Buffing scratches out of windows

[baldbaby2000]

I'm wondering if there is a safe way to buff the windows without making them cloudy. I have an electric buffer for cars and boats but I want to be sure I don't permanently mess up the windows. Any thoughts?

[Timm Miller]

I personaly wouldn't use a buffer on them......I'm sure it can be done. There are various products available to take out scratches in clear plastic........many just require a soft clean coth and hand rubbing.

[Sloop John B]

Depends how deep your scratches are. If they're superficial, you'd start with very very fine sandpaper. Circular motion wet. Then Emory cloth (used to polish jewelry). Finally, toothpaste (for coffee and tobacco fiends) and an old wet cotton T shirt. Finish with a coat of Future (future won't yellow) floor wax.

This takes hours and after the first window you will ache so bad you will have your nose in the yellow pages searching for relief.

Best solution is to launch the impy grandkids on this project. Ice cream scoops for their reward. They must be watched/supervised, however, so bring out a lawn chair and a cooler of Michelob.

[Don T]

Hello:
I use my buffer and go over the outside with the same Meguires #7 cleaner wax I use on the boat. I follow up with Meguires Mirror Glaze antistatic scratch remover. The windows are made of Lexan polycarbonate which absorbs moisture over time. That's what makes them turn cloudy.

[Chip Hindes]

I have it on most excellent authority (Bill at B4S) the windows are not polycarbonate (Lexan) but acrylic (Plexiglas).

I can certainly vouch for the fact that they don't hold up as polycarbonate would. They shatter like acrylic. Finally, becasue polycarbonate is more expensive, there's virtually no chance Roger Mac would have used it instead of acrylic.

[Carl Noble]

There is one plus side for them being made of Acrylic. Polycarb scratches very easily so we would have to be polishing them constantly.

[Chip Hindes]

Well, you could get the optical grade, abrasion resistant polycarbonate designed specifically for windows. Instead of costing 15-25% more than acryilic, costs 3X as much. A nippy day in the underworld, as they say.

[Don T]

OK,
I'll just say the windows on my 95 boat are not plexiglass. Definitely polycarbonate and contrary to other boats they are held in with double sided closed cell foam tape.

[Randy Smith]

Don T, you know your boat, so you are right. In 95, Roger was trying to get the boat on the market. He may have used better materials. I do not know what my 96 has, but think Chip is right. What I have seen Mac do is constantly "upgrade", aka, cheapen with substitute materials as he makes newer models. Sometimes these "upgrades" are better, sometimes not. To wrap this up, each model has different materials based on supply and demand at that time. Chip, what do you think? Moe? You Yours? I have seen every model for the last two decades and I really feel this to have some merit. Randy

[kmclemore]

Well, I have a '98 and it would appear that mine are plexiglass (perspex). They're certainly not polycarbonate, at any rate... too soft.

[Randy Smith]

I am sure mine on the 96 are plexiglass, they are soft and flexible...scratch easily. I am curious about DonT's 95. Why does his have better material? Any other 95s have the harder, better material? Randy

[Billy]

Didn't these early boats also have aluminum tracks for the hatch where we have the improved plastic ones?

[Richard O'Brien]

Actually polycarbonate is pretty soft. It's when you run it through the table saw that you see it's "toughness". The trade-off with poly is that it yellows under UV exposure, but if you have bronze windows it doesn't matter. It is more flexible than plexi, so it's good for curved windows. If You can find it with MR, it indicates "mar-resistant", pretty good stuff. It won't stop a .357 but it will sure slow anything down, and you won't put your foot through unless it's "commercial sign quality".

[Randy Smith]

Billy, you are right regarding the aluminum slides. I like my aluminum and really didn't want the plastic, even if it is industrial, UV resistant. I like metal, what can I say? My rudder brackets are aluminum also. There are many small differences over the years, but the X is identifiable as an X whenever you see one. Randy

[kmclemore]

Just FYI, my 98 also has aluminum slides. I wonder when they changed over??