Eisinglass enclosure restoration

[Cpt214]

I don’t want to replace my entire eisinglass enclosure so I am asking if anyone can guide me in the proper direction to restore them. I have heard pledge is a bad choice. If anyone can help it would be much appreciated. I attached a couple of pictures.

 

[Fishtales]

You really cannot restore them. You can try a cleaner and polish like Meguairs or 3M or IMar. It will help a little with general dirt and maybe small blemishes but that is about it.
You can go to a local firm to have new pieces made or send the original to A&J Canvas Vanceboro NC (they made them most likely) as a template. They will do individual pieces as well as an entire new enclosure if needed.

 

[SkunkBoat]

They look maybe scratched from being rolled up? They aren't faded white and brittle so they got some life in them.
Have you tried any of the cleaners/polishes? A lot of opinions out there on which one's...

yah, don't use pledge. Don't put RainX on it.

We have been using liquid spray & wipe car wax for decades.
It will clean & polish & hide a lot of scratches for a few weeks.

Maybe you can get away with one new piece in front of the helm and live with the rest...hmmm...now where did I get that idea?

 

[DennisG01]

It's hard to really tell until it's stretched out, but I agree they don't look all that bad. Any of the restorers and polishes out there should work. They're just clear vinyl.

Yes, it's best not to roll them. Store them flat with a cheap bedsheet between each piece. If you do roll them, roll them around a piece of 4" PVC drain pipe (still use the sheets).

Is that concrete that you have the one piece laying on?

 

[JLK225]

I just did all my curtains on a new to me 2005 tournament. First put them in my shop and turned up the heat so they would relax some, had been folded up in the head for who knows how long. Then gave them a rinse with mild soapy water. Next used Mequiares Plastic Cleaner & Polish on both side and some elbow grease. Finished with a coat of marine wax and they look great.

Will try to get pictures tomorrow

 

[seasick]

Your plastic may be shot, try one of the restorers first to see if it helps. Absolutely no pledge, RainX or anything with silicon.
There is an in between option that I recently used .
To me your canvas looks pretty good and a canvas shop can reuse the canvas and just replace the clear plastic. That is done by sewing the plastic over the old and then cutting out the old. Keeping the old in place insures that the canvas stays aligned correctly while sewing in the new. Do not cut out the old plastic first and then try to refit new.
The cost will be much less that a complete new package.

One thing to note: If the protective layer on the old plastic is gone, polishing may make them look good and clear but that won't last for long.

 

[Fishtales]

I just did all my curtains on a new to me 2005 tournament. First put them in my shop and turned up the heat so they would relax some, had been folded up in the head for who knows how long. Then gave them a rinse with mild soapy water. Next used Mequiares Plastic Cleaner & Polish on both side and some elbow grease. Finished with a coat of marine wax and they look great.

Will try to get pictures tomorrow

I did the same on mine for years and got 12 out of them. The stitching started to let go and the plastic while looking great for the first half of the season really started to look crappy the second half. I only cleaned and polished in spring. Hope they stay clear for you.

 

[Heckler]

Always good to challenge conventional wisdom (I suppose?) .......

..My 2001 Grady Express 265 has enjoyed the benefits of both Pledge and Rain X on my isinglass windows (front, side and rear) for only about 20 seasons and I would rate their visual clarity as still excellent. Note that all but the rear windows stay in place 90% of the time keeping their aging capt. comfortable and dry in the 2-4 ft chop and 15 knot breeze that is routine where I fish.

I use Pledge about 3 to 5 times a year and Rain x about twice a year. My purpose for the Rain X is visual improvement during heavy weather as the salt water just runs off or is accelerated off by the hull motion.

Although my back enclosure curtains that remain mostly rolled up, have abrasion mostly in the areas where the straps the secure them in the rolled up position, they remain very clear (but not excellent) elsewhere.

It is true that neither Pledge nor Rain X are effective in restoring surfaces that have been obviously damaged or neglected without wax protection. There are the 3 stage type cleaners different levels of abrasive - like sandpaper- for restoration. I have used these on my Harley's windshield with success.

frequent spraying and wiping off the isinglass windows with Pledge has been my method of maintaining great looking clear windows and it is as easy as dusting furniture. I keep hearing that I Shouldn't be using these products but i plan on another 3 or four years of use before I will have to replace the canvas enclosure altogether.

Hope this helps !

 

[seasick]

That's very interesting since those two product are specifically mentioned as no-nos for eisenglass or Strataglass. Both products can dissolve the UV protective coating. I don't doubt your results but am curious why you had such good results.
What general area are you located in ( sunlight is the killer) and how often do you clean and polish your windows. Obviously you are doing something right.

 

[Heckler]

Good point. I am in New England so it is a different sun than say Florida.

My boat is uncovered from April through November and on the water from early May to late October .

Perhaps these products dissolve the UV protection but replace it with another protective wax? I haven't investigated the chemistry of it all since it simply works!

I see many boats in my area whose windows are semi transparent and in poor shape while far newer than mine. So the damaging mechanism are here .

I might suggest that because the process is simple, I do it more often and therefore it is more effective in keeping the windows clear. ??

 

[Fishtales]

don't know but I do think the sun's intensity is a factor. My zippers were literally falling apart from the sun as the aft faced direct east. Can't complain, got a new enclosure from AJ and using the Inmar product as they recommend.