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Re: Glass Kayak
By:Don
Date: 1/22/2001, 10:16 pm
In Response To: Glass Kayak (Johnnie)

: I was planing to build a Kayak from Lexan I've done some glue test and
: everything holds fine. I had not planed to paint the craft but leave it
: clear. What do ya think? Any comments or advice will be appreciated.
: Thanks.

Lexan has incredible impact resistance. However it has one major flaw that may cause you to rethink using it. It is very prone to stress-cracking. I worked for a company manufacturing an underwater flashlight. The original spec called for a Lexan body and lens. It was incredibly strong. The lens could deflect a 38 slug fired at point blank range. But the pressure the o-ring between the body and the lens caused cracking in both sections. We check with the manufacture, GE, they verified the stress crack problem. The specification was changed to ABS and Plexyglass.

I am not sure what kind of a design you are thinking of. However I would be very wary of the curved surfaced being subject to stress cracking. It takes very little pressure exerted over time to cause the cracking. Ignoring the bending stresses on the hull, I can also guarantee you will stress-cracks anywhere you have a through the hull fitting, like rigging hardware.

Also Lexan scratches very easily. A day or two on the beach and you will have a frosted hull rather than clear.

Don

Messages In This Thread

Glass Kayak
Johnnie -- 1/21/2001, 1:32 pm
Not suitable for scottish paddlers! :) *NM*
Marcelo -- 1/24/2001, 11:06 am
Re: Not Fiberglass Thank God!
George Cushing -- 1/23/2001, 2:33 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
Ken Brunton -- 1/23/2001, 2:30 pm
Re: Check this out, Lexan kayak from Innovex Corp
Grant Goltz -- 1/23/2001, 12:23 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
Johnnie -- 1/22/2001, 10:29 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
David Dick -- 1/23/2001, 6:57 am
Re: Glass Kayak
Don -- 1/22/2001, 10:16 pm
Re: Makes me wonder
Shawn Baker -- 1/23/2001, 10:44 am
Re: Makes me wonder
George Cushing -- 1/24/2001, 6:11 am
Re: Aren't Trees Amazing?
Shawn Baker -- 1/24/2001, 10:22 am
Re: Aren't Trees Amazing?
Grant Goltz -- 1/24/2001, 12:36 pm
Re: Aren't Trees Amazing?
Shawn Baker -- 1/24/2001, 12:55 pm
Re: Strip-deck C
Grant Goltz -- 1/25/2001, 12:49 pm
Re: Makes me wonder
Don -- 1/24/2001, 2:35 am
Re: Heat Treating Plastic
Shawn Baker -- 1/24/2001, 10:17 am
Re: Glass Kayak
John Schroeder -- 1/22/2001, 9:58 pm
Re: Polycarbonate *Pic*
Shawn Baker -- 1/22/2001, 11:29 am
Re: Polycarbonate
Lee -- 1/23/2001, 1:06 am
Re: Reading Material
Shawn Baker -- 1/23/2001, 10:31 am
Methyl Methacrylate
Pete Rudie -- 1/22/2001, 4:39 pm
Re: Help Pete!
George Cushing -- 1/23/2001, 3:00 pm
Re: Help Pete!
Pete Rudie -- 1/24/2001, 1:05 am
Re: Allright Smarty Pants!
George Cushing -- 1/23/2001, 2:56 pm
I wonder
mike allen -- 1/22/2001, 5:31 pm
Re: I wonder VACUUM FORMING
Eric Schade (shearwater boats) -- 1/22/2001, 7:30 pm
Re: I wonder VACUUM FORMING
John Monfoe -- 1/23/2001, 6:46 am
Re: Big Aluminum Billet
Spidey -- 1/23/2001, 1:31 am
Re: I wonder VACUUM FORMING
mike allen -- 1/22/2001, 8:06 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
Spidey -- 1/22/2001, 1:14 am
Re: Glass Kayak
Arlen -- 1/22/2001, 11:32 pm
Re: Thickness Shear Strength
Spidey -- 1/23/2001, 12:35 am
Re: Thickness Shear Strength
Ken Brunton -- 1/23/2001, 2:16 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
Victor lapostolle -- 1/22/2001, 1:54 am
Re: Glass Kayak
John Monfoe -- 1/22/2001, 6:17 am
Re: Both Glass Kayaks! :)
Spidey -- 1/23/2001, 12:16 am
Lexan Kayak
Paul G. Jacobson -- 1/21/2001, 11:33 pm
Re: lots of suntan lotions
Tony -- 1/22/2001, 6:48 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
daren -- 1/21/2001, 10:14 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
David Hanson -- 1/22/2001, 12:29 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
Jon -- 1/21/2001, 7:54 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
tom preska -- 1/21/2001, 9:38 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
Johnnie -- 1/21/2001, 10:13 pm
Re: Glass Kayak
David Dick -- 1/21/2001, 11:25 pm