Clear plastic enclosures, whether eisinglass, Strataglass, EZ2CY or any of the other brand names, allow you to use the boat in cold or wet conditions, blocking rain, spray and frigid blasts. With proper care you can expect to “see” 10 years’ life from these materials. However, if you don’t take care of them, you’ll soon discover how quickly they can degrade as well as how expensive replacement panels can be.

Basic Care
Every time you wash the boat, you need to also wash the clear plastic enclosures. Fresh water is the best choice, liberally applied. However, if you see grime, bird droppings or salt deposits on the plastic, use the same boat wash you use on the decks, making sure to rinse thoroughly afterwards, and then rinse again. You don’t want to allow soap suds to dry on, lest it negatively impact visibility. Be especially careful if suing a sponge or cloth to clean these surfaces, as they are very soft and will scratch with almost no effort on your part. Never, ever use a brush, no matter how soft, on clear plastic surfaces.

After the grime or deposits are rinsed away, allow the plastic to air-dry or carefully use a chamois, making sure there is no grit trapped in the fabric that could result in scratches. Squeegees can be used, too, but only with very deliberate care, making sure not to exert undue pressure.

Keep Them Clear
To enhance wet weather visibility, apply a product specifically formulated on these materials. Do NOT use a product made for use on glass! These water-repelling products are great when used on glass windshields and windows, but some of them utilize an acidic formulation that may cause clear plastic to haze. If that happens, you cannot repair it. Star brite’s new View Guard was formulated for use on all clear plastic enclosures, after extensive testing on the owner’s 61’ Viking. It will safely lift surface grime or salt deposits so they can be wiped off, then its polymers create a UV-resistant barrier that also repels moisture, causing it to sheet off in order to enhance forward visibility even in wet conditions. Other firms offer products that are also safe for use on clear plastic enclosures.

Restoration
If the clear plastic enclosures on your boat are already yellowed or have tiny scratches, you can use plastic restoration product to restore them to some degree. Star brite’s Plastic Scratch Remover is especially effective at removing light haze and surface scratches. It’s almost too easy to use, too. Just apply it using a clean, dry, soft cloth, working in circular overlapping motions, allow it to dry to a haze (this takes less than a minute) and buff it off using another clean, dry, soft cloth.  No hard rubbingor buffing required – just “wax on, wax off.” The company has posted a How To video on the website (starbrite.com) to demonstrate the process. Afterwards, use their Plastic Polish to add a protective barrier against UV damage. Novus and other firms also offer plastic restoration products as well.

When the enclosures are in the deployed position, make sure that they do not come into contact with railings, towers or any other hard, immobile surfaces. This is especially important when running at speed. Eisinglass or other enclosures that bounce or otherwise slap against hard surfaces have been known to shatter with a sharp, expensive cracking sound. Once a crack has been created, it will continue to expand. If you see the plastic coming into contact with a railing, pop the bottom out of a thick foam kan koozie and then cut it to open it up for use as a temporary buffer to absorb the impact and prevent or limit contact.

Zippers are another factor to take into account. To keep them operating smoothly, every few months apply a thin coating of a Teflon-based zipper lubricant to the teeth. Plastic zippers tend to be a bit more durable than metal zippers that can become damaged in a salty environment, but the good news is that zippers can usually be easily replaced. In fact, you should expect to go through at least two sets of zippers over the life of the enclosure.

Go back | Show other stories