Thanks John, I never thought about polishing the polycarbonate lexan. All
our teak is pretty so my wife says everything must match it's color. She's the
Admiral, Captain and all that and I have been demoted to bosun's
mate(engineering) so I get to fix everything! Oh Joy! I did look at some
prices and let me say that We would probably spend as much on the hatch as
everything else so far! But polishing sounds good. I am afraid to test it's
strength since this is the same stuff they use for "bullet proof' glass, armor
on Hummers, in my sons infantry combat armor in use in Iraq(saved him once
already) and in many other uses. It IS high strength but once it gets cracked it
can get worse. Also the sun does degrade it over time. I do not know how long
ours has had its cover but it is nice to think it may be ok.
Alan
Prairie Schooner.

--- In watkins@yahoogroups.com, "John Myers" <jdmyers@...> wrote:
>
> From the ones I have seen, I would say yes that the teak adds support. I
> have observed grown men standing on the hatch so it is strong.
>
>
>
> Try buying a polishing kit and polishing out the defects. I purchased a kit
> to use on my hatch and ports but have not yet had time to try it.
>
>
>
> I am sure you can special order the Lexan from a glass shop if you decide to
> replace it. It will not be CHEAP!!!
>
>
>
> John Myers,
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: watkins@yahoogroups.com [mailto:watkins@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
> Alan Wilson
> Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 7:16 PM
> To: watkins@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [watkins] Re: Main Hatch plastic on 33 footer
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> It flexes a little more than the deck which is not much at all. It is that
> smoky gray-blue color I think of as Lexan but it is close to an inch thick!
> Once again do the teak parts play a support/structural role for the Lexan?
> Alan.
>
> --- In watkins@yahoogroups <mailto:watkins%40yahoogroups.com> .com, "Rick
> and Ruth Bailey" <rick_rew@> wrote:
> >
> > Alan,
> >
> > If your plastic is rigid, like glass, it is lexan. If it flexes, it's some
> kind of acrylic or polystyrene - probably acrylic, as it is tougher than
> poly.
> >
> > Rick in Washington DC
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In watkins@yahoogroups <mailto:watkins%40yahoogroups.com> .com, "Alan
> Wilson" <alancwilson51@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Anyone have any idea what the plastic is that makes up the sliding main
> hatch on the 33's and such Watkins? It is what I would call Lexan but from
> what I can find out that material was never made as thick as the plastic in
> the hatch. I think someone has replaced their plastic for a search of the
> messages available refer to the replacement but I can not find any thing
> else about the hatch. Such as are the teak strips structural? I never plan
> to put any weight on the hatch but it can happen. Ours is intact but has a
> crazed cracks all through it look although light still gets through you can
> not make out what a shadow is through it. I have been thinking about
> repairing this for some time.
> > > Has anyone attempted to change this hatch into an upward opening hatch?
> I would envision that as something you would do under a dodger and then have
> fabric or panels to fit in the groove on each side under the hatch. It would
> also work well with doors leading into the cockpit. Anybody tried it?
> > > Alan & Marge W.
> > > Prairie Schooner W-33
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>