Acrylic Ship Windows
Acrylic in Ship Building
As a break resistant, high performance material acrylic has been used for the deepest diving submarine windows for over 40 years. Touristic semi-submarines use large rectangular windows made predominantly from acrylic or laminated glass. Acrylic windows come in all kinds of shapes and contour, which makes it the ideal material for bend windscreens.
The tear of the material has been a problem and still is. The predominant contra for acrylic is its scratch resistance. Acrylic can become scratched more easily than laminated glass. This is the main reason that acrylic is used less often for ship windows.
Most builders favor laminated glass where possible.
So, why Acrylic Vessel Windows?
Acrylic portholes can even be found in yachts. While they are sensitive to abrasion, they are very well suited for high loads. If windows are planed close to the water line, they might be judged as underwater windows by the classification society. Even so the windows are still above the water line under normal conditions the classification society wants them to be acyrylic.
"Underwater" Portlights for Dream On
The yacht Dream On has been voted as one of the best yachts by Segeln magazine. Quite unusual - Dream On was produced near the city of Istanbul, Turkey. Dunya Yachts at Ursa Shipyard facilities has sucessfully build this 32 meter long piece of luxury. At a price of 8 Million EUR its new owner will get a lot of ship for this money. The windows in the lowest row are all acrylic ship windows, designed, produced and delivered by Hydrosight.