Replacing the cracked plexiglass windshield.

Now that i've been out on the Puget Sound a few times, I've found the most frustrating thing about this boat is the windshield.  It's cracked.  It's crazed (small cracks within the plexiglass caused by UV exposure over time).  It fogs up making it difficult to see.  I usually sit on top of the backrest of the seat so I can see over the top of the windshield, you have to be extra careful about rogue logs floating in puget sound.  Running into one would be a real bitch.  So getting back on subject, when I say the windshield is fogging up, I don't mean condensation.  It's the surface of the plexiglass.  I have polished it a couple of times with polish made for headlights.  It comes out great but it tends to get foggy again within 2-3 outings.

[Stupid cracked windshield!]


[Crazed plexiglass]

Soooooo here's a couple of ideas.  I'm not sure which one i'm gonna do yet.

Idea 1, Replace the molded plexiglass:   

I could get some more plexiglass and try to mold it to fit into the existing frame.  My plan would be to remove the old windshield (hopefully)without damaging the shape.  Because it is molded into a curve, I was thinking of using construction paper or cardboard to get an accurate template of the shape of the windshield that could be then laid out flat.  Cut the new windshield out of a sheet of plexiglass.  I have heard/read a couple of conflicting methods of molding plexiglass.  If the plexiglass was Lexan, I've heard you can bend it without heating it up.  Otherwise I would need to use a heat gun or order a heating strap.

Pros:  Keeps the original look of the boat.  Plexiglass is easy to obtain.  It's lightweight and tough.

Cons:  Molding the plexiglass could prove to be very difficult, and costly if i screw up and have to buy more.  May still fog up and eventually start crazing again. 

Idea 2, Create a new frame:

In order to avoid the possible catastrophe of trying to mold plexiglass, I was thinking of making a whole new frame that would hold panels of flat plexiglass (or safety glass if i could have it made for cheap enough).  I've seen aluminum channel stock you can buy at the local hardware chain which looks like it would support 1/4" thick glass/plexiglass. 

Pros:  Freedom to design the windshield to my specs.  No molding of plexiglass.  Could replace the individual panels in the future if they break. 


Cons: This could get expensive with all of the stock/panels.  It may prove difficult to join the sections of framing.  As it will probably cost too much to get safety glass made (once safety glass is tempered, you can't cut it to shape) I will likely have to use plexiglass.  Which I hate.

Idea 3, Find an existing glass windshield:

I've scanned craigslist a few times, and I have seen them come up once in a while.  This seems like the best option as it seems like it would be pretty easy to remove the old windshield and attach the new frame to the boat.

Pros: CHEAP! I saw a windshield off of an old boat on craigslist.org the other day for 100$!  Unfortunately I'm broke right now, otherwise I would have called right away (after checking the measurements of course).  It will be glass instead of plexiglass.  Easy installation (I hope). 


Cons:  Being patient enough to find a suitable replacement that is low cost and will fit the dimensions of the boat.

Next week: If all goes well, I will be posting the installation process of installing a new windshield!