Acrylic on Foredeck Cracked
Printed From: myHanse.com
Category: Hints & Tips
Forum Name: 430
Forum Description: 430 Hints and Tips
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15333
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 23:38
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Acrylic on Foredeck Cracked
Posted By: Aussieangus
Subject: Acrylic on Foredeck Cracked
Date Posted: 25 August 2025 at 12:14
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Hi Guys, I have a hanse 430E 2008 model. The acrylic on the fordeck over the forepeak cabin and the ensuite head has cracked and delaminated. Its starting to come away from the coachroof. Im told its a regular issue with this model. Ive been quoted $1700AUD by the hanse commisioning shipwright in Australia to remove and replace with 2 pieces as thats part of the problem that theres only 1 piece and expansion and contraction causes problems. Its quite expensive and im hoping i can do the work myself. Has anyone else done this? Or is anyone familiar with the issue? Im going to try to post photos below if i can resize them small enough.  ------------- Sydney Australia GODS COUNTRY |
Replies:
Posted By: Aussieangus
Date Posted: 25 August 2025 at 12:16
  
------------- Sydney Australia GODS COUNTRY |
Posted By: Aussieangus
Date Posted: 31 August 2025 at 13:32
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Does anyone who owns a 430 have any experience at all? ------------- Sydney Australia GODS COUNTRY |
Posted By: Dogscout
Date Posted: 05 September 2025 at 21:16
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First off, Mine is also cracked. 2007 430e. I have filled the cracks with superglue as a temporary fix until I can get it taken apart. Also moisture has gotten under the acrylic. I expect that it will require cutting around the acrylic with a knife and prying out the piece(s). Then buying a new piece of acrylic and using sika to seal it back in. ------------- Adventure awaits |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 08 September 2025 at 01:12
| Mine is not cracked but occasionally I get a small leak via the skylight in the forward head so I’m following this with interest. |
Posted By: Aussieangus
Date Posted: 08 September 2025 at 07:42
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Hi Dogscout, My shipwright is very familiar with Hanses as i said. He said that they either replace it with 2 or 3 new acrylic pieces as they expand and contract with thermal forces which is why they become unstuck but with multiple pieces it works better, he also said not to use sikaflex as its not UV stable enough and from my experience also sika needs a blackout primer on the acylic but there are other options im sure but he hasnt told me what they've used before. Sometimes they've replaced the whole thing with a 1 piece of teak which is expensive. ------------- Sydney Australia GODS COUNTRY |
Posted By: Dogscout
Date Posted: 10 September 2025 at 00:00
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I'll follow the 2 piece plan. Im between Tonga and Fiji now, and will be attacking this when I get settled in NZ later this year. ------------- Adventure awaits |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 10 November 2025 at 16:50
| Any updates on this? I’m going to do this in the spring but the cost of labor is going to mandate a self repair so I’d really like to keep the cash hemorrhage down to a dull roar…. |
Posted By: Aussieangus
Date Posted: 15 November 2025 at 02:54
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Hi Issywa, No i still havent had it fixed but i'll be going with the shipwright fix (2 or 3 pieces) as i dont want it to fail. Its coming away from the sealant now and i want it done soon but isnt leaking YET! I'll update when ive done something ------------- Sydney Australia GODS COUNTRY |
Posted By: Alain & Anne
Date Posted: 30 November 2025 at 18:06
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Hi All, We have had this issue after three years of sailing only! I managed to have this acrylic replaced by teak when we were in Argentina in 2010.  ------------- UHAMBO 430e#004 White hull-teck deck-Yanmar 55hp-long range cruising OCC Our blog: www.uhambo.fr |
Posted By: Aussieangus
Date Posted: 02 December 2025 at 07:04
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Thanks for the reply. That looks a tad out of place but my shipwright says hes done it a few times and its the best and most reliable solution. ------------- Sydney Australia GODS COUNTRY |
Posted By: Alain & Anne
Date Posted: 06 December 2025 at 10:38
Looks less fancy but it lasted much better five years and 15000 miles later! ------------- UHAMBO 430e#004 White hull-teck deck-Yanmar 55hp-long range cruising OCC Our blog: www.uhambo.fr |
Posted By: Aussieangus
Date Posted: 07 December 2025 at 10:09
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Alan and Anne, That looks mint! Thats what i'd like, what a great result. ------------- Sydney Australia GODS COUNTRY |
Posted By: Lykke
Date Posted: 19 December 2025 at 15:38
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Hi, on my boat it did not crack, but become loose after several years exposed to sunshine.  As mentioned in another post, I made a smaller window with teak around it:  This is how it looks today, a few years later:  I still have the original plastic sheet if someone near me has a cracked one they want to replace. ------------- Lykke, Hanse 430e, #8 from 2007 |
Posted By: Dogscout
Date Posted: 20 December 2025 at 00:55
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That looks great. I just received the new piece of Acrylic yesterday. Shipped from NZ to Fiji only took a month. Sadly I'm heading to the US today and will not be replacing it until sometime in February. I wish there was someone here that is good with teak. Oh well. ------------- Adventure awaits |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 21 December 2025 at 06:42
| Lykke - did you remove the piece or hire that out? Mine is not cracked but does leak occasionally so I’ve got it on the to do list and am curious how difficult it is to remove. |
Posted By: Dogscout
Date Posted: 22 January 2026 at 21:55
Issywa. Mine was extremely difficult to remove required breaking it in many pieces. So I got back early and started the project. I saw some areas under the acrylic were like a damp sponge and the sika came off easily. Other portions were stuck fast and required a hammer and putty knife to get under and then break away. It was the area towards the bow that was the easiest and had water between the acrylic and cabintop. I ended up using 1 panel of the same size as original but is 6mm thick. I believe the original is 4mm. I used Sika 295UV which is supposed to be more UV stable. I also removed the front hatch and like others the powder coating was stuck to the sealant and not the frame. It's all back together now too. I need to clean rhe boat but the Pic shows the new panel in place. And yes there is some moisture under it arrrrrgh it was hot and sweaty here in Fiji yesterday.  ------------- Adventure awaits |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 23 January 2026 at 04:23
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What material did you use and does it match the color of the other panels? Mine are a dark color with a hint of purple - I assume that’s standard on the 430. Sounds like a typical boat project - a PITA! |
Posted By: Dogscout
Date Posted: 23 January 2026 at 23:24
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I bought Dark Grey Tinted Acrylic. 6mm, 825mm x 585mm I got it from Cambrian Plastics in New Zealand. I am sure that you can find a vendor closer to you. The dark grey tint seems to match the old piece well. The 6 mm may be a bit much but the sika has a bevel from the teak to the acrylic. ------------- Adventure awaits |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 29 January 2026 at 07:47
| So does the 6 mm panel slightly proud of the deck surface? I assume that is not a problem as my hatches are slightly proud from the butyl tape I used when I removed them to repair some leaks. |
Posted By: Dogscout
Date Posted: 30 January 2026 at 00:15
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Yes it is proud of the deck. Pretty close to even with the fore hatch. ------------- Adventure awaits |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 30 January 2026 at 16:04
| Dog - now that you’ve completed the job, any thoughts on a better way to remove the leaky panel? Oscillating tool, or hand held wire saw? |
Posted By: Dogscout
Date Posted: 31 January 2026 at 03:19
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I would say that the oscillating tool would do a good job with the scraper attachment. Regarding the size i posted above. if you took a few mm off of both dimensions then you would have some float and would not affect it. adding a bit more sika on the edge may be beneficial. ------------- Adventure awaits |