of being normal. :) I just hate to spend all that money on new curtains, then have them get scratched to pieces. I know all the new plastics are very clear... it's really just a storage/scratching issue. I actually bought a piece of Eisenglas to make a temporary front curtain to get me through the rest of the season earlier in the winter. It's already scratched by the way. One thing i notice about all the replies (and I'm not knocking here... more of a jealousy issue), is that all you guys are running 26'+ boats. There's not a whole lot of extra space on a 20'. Plus, I trailer, so if they need to be up due to weather, they come out of storage, go up, then go back into storage for the ride home. I'm trying to think of what will best suit my needs and not damage brand new material.

Again, thanks for the replies. It's got me thinking about different storage scenario's... but I haven't dropped the glass idea. :lol:
 
whats wrong with rolling them up and storing them like that on the boat? Most canvas's have straps to hold them up, so they can be put down when needed and are out of the way and easy to store, or better yet, if you do not have a T Bag on the hardtop, forld them up straight and unfolded and add snaps to the hardtop so they stay up flat. If you had to roll them and remove them, put wax paper between them as you roll and store them on the side of the v berth on the ledge, they should fit there perfectly.

Not sure how glass would be supported by cavas, would rio from the sheer weight and lack of stretch in the material. Only way to do it would be to make it permanent, no standarfd windsield snap will hold glass for long, the force of the wind and drag, along with the added weight will cause a problem and cause something to fail. If you go glass, only option is a permanent windshield that extends all the way up.
 
Gradyfish... I've got a bimini top, not a hard top. The bimini folds down and gets stored in a boot/cover. The original front curtain was sewn to the top, which was a royal pain. It was constantly up there flapping around, and then was so wrinkly it was almost impossible to get it snapped to the windshield. If i did have a hard-top (which i would love to have), that would probably be where I'd store the curtains. I tried rolling the sides and rear curtains up, but it ends up taking most of the space on one side of the cabin... then add one more piece (the front curtain) and I'm gonna be completely full. Plus, with 2 kids, I already have the side compartments filled up.

Maybe the thing to do is have some sort of plastic made with "seams" or something like that so that i could fold the curtains instead of rolling them up. That is really my main problem... when they are rolled they just take up too much space. And if i spend $1k on new curtains & top, I need to make sure it's gonna last.
 
If you have a bimini, there is almost no way it will support glass, the canvas will rip for sure over time. If it is rolled tight and you have a thicker mil plastic it should never ever wrinkle unles sit is not rolled neatly or the strap is too big to hold it up. Mine stay rolled for a few days at a time when I use it a lot in the summer and they never wrinkle and stay just as neat as they were originally, sounds like who ever made the original canvas made the straps to hold the canvas up too long and allows slack when rolled which allows the canvas to come unraveled and wrinkle. Thicker mil plastic will force the canvas to want to stay rolled, it will wan tto spring down flat so as long as the edges are rolled nice and the strp is tight, this would never be a problem. Sounds like you need to find a good canvas maker to build this for you the right way and it will solve all of your problems and leave you with happy with the end product.
 
I can not roll up my sides. The EZ2CY's are to stiff. I made hangers for my sides to hang in my garage. They hang like they are installed in the boat.
 
What is the general diameter of the curtains when they are rolled up? I realize most of you have a larger boat, so your curtains are larger. Maybe the thing to do is come up with a better storage scenario & have my wife sew me up a "duffel bag" for them.
 
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