Restoring Plastic Curtains

[LastChance]

Anyone successfully restored their aging plastic vinyl curtains? Mine are a bit scratched and reasonably fogged, but before I replace them I wondered if anyone had tried cut polishing them to remove the oxidation. If so, what sort of compound did you use?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Fishtales]

The only products I have used are Meguair's Plastic Cleaner followed by their Plastic Polish. I don't think it removed much other than the embedded dirt. It says it removes small scratches, but doesn't appear so to me. I finish with Plexus, but that just makes it more flexible.

 

[alfa1023]

The eisenglass on my 2005 330 Express was getting yellow and also sticky to the touch. I saw somewhere online to try Flitz with their buffing ball. Took all the panels off the boat and worked them on a table cushioned with two layers of soft towels with my Dewalt cordless drill and the Flitz. My expectations were low and was I ever wrong. It did take me 3 to 4 days in total and actually was a lot of work - can't be in a hurry. But the eisenglass came out clear - looks almost new. And the stickiness is gone. Well worth the effort.

The jury is out as to how long they will stay this way. But I was on the verge of replacing them (huge $$$) so if I get another year out of them I will be happy.

 

[IBeGrady'd]

...the eisenglass came out clear - looks almost new. And the stickiness is gone. Well worth the effort.

Thanks for your most informative post. Filing this one away for use when/if necessary.

 

[ROBERTH]

I tried to restore my originals. I used flitz and buff ball also. Does it work? Yes. Does it last, no. I tried other plastic polishes as well, but in all cases, it looked better than before, but over some weeks, would start to fade again. Lots of work. Got tired of it and wanted a clear view, so just went for new ones. Now taking care of them with the proper IMAR plastic conditioners to keep it in great shape.
I used A&J canvas and went for the Strataglas and it is doing very well.

 

[seasick]

I tried to restore my originals. I used flitz and buff ball also. Does it work? Yes. Does it last, no. I tried other plastic polishes as well, but in all cases, it looked better than before, but over some weeks, would start to fade again. Lots of work. Got tired of it and wanted a clear view, so just went for new ones. Now taking care of them with the proper IMAR plastic conditioners to keep it in great shape.
I used A&J canvas and went for the Strataglas and it is doing very well.

The plastic has a protective coating. If it wears off or get polished off, the plastic may look good at first but will cloud over time. Once the protective coating is gone, the plastic won't be far behind. Certain treatments like Aerospace 303 Protectorant actually add to the UV blocking and that will extend the life of the plastic. The key is to rinse often, wipe gently if at all and apply a treatment that will enhance and protect the UV coating. My plastic is going on 14 years and look almost new. My secret? I rarely put the canvas up and keep it in storage out of the elements.

 

[jbrinch88]

You can try 3M's 2 step product called "perfect it". We use it to polish our awlgrip paint jobs, but it is such a fine polish especially the #2 part that I've used it on my sunglasses and plexiglass. Never tried it on eisenglass but I can't see it not working.

 

[1998sailfish]

Use the Flitz with the buffing ball then regular polishing thru the season with Flitz wax or any other brand liquid wax which you apply after washing the panels free of salt with mild boat soap and water. Apply the liquid wax, allow to haze and buff with a soft cloth.

I have been using this method since acquiring my 98 Sailfish three years ago. At the beginning of the season we remove all enclosure panels, tape off the fabric , hand apply the Flitz and hi speed buff with the ball, remove after haze with a soft towel, finally we apply the liquid wax. This technique is done to both sides of the panels. It requires at least a full day ( 10 hrs ) to complete the entire enclosure.

The enclosure was in fairly poor shape when we purchased our boat (it is the original factory enclosure from '98) but after lots of elbow grease we receive many compliments on the clarity.

Buy the Kit with the Buff Ball , and purchase a large tube of Flitz as the small tube supplied with the kit will never complete the entire enclosure. It works !

 

[bluewaterfisher273]

If you get your curtains re-done...after washing the boat down and drying everything off...use Lemon Pledge. No...that is not a typo...we used this on our 232 Gulfstream back in the early 90s to late 90s and we then had a 24 Fisherman and now have a 273 Chase and that is what I use on them all the time. It cleans them up well and never yellows and I have had a lot of success with this!

 

[alfa1023]

Bluewater,

I would have thought the lemon pledge would have left some sort of residue on the eisenglass that you would either see and or feel?

 

[bluewaterfisher273]

In all the years we have been using the Lemon Pledge I have never seen any type of residue at all. It leaves them water spot free and keeps them in pristine condition. Granted...everyone had their own remedies of doing things...I am just sharing what has worked great for us.

 

[Meanwhile]

I used the Pledge on my old boat plastic with good results. My plastic is in rough shape so I don't have much to lose by trying Novus and taking some plastic off.

 

[The_Chain]

I used the Pledge on my old boat plastic with good results. My plastic is in rough shape so I don't have much to lose by trying Novus and taking some plastic off.

Mine were in horrible shape..stored in a heap and in the eves of the boat lifts roof, used as a massive mud wasps nest. Now I got roasted on using Novus on here....but mine look brand new now and have for the 3 seasons. I wash them after every outing with soap and water. Every month or so I give them a plexus treatment. There on the boat 365 outdoors and the originals