SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer sets high standards in quality and toughness for the yacht industry

The SL108 yacht (top), from the Sanlorenzo shipbuilding yards, uses Viraver glass panels made with high-resistance SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer for all frontal and lateral glazing. The structural interlayer was selected due to its ability to withstand both impacts and harsh climates. The laminated glass made with high-resistant SentryGlas® interlayer is also used for Sanlorenzo's SL72, SL82 and SL88 models. © Sanlorenzo.

Protection against UV, plus enhanced security

Viraver Technology s.r.l. (Padua, Italy), a supplier of advanced glazing solutions, uses SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer for the front and side glazing of new yachts from Sanlorenzo S.p.a shipbuilding yard. Dimensions of the stylish glass panels range from 1 m to 3 m (3,28 x 9,83 ft), by 1 m to 1.5 m (3,28 x 4,92 ft).

The yacht industry demands the use of glass structures that will withstand both impacts and harsh climates. The Italian company Viraver, decided to address these requirements by adopting SentryGlas®. The interlayer enhances the shine and transparency of glass while providing exceptional longterm resistance to weathering and impact. The clearness and strength of the glazing endure after lengthy exposure, even when the thickness of the glass is minimal.

All components used for yacht construction are required to meet demanding standards laid out by the marine construction industry. Glass panels with SentryGlas® were exposed to 500 consecutive hours of salt spray to verify resistance to harsh weathering conditions, particularly saline, and thus guarantee durable safety at sea. Evaluation of the results showed the panels to be unchanged, both in terms of their resistance and their transparency.

The use of SentryGlas® in marine glazing also provides excellent postbreakage properties. The interlayer is designed to withstand hurricanes along United States coastal zones. For marine construction, all windows are required to protect against water pressure and leakage, and to prevent glass from falling out in the event of breakage. SentryGlas® offers mechanical properties that help glazing remain intact, even if broken, meanwhile maintaining excellent rigidity, strength and clarity.

SentryGlas® provides marine architects and designers new design possibilities, because the interlayer is flexible and tough enough to meet safety requirements at a reduced thickness and weight. Laminated glass made with SentryGlas® interlayer has strength that's equivalent to monolithic glass; however, the laminate reduces total weight - a attribute important to marine design.

This represents one of the first European applications of SentryGlas® in the construction of yachts. "In a segment where weight restrictions for all components are tighter, SentryGlas® was able to demonstrate its extreme versatility and superior quality versus other solutions," comments Roberto Alfonso of laminator Viraver. "The design of a yacht requires both high functionality and aesthetic standards. Design form and aerodynamics must combine tradition with technological innovation in order to respond to contemporary trends and necessities. SentryGlas® lives up to these standards, provides optimal performance and guarantees superior safety and protection performance."

Application