Hair brained idea of mine....

Just a thought I had this morning, seemed like a neat idea to try if I could make it work. A 16-20 foot boat made of all lexan, just don't know how to make it work. It's been done for canoes for a while but those are molded some how...I wonder if it would be possible to maybe do something like SNG or maybe make lexan frames with "planks" somehow glued on similar to ply on frame. So what do you guys think. Just me trying to reinvent the wheel ha ha.

 

Why?

Apart from the fact that PC yellows, it is not a good coice for weathering, it gets brittle under UV, and does not withstand alcohol (though a bit better than PMMA).

And the overall strength is insufficient for a hull structure, on top of that.

Regards
Rcihard

 

I was unaware of the lack of strength in the material, just my uneducated musing. Although it would be nice to have a clear boat and go sailing on a clear lake somewheres with a cooler of beers ha ha. I guess that would explain why we don't see any clear boats sailing around though.

 

Of course the idea is fascinating.

 

I think triangular door is good and totally inovative idea as well. Although we don't see any of them, probably it does not work?

 

The first wheel was made square and made four bumps with each revolution. The first improvement was to remove one of the corners, making for only three bumps on each revolution. Not all innovations are good ideas.

Polycarbonate Lexan is a wonderful material and can be had in colors, some of which will give it UV protection. There are many other materials that have much more to recommend them for boats than PC though. I would file this idea in the same box with most of the other suggestions of strange materials to use in boatbuilding.

 

Polycarbonate is molded with a female vacuum mold over the plastic sheet which is heated over resistance coils. When the plastic becomes soft enough to sag the vacuum pulls the sheet up into the shaped mold and the heat is removed while the vacuum is left on. Once the plastic re-hardens the vacuum is discontinued and it is popped from the mold.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-18215.html

 

Of course, there is always glass.

 

One see through boat. Cheaper than Lexan too. http://yostwerks.com/NikumiPaddle6.html

Similar construction has been used for rowing boats. I wouldn't try it for a planing boat though.

 

You wouldn't believe how flimsy a fiberglass canoe is until the gunwales and seats are attached. By attaching a deck or canoe-style gunwales, you might be able to stiffen a small polycarbonate hull sufficiently for rowing or paddling.

I read somewhere in these forums that glass-bottomed boats are seldom popular because the glass gets contaminated so quickly.

 

I saw a transparent lexan looking dingy for sale many years ago but dont know more about it. It was small about 6 feet.

 

If you want a see through bottom in your boat just don`t put a bottom in. Side pontoons,plus a bow and transom. You could even jump through the bottom to cool off. Put your beer down first though.

 

There was a guy here with a lexan bottom in his wooden fishing boat.
Last year during an exceptionally low tide the bottom stood on a large rock, since then he has a submarine.....

 

I guess one can only say there is a reason for using certain materials for certain things...

 

I love the idea, do it!!!!

-Tom