My Hustler Windscreen Broke
 

I uncovered it and found it broken:( I cant tell what broke it. It doesn't look like anything hit it and there isn't any stress cracks/star looking cracks at the bolt hole. It was cold the night before and hot (80)the next morning when I uncovered it when I found it broken .The riv nut/blind nut had pulled out of the glass on the side, It looks like the nut wasn't spread out very good and didnt grab,Maybe the heat made it expand/bend and the bolt/nut let it move and crack? Its weird its a 2001 boat.I am real anal about letting people touch it,but ya never know when I am not in the boat.

I called Hustler there telling me 4-8 weeks on a replacement at about 2k.They also told me that the holes might NOT line up and I will probably have to glass up the old holes for the refitment on the new one:mad: The same people are not making it for them and there made different:eek: MaryEllen said she was going to call me back to day on how long.

I also have sent picks to Shields and Yachtwindows Inc. to get a price quote and how long it will take.They will have to make a mold from my old one.

Viplex Corp in Melbourne FL. prev manfg is out of biz.



Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Rob:D

http://i16.tinypic.com/2hx94jl.jpg


http://i18.tinypic.com/2w2j1qa.jpg

Strip - Did you try ever try Spartech?

Yes they said they didnt have the molds anymore and for me to call Allen at Yacht windows.He does one offs. He's working up a price etc. Thanks for the info BG :drink: Rob



The bad thing is I have a poker run May 4th:(

Get some heavy duty black duct tape from JC and tape that fugger back together until you get a new one!

what about http://www.acrylico.com/ they have done a bunch for oso members.

Rob, If it's below 50 degrees and you accidentally hit it or put stress on it they will crack.We were running in october of 05 at the thousand islands. As my buddy was getting off the boat his foot hit the screen and she cracked.The holes did not line up. I made a deal with Joe for a new one,Less than you were quoted.

PK

My suggestion......

quit bending fat chicks over your windscreen!


Seriously, take it to a plexiglass shop and have them glue it and buff it out. It will leave a very faint line but you'll have $2k in gas money. At least run it that way until your other comes in.

Why not ask them to not drill the holes and do it yourself, that way it will fit perfect??

Thanks for the info I called and left a message .It looks like they do a few different boat companies.

PK how long did they take?


I dont have a prob glueing it back temporally until the new one comes in ,if I get it from Hustler,but they said the bolt holes might not line up:(
I would think they would need the old one to make a new one from.make a mold from it and where to drill the holes.


Rob

Just have them mold and send you a new one, and take the new one and your old one to a local plastics/sign shop and have them drill the new holes. You will have no issues then.

I broke one too. Apparently punching through a 15' wall of water at Hillsboro inlet is not good for them. :D :D Ipod's velcro'd to the dash tend to frown upon this test as well. :D

Send the windshield to vermont plastics in Burlignton,vermont. they make all of outerlimits' stuff and made a replacement windshield for my 28' powerplay

Rob, we have an acrylic guy here in NJ that comes to your boat, heats/bends the pieces and puts them on the boat so they fit perfectly.

Maybe there's an acrylic guy in your area that can do it? The guy who does ours also makes a lot of acrylic fixtures for shopping malls and stores like Macys.

I think it cracked because of that sharp edge at the bottom where it goes on the deck - it has to be polished, not for looks but because the striations of the grinder at such a sharp place will get a crack started. It will then look for the nearest stress point - the hole - and it's on it's way. Acrylic does expand and contract way more than fiberglass - about 1/8" in the beam of that boat on extreme temp changes. I've seen it both crack or shear mounting bolts on a yacht that went from Lauderdale to NY in winter...

buy a pair of goggles lol

Rob, unable to pm you.System will not allow me to reply.

PKR

Please try again I just got a new email address.Thanks,Rob:drink:

I haven't been able to come up with anything on my 388 either. Let me know what you find out.......I definitely need one too......90+ with no windshield is sucks!

Rob, Ill check with my sign shop tomorrow AM. They do alot of neat signs in plexiglass, Ill call U with any info if I find out.

I put on a windshield on my old 388 last year. My brother fell on it and it cracked. Bruised him up pretty good. The bends can not be made by just anybody. I took mine to every place in Kansas city and no one could make one because of the bends and how thick the glass is. After trying everything else I could possibly do, I wound up getting it from hustler. Really didnt want to spend the 2k. Holes didn't line up in my 97. Had to redrill and seal up old holes. Good luck with what ever you end up doing. Honestly, I wish I would have just left it on with the crack in it. The glass is thick enough even with a crack completly through it to still block the wind. If you dont mind how it looks I would just put it back on.

That bites.

On my Fountain, all the W/S screw holes are approx 3/16" larger than the screw threads. Then there are rubber spacer/washer combo peices that fit into the holes. Allows for plenty of flex. Might keep this in mind on your new one.

Rob, call up Augie Busch and tell him how you support his product and i am sure he would get you what you want.If he really knows how well you support his product he might buy you a brand new 46 Skater.:drink: :drink:

I would get a tube of IPS#16 and glue it back together. It would barely be noticeable (as long as you're neat) and be as strong as new. 2k is a lot of cash for a windscreen. But that's why I drive a little boat I guess.

Rene

I just had to have my sides replaced on my 26 hustler had them made a a glass shop off the old ones 300 . they didnt have the same size plexiglass so its a little thinner than whats on the boat . they told me that plexi glass only last for about 3 to 5 years then it will give way . they drilled my holes off the old ones but i had to fit them myself cuz the holes didnt line up . good luck cuz i didnt get any help from hustler at all.

:D :D :D

Thanks for the replys:D


I called Carlos with AcryliCo http://www.acrylico.com/ he said he would make a mold and make me one from my old one just like the original and have it before my TickFaw Poker Run the first of May. He said he makes the screens for Nortech and some of the Outerlimits . He also said he has been remaking a lot screens for OSO members Scarabs.



Still waiting on a price from Shields (www.racingsheilds.com) and Yachts windscreens.

Hey atleast Carlos with AcryliCo is a member here.


Thanks
Rob

The new 388 Skater 4 seater with 1550 plus would be nice:drink: :drink: The prob is got have a toilet in it for the girls:evilb:

It has a soft type plastic inserts so the 1/4 screws do touch the screen.


It looks like maybe the screw at the crack was too tight and the temperature flexed it in the bend in the corner. Because it pulled the riv/blind nut out of the fiberglass.or the nut was loose and let it flex and break. Its anybodies guess?:(


I really dont want to take a chance on glueing it and breaking again,especially on a poker run.

To me it looks like h ell with out it,see it has a indentation in the fiberglass were the windscreen sits in and it really does deflect the wind more than I thought!!

Rob

I just read somewhere that you can pick up 2.5 mph without them. That's not enough to outrun the Ugly though.

Strip, he was unable to make a new windscreen for ya.:(

Hey Rob whats up? try Vermont plastic 1800 639 2043
They do some of the outerlimits and may do hustlers too

Rob, U don't need no stink'n Pizzer, water all around dude!!!!!:p

Your suppose to bang them in the cabin not on top of the deck... :drink:

I called them they didnt have a mold for the Hustler. He would have to get to see if he could make it.


I just shipped it off to Carlos with AcryliCo ,he said he can make one from my old,make it axactly like my old one.He said he would make a mold from it and have it ready around the 27th. Thats pretty fast.:drink:

Thanks guys,Rob:D

and rear engine hatch, back seat,over engine when shes polishing the blowers,trailer fenders, :rolleyes: :drink:

Actually it was prob a drunk buddy pulling on it climbing over it getting to the deck:eek:

This is the hole that the riv nut pulled out , the riv nut wasn't even spread out, the plastic inserts feel like there a plastic not rubber.

those things dont look to have much flex appeal. seems as though something should give a little. There must be a lot of pressure on that thing at speed. Mabe you should try well nuts to remount the new one. can you up grade to lexan it was originally designed for NASA?

They say it worth about 1 mph ,so I bet it does have some presure on it.Lexan they say was 3 times the price and doesent hold up as good in the sun?

Lexan
 

Lexan (polycarbonate) is more impact resistant than acrylic. However, it scratches easier and is hydroscopic (absorbs humidity from the air and goes yellow like 80's car headlights) To make up for this it has to be hardcoated which is the application of a very hard film on the part. We do hardcoating and it ain't easy, that's why it gets kind of pricey.
Although polycarbonate is used in high speed canopy boats for safety, the optics are not that good due to the sheet being extruded, the tint selection is pretty restricted as is the thickness.
Guess there is an application for everything!