Plexi Walkthru Insert

[Rugburn]

Does anybody have a plexi walkthru insert in their boat and if so, did they make it, order it? Photos? Im interested in fabricating something like this for my LSV.

[BLKOUTLS]

Jim
It is possible to make one, time and patience are the key. I made one for my 02ls
and it worked great. I add'd the bow filler piece and was modifying it and put a
crack in it about 6 inches from the bottom, but I have all new plexi to redo. The
most important part is cutting the piece out of a larger stock plexi. I used 1/4 inch
and it is not happy about cutting (super fine metal cutting blade jig saw) and slow
speed. If you do not go slow it will seal the plexi right behind your cut. Propane
torch and a 2 inch pipe and a clean work surface are very important. To make
bends or curves heat the opposite side to the direction you want to go but not to
close. My insert tapered at the botton just resting on the ski locker and I put a
strip of weatherstrip on the bottom to seal it. The sides I did the same thing
but put the weaterstrip on the inside so it touched the edge next to the front seat
cushion. I then curved the top to roll over to the walk thru window. The air
pressure held it in place and it did not move. I thought about puttting a track to
hold it ala "BU" but was not satisfied with the look and feared someone might
catch themselves on a rounded edge. I try to post a pic when I get home.

chris

[Nafplio]

This was one of the first things I added to my boat this winter. I think my kids will appreciate it this season. I haven't tried it yet because the weather here sucks.
I made a mock up out of wood and took it to a local plastics shop. They used 1/2in plexiglass and it turned out OK. I used fine sandpaper to round out all the edges. I don't know why I opted for the smoke finish. If I had to do it again, I'd use the clear stuff. I uploaded a couple of photos in my album.

[Smrtz]

i think it looks awesome!
nice job

[Nafplio]

Thanks.
I am also going to add a heater later this year. Those two upgrades should extend my season by at least a month.

[Rugburn]

Great looking project there. Would you be able to provide more specifics? Where did you get the channels that hold the plexi? The rubber strip on the top, is that something from a door seal? Is that Lexan or actual Plexiglas? Id like to duplicate this so any further information would be greatly appreciated.

[Sharru-Kinu]

Naf,
That does look great! I'm sure it will make a huge difference. We've used everything from backpacks to beachtowels to me sitting backwards in that little space to block the wind on a cold day. The heater was one of the first things we added to our boat and although it pumps out some very hot air, that warmth doesn't stick around long if you have 20mph wind coming from the front.

I was originally designing a setup just like the one you did. But with 2 kids under 2 years old, the metal channel just won't work for us. I'm working on having a piece of canvas (same material as my stock logo cover) sewn to fill that space. I'm going to put snaps on the edge of the fiberglass just as it goes from the bow to the walk-thru. The canvas will strech taught across the snaps and hopefully get the job done. I'll post some pics when it's all done, but now that it's in the 90's here, it might be fall before I get focused on that project again.

[SkiKY]

Not sure if they're still offered, but my 2003 came with a factory snap in wind screen made from the same vinyl used for the seats. Wonder what a dealer would charge for the factory screen? An upholstry shop should be able to whip one up for around $50.

[SkiKY]

Not sure if they're still offered, but my 2003 came with a factory snap in wind screen made from the same vinyl used for the seats. Wonder what a dealer would charge for the factory screen? An upholstry shop should be able to whip one up for around $50.

[Nafplio]

Thanks guys. There is a good description on the how-to section on wakesiderides. Originally, I made the rails and windblock out of wood hoping to get them glassed and gel-coated. The local shop owners told me it wouldn't work. One of them referred me to a plastics shop.
I opted for half inch thick smoked plastic. It has a handle glued on top. I don't know the exact material used.
The rails are made out of the same stock material. 1/2" tall, about 1" wide, with the channels 5/16" deep. All the edges were rounded with sandpaper. The plastic was surprisingly easy to sand.
It involved some drilling. I used masking tape, drilling slow in reverse. Also sanded the holes and applied a light coat of clear silicone. I'm hoping the gelcoat won't crack. My other concern was the amount of flex the hull may have in rough water. But I haven't taken the boat out yet.
The black rubber part is automotive weather-stripping material bought at the local Autozone. I used gorilla glue. The whole thing costed a little over $100. SC offers a canvas snap-on windblock. A friend has a MC with one. It does the job, but I didn't like how it looks.
My previous boat was an I/O with a cuddy cabin. My kids love the new boat but not how cold it can get. I think this will work well especially with the addition of a heater.