Canvas and isinglass help

[bigeasy1]

I'm bringing this old thread up as I finally made a decision.

Originally Posted by Mikem8560

thw cost og the strataglass is significantly more as it come in sheet 54" x111" so there is more wayste on some jobs cutting a new sheet just to get a 36 inch piece then then you have a lest over to deal with , a lot of tradesmens have been complaining about the quality of strataglass not eing what it used to be and are switinch to comparable product such as O Sea vinyl but for your canvas if it was mine id go with a 40guage double polished vinyl I only used strataglass for my t top rnclosure as I had some small leftover pieces

Well,I finally had a local canvas guy up in western NY take a look at my canvas stitching,and clear isinglass.
He seems well qualified,showed me several boats and references for his work and all were very good.As you mentioned Mikem,the Strata glass was extremely expensive as compared to the other plastics,and he felt that in my use it would not be worth the price.I ended up going with the 40 ga.
He also told me that I should not have used the seamark for the aft curtain,as it doesn't breathe.
So here's the deal. He's going to re-stitch every single seam where ever there is stitching on the canvas and the ising glass with the "SOLAR FIX" thread.
He is going to install some clam shell vents on the aft curtain,and he is going to replace the three windows above the windows with the 40ga polished clear vinyl.

I was kind of shocked by the price of $825.00 as The guy who made the the entire top and isinglass charged me a bit under $1,500 total.
Oh well this guy was very professional and polite,and I felt that he was also honest,as he was recommended by some very picky other boat owners I know.
If I was younger,and in better health,I'd spend some time fabricating a hardtop pf some sort,but my days of being physically able to do that kind of work are far behind me.

Thanks to all for the good info.