Wally wrote:

I'm replacing the cockpit instruments (wind dir, speed, knot etc) in
my sailboat and of course the holes are different.
The original ones were cut right thru the cockpit combing
gelcoat/glass - so have some big holes I can't use.
The solution seems to be an overlay face panel - but what material -

- not teak - too hard to keep up,
- lexan/acrylic - starts to look bad after some years,
- electropolished stainless - but what finish - don't want a mirror
- aluminium anodized - maybe - hard to find good anod in So Cal?

Any other suggestions. It needs to be about 30" x 7"



Consider a door kick plate in brass. You need not polish it, just
let it go "natural", or paint it.

Bonus, it's not magnetic, unless you use it as a conductor for some
of the instruments. Not advised.

Terry K

"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
news:xWsLc.6390$Fj6.5379@lakeread07...
I use Front Panes Express for most all my custom panels (water maker,
fuel managenent, remote light control, etc) but not those exposed to the
elements. Their panels are anodized 6061 which will not stand up well
to salt water as well as 5000 series alloys.

While 6061 may not be as corrosion resistant as the 5000 series (and I'm not
sure if I agree with that), it is pretty much the standard alloy for all
extrusions used in aluminum boats (like channels, railings, pipes, etc.
etc.). Also, most sailboat masts are 6061. It's pretty good especially
when anodized.


--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

I forgot to include Starboard in my question - I've used it for lots
of items onboard - especially the companionway slides where teak on
teak always stuck in humid weather. Now it's 1/4" acrylic sliding in
starboard grooves. I didn't want to use 1/4" anything cause I don't
want it sticking out that much. 1/8" or less is OK.

BTW, it's hard to find 1/4" starboard in So Cal in less than full
sheets. The last piece I got came from a plastics cut shop in the
Seattle area - www.clearcutplastics.com

I looked at the Instrument Panel mfg that some one else recommended -
this leaves the panels with raw alum edges as they start with anodized
panels and cut out, and don't re-anodize the panels.

I want to LP the cockpit so glassing in the holes and recutting new
holes seems a good choice.



On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 15:59:02 -0400, Glenn Ashmore
wrote:

1/4" Starboard?

Wally wrote:

I'm replacing the cockpit instruments (wind dir, speed, knot etc) in
my sailboat and of course the holes are different.
The original ones were cut right thru the cockpit combing
gelcoat/glass - so have some big holes I can't use.
The solution seems to be an overlay face panel - but what material -

- not teak - too hard to keep up,
- lexan/acrylic - starts to look bad after some years,
- electropolished stainless - but what finish - don't want a mirror
- aluminium anodized - maybe - hard to find good anod in So Cal?

Any other suggestions. It needs to be about 30" x 7"

You could make a sheet of fpr easily for that. Spead about a pint of
gelcoat on a release surface, as it hardens to soft cheese, put a layer or
two of CSM wetted out with polyester resin. If you want it thin, use some
light weight CSM and a couple of layers of cloth, maybe 6 oz. After it cures
you can sand the layup down a bit to get it to an even thickness if need be.
Then pop it off the release surface. Then you will have a nice gelcoated
sheet of frp to cut to size and drill out.
For the release surface you could use some plate glass if you have any
laying around or tile board . The tile board will give you a decent surface
that may be nice enought but you could compound and buff it to any degree of
gloss you want.
Excluding the release surface this would cost about 50 bucks, give or take.

--
Ron White
Boat building web address is
www.concentric.net/~knotreel

ps, I would rather have a removeable panel that you can remove from the
front side rather than glass it back up and drill new holes. It is a lot
easier to work on it with a panel that can be removed and laid out face
down for service.

--
Ron White
Boat building web address is
www.concentric.net/~knotreel

On 24 Jul 2004 16:25:21 EDT, "Ron White"
wrote:

You could make a sheet of fpr easily for that. Spead about a pint of
gelcoat on a release surface, as it hardens to soft cheese, put a layer or
two of CSM wetted out with polyester resin. If you want it thin, use some
light weight CSM and a couple of layers of cloth, maybe 6 oz. After it cures
you can sand the layup down a bit to get it to an even thickness if need be.
Then pop it off the release surface. Then you will have a nice gelcoated
sheet of frp to cut to size and drill out.
For the release surface you could use some plate glass if you have any
laying around or tile board . The tile board will give you a decent surface
that may be nice enought but you could compound and buff it to any degree of
gloss you want.
Excluding the release surface this would cost about 50 bucks, give or take.

I did something like this, but I used a waxed sheet of plate
glass...and did it in a slightly different order.

I made the frp; cut and beveled the edge...then I put on the gelcoat
to accommodate the bevel.

It took a bit more sanding on the gelcoat doing it this way, but I've
a nice radius on the edge.

You're right - removable is what started me on this whole process - so
I end up rethinking filling and re-drilling ...



On 24 Jul 2004 16:33:07 EDT, "Ron White"
wrote:

ps, I would rather have a removeable panel that you can remove from the
front side rather than glass it back up and drill new holes. It is a lot
easier to work on it with a panel that can be removed and laid out face
down for service.