Marine Fabricator May/June 2023 - 18

them up, we'll definitely talk to them
about doing soft windows-just because
they have flexibility to store them when
they're not in use. "
TOP: Vince Innocenzi, owner of Chicago
Marine Canvas, says the best way to
determine the right materials for a
particular boat owner is to look at the
customer's needs and the type of boat
the windows will be going on.
BOTTOM: Polycarbonate windows were
installed on this boat at Chicago Marine
Canvas. Photos: Chicago Marine Canvas
Moving toward rigid
Innocenzi says that when he started, he
didn't do any rigid windows. " But as time
has gone on, it's something we talk to
all of our customers about, and I would
say 50% of the new ones will go with
are polycarbonate. "
For a hard-top boat, Innocenzi likes
to use a polycarbonate or an acrylic
window. " In our area we definitely use
more polycarbonate than acrylic because
polycarbonate is the same design and
sewing process as a soft window, as
opposed to training an employee how to
bond an acrylic window, " he says. " We
do acrylic sometimes, but it's just more
labor intensive for us and a higher cost to
the customer.
" The only reason customers typically
wouldn't go with rigid is for storage
reasons, " he adds. " If they like to roll
windows up to store them or they're
always taking them on and off, it's more
difficult to store rigid windows and keep
them flat. "
Innocenzi says a number of customers
have had the wind catch a hard window
that is being moved or is sitting out.
" Those larger polycarbonate windows
act like a kite, and the window just
flies away into the lake. If you're always
taking them on and off, soft windows
are easier to manipulate and fold up. "
Attachment methods matter
Sometimes, the method used to attach
a window to the canvas dictates the
material that is used, says Greg Keeler,
founder and owner of Oyster Creek
Canvas Co. in Bellingham, Wash. " We
sew all of our windows, so the materials
we use are going to be polycarbonate,
pressed polished sheets and very seldom
roll vinyl.
" It all depends on how a customer uses
the boat, whether or not the windows will
be taken on and off a lot, and whether
they're going to be rolled, " says Keeler.
In the end, most of the time that
means using polycarbonate. " We've
gone that direction in the last few years,
from probably a quarter polycarbonate
to more than half, " says Keeler. " It
holds its shape really well, and with any
sort of radius, polycarbonate is going to
hold its shape better than a press-polish
sheet. Every dodger we do is polycarbonate;
it's been years since we've done
one using press-polish sheets. "
Keeler says if his customers are going
to be taking windows off part of the
year and want to be able to put them
away, he'll lean toward press-polish,
which is easier to store.
" Cost is another consideration too, "
he says. " Like on a big flybridge enclosure,
we'll always do the front windows
18 Marine Fabricator | May/June 2023
Marine Fabricator May/June 2023

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