Portlight Frames

Back in February, I wrote a post describing the custom portlight frames I was making with the router. Here is the original post: http://tiki26element2.blogspot.com/2008/02/frames-for-portlights.html

While working on the hull fairing and prepping for paint recently, I had some drying time here and there allowing for other projects. Finishing up these portlight frames was one of those. Below you can see all of the frames: A set of inner and outer ones for the small forward and larger rear portlight. The solid pieces to the left are the templates for the actual Lexan portlights.

Both outer cabin sides have already been cut and pre-fitted when the hulls were upright, so I could now go ahead and glue on the outer portlight frames. Putting them on first before installing the cabin sides on the boat will make it easy to create a nice fairing fillet around the outer edges of the frames. The frames will be sheathed with the same fiberglass covering the cabin side, and the fillets will make a nice transition possible. When the cabins are done and these sides are faired and painted, the Lexan will be installed from the inside with a silicon sealant. The inner frames will then be screwed into place to secure the Lexan.