It's Time to Replace Your Enclosure - use EZ2CY®

Is it a blurry or a worn-out view? Possibilities are that your boat enclosures need to be replaced.

If you mistake a scratch on your boat's enclosure for a marker in the channel while on the water, then you must repair or replace your clear marine enclosure, whether it's acrylic, vinyl, or another material. During planned downtime at a marine service yard, the experts do it well during haul-out or other opportune times. Clear enclosures are available in various materials nowadays, including acrylic, polycarbonate, and vinyl.

Acrylic enclosures are inflexible and come in various brands, including EZ2CY®. Polycarbonate comes under the brand name Makrolon whereas clear vinyl comes under CrystalClear, Regalite, and Strataglass, each having its own set of uses and characteristics.

Acrylic Boat Enclosures

Boats in the subtropics, such as the Bahamas and South Florida, must withstand significant humidity and temperature changes, where acrylic shines. Scratches can be buffed away in acrylic, and it does not fade or yellow over time. EZ2CY is 80-gauge acrylic and is designed to pull up rather than roll. When you don't need the panels, pin them to the roof or the bridge as they can withstand a lot more air pressure while in motion and hold in the cool air if you use an air conditioner because of the thickness.

The refurbishing and polishing procedure is straightforward for yachts already fitted with EZ2CY enclosures during haul-out. It is recommended to check it once you've arrived at the yard, and if it's scratched, have the yard remove it and return it to your EZ2CY® dealer. The dealer will do the buffing and polishing, then hang or store it and return it to the boat in like-new condition. Reinstall it when the yacht is ready to leave the yard.

Vinyl Boat Enclosures

Clear vinyl works well for many boat owners who require enclosures that can be rolled up and out of the way. It's easy to roll up clear uncoated vinyl because it's pliable, but users must be careful because it's easily scratched. VueShield, a scratch-resistant coating, is used on Strataglass to help reduce scratches. Uncoated vinyl is less costly than coated vinyl, although both must be handled with care to avoid wrinkles and creases. Furthermore, vinyl will turn yellow or hazy over time.

Polycarbonate

Because semirigid polycarbonate enclosures like Makrolon can't be rolled up, they must be unzipped or pinned and removed. Although polycarbonate is costly, it provides good visibility, and scratch-resistant coatings are used to preserve the surface. Polycarbonates are popular in northern climates and Great Lakes locations, where the sun and temperatures are not as harsh as in tropical climates. Polycarbonate can yellow in tropical conditions since it is a petroleum-based substance.

Maintenance

Use EZ2CY Cleaner and polish or EZ2CY Cleaner & Polish 7oz

After installing the new enclosures, careful upkeep may help them survive for years. The primary goal in a saltwater environment is to displace saltwater without harsh chemicals. Because many cleaners include ammonia or alcohol, which can break down acrylic and cause it to haze and crack, soapy water is the most robust solution to use. You can't buff or sand it out after that occurs. Keep a separate set of cleaning tools on the boat that you don't use anywhere else if you don't want to pick up any dirt or debris that can damage the cleaning equipment glass. 

Initial Care:

Initial and occasional use of EZ2CY® Enclosure Cleaner/Polish removes static that attracts dust and makes future washing easier. This product is easy to use and has anti-fog properties as well as helping to shed water. Use of Kleenex® Viva White paper towels is suggested for this procedure since they are soft, absorbent towels and leave little to no residue behind.

Normal Washing:

Rinse the salt off your enclosure with fresh water after each day of use and periodically when exposed to salt air. More extensive cleaning may be accomplished with the use of common boat soaps in conjunction with a soft mitt reserved for this duty. Follow with a fresh water rinse. A squeegee or water blade, having no sharp edges, may also be used if so desired.

Zipper Care:

Unzipping and washing of zippers with soap and water followed by a thorough rinsing of fresh water is recommended. If zipper tape is especially dirty, use a light solution of Woolite®-type fabric cleaner followed by a thorough rinsing with fresh water. DO NOT USE ANY FORM OF LUBRICANT!

Waxing:

If desired, wax EZ2CY® with a good quality auto paste wax (avoid waxes with color).  Follow by wiping with a damp cloth to remove static.

Scratches:

Most scratches can be removed by hand polishing with EZ2CY® Scratch Remover.  Use of electric buffer may facilitate: Keep moving over area, use light pressure, keep area moist using spray bottle with clean water. Rinse and follow with EZ2CY® Enclosure Cleaner/Polish.

DO NOT USE:

Window cleaning sprays, RAINEX®, Kitchen Scouring Compounds, solvents such as Acetone, Lacquer Thinner or cleaners that contain alcohol, any form of lubricant. CAUTION needs to be exercised when using metal cleaner on pipe work that is adjacent to the enclosure!

Removing, Opening, and Closing Panels

Removing Panels from Boat:

EZ2CY® Enclosures are designed to remain on the boat. The probability of scratching or damaging a panel in the process of removing or replacing far outweighs any benefit of storage. If panels must be removed, contact an EZ2CY® Dealer near you.

Opening and Closing Panels:

Open only those panels designed to be opened. At time of installation your dealer will demonstrate and give specific instructions for opening and closing your EZ2CY® Enclosure. Some general rules apply to all opening panels:

When opening or closing an EZ2CY® Panel caution should be taken to prevent excessive bending. When handling panels the wind can be an important factor.  If under way, reduce boat speed. Turn boat if required to eliminate excess wind.

Vertical zippers must be open to the top track (sliding panels: fully open and separate zippers). Hold panel with one hand while unzipping bottom zipper.  This will give you control of the panel. Pull panel in and up to top; fasten appropriately (sliding panels:  slide panel and fasten appropriately). 

If panels are rubbing on each other, insert a paper towel, clear suction cup or similar soft product to prevent scratching.

Hold the panel with one hand while opening the bottom zipper. This will give you better control of the panel.

For hinged panels, pull the panel in and up, fastening appropriately. For sliding panels, slide the panel completely open and make sure that it is properly fastened.

EZ2CY® Panels are designed to remain on the boat. The cost and likelihood of scratching or breaking a panel in the process of removing it far outweighs any benefit of storage. If you absolutely must remove your panels, please contact your EZ2CY® Dealer for help.

Fasteners

A decision that boat owners must make is how the enclosures are attached to the boat. Haul-out is also an excellent opportunity to service your enclosures' zippers, Velcro, and fabric borders. Acrylic and vinyl goods from Sunbrella and Herculite are utilized with fasteners like slides, snaps, and zippers.

Serge Ferrari's Stamoid, a dimensionally stable vinyl, is used by Canvas Designers. Then a track-to-track program is used to link the glass to the boat. There is a track on the hardtop of the boat and a track on the flybridge coaming, a bolt rope on the top is sewed, and the bottom panel zips are closed.

Timing

How often you use your boat determines the frequency with which you should change your enclosures. Some folks have 25-year-old boats with less than 1,200 hours on them, and they run them all around the globe; some of the sportfishing boats are two years old and have 3,000 hours on them.

Sportfishing boats competing in international competitions often encounter a worn or damaged enclosure at a foreign port, and repairing or replacing the panel might be difficult. When acquiring enclosures, the option to have a replacement transported to your location is something to think about. For this reason, computer-aided design (CAD) software can save the dimensions of your boat's enclosures.

Cleaning

The goal of cleaning is to make it as simple and easy as possible.

Problem: When washing 040 vinyl and polycarbonates, they are readily scratched, resulting in a dirty appearance.

Solution: Use acrylic as a solution. Coated items are somewhat scratch-resistant, but since acrylic is so transparent, it collects more dirt than any other product, necessitating more frequent cleaning. Additionally, unlike covered materials, scratches in acrylic can typically be polished away. I usually cleaned. The boat was cleaned after a long voyage, but cleaning the enclosure was skipped to mingle. The boat enclosure in the next slide was still more precise and excellent than the new and freshly cleaned conventional enclosure.