Have enough off cuts to make two small forward cabin oval portals. These can be directly fixed onto the grp - backed up with
a liner inside, either hardwood, or maybe a routered out ply shape with a white pvc material covering. Used standard 25mm machine screws for the windows, trimmed off flush afterwards. The frame is slightly thicker than the cabin sides, so covers the thickness of the bolts. I can leave some of them long and use them for fixing the inside trim - so may do that with the for'd small ones. Tempted on the white leatherette over the ply, as I have quite a bit spare - also wanted to do similar to the surround to the forward hatch, a sort of well padded square frame. Easy place to head butt !

Alloy stripped off reasonably easily - measured up the new from the old. Set this in with sika 291. The question was whether to strip the cover film from the edge that's set in the sealant. On the first one I just trimmed a bit where the edge had lifted a bit. The two corners are held in by self taps - ground off once set. A messy business ! Something I learned in hindsight - I usually use white spirit and plenty of kitchen roll to clean up Sika - but meths works great, it actually dissolves wet Sikaflex - only just found that one out. Didn't trust it too much with the Polycarb - just thought it might affect the film, so went careful. Turps is fine - but I left it down the boat - and wanted to get it done today. But for anything else - meths is the stuff for cleaning Sika.

Got the first new one fitted today - had to grind the opening out a bit - and they are a fight because they have to bow around to fit. Sods law dictated that there should be a sudden squall of rain 'just' as I had the sealant nearly set in ! - just about got away with it I think. Didn;t get a pic, forgot the camera - looked fantastic once the film was off - well worth doing. Drastically improved the whole look of the boat - very pleased with it.

Cut and fitted the second in the frame today - much easier 2nd time around - taped everything up this time, saves having to clean so much off. Polycarb cuts fine with a jigsaw, with a fine toothed blade - but you have to watch out for scratching the film. Best way is to tape masking tape either side of the cut, both sides, so the sole of the saw runs on the tape, not the film. If you are going to get sealant all over the film try to make sure there are no minor nicks - the sealant gets through. Not disasterous, but best avoided. It's so damn clean when the film comes off - you notice the smallest of blemishes !