Two years ago, I put new wooden side rails on the Shirley Anne. For a while, they looked pretty good, but the sunlight began cooking the lacquer sealant on the wood. They began to look ugly again.

I went to the Plastic Store in Toronto to buy some heavy duty plastic rod but the really strong stuff costed way too much for my tiny wallet. I was going to order some cheaper white stuff but the size I needed was out of stock. I was about to leave when I spotted some clear acrylic rod that was almost what I needed and absolutely beautifully clear. I asked about the size I wanted and the guy went in the back and brought out a box if it in 6 foot lengths. 72 inches. I needed 65. How much? About $50 for both. And crystal clear! I stopped: how well can it resist UV light from the sun? All plastic is susceptible to UV rays to some degree. How about clear acrylic? He said about 5 years.

The photo you see it both rods on the side rails and are totally awesome to see in person! I can't tell you how much I like them.