Good news / bad news about getting a replacement windshield

In my introductory email I mentioned that I was going to find out if a
plastics fabricating company could make me a replacement windshield for my
1964 OMC (exactly like an Evinrude Sweet 16) using my existing one as the
mold. Well, as it turns out they can indeed do it. They will basically
brace the existing windshield with a wood frame so that it will be stiff
for forming onto. They will put a felt sheet over it so the new plastic
won't mold to the scratches and other imperfections of the old windshield.
 The new windshield will not quite be exactly the same profile but they
guarantee that it will fit the aluminum frame channel and will fit to the
boat. The material will be cast acrylic. Can anyone tell me if the
original windshields were plastic or were they glass? (Just curious to
know.)

The bad news? - Well, maybe it isn't particularly bad. The best price I
could get them to quote me was CDN$420.00 + tax. I was hoping to get it
for under CDN$300.00. I might actually get close to this if I can do the
bracing work (which I think I can do fairly easily.) In the big picture
the cost isn't really too bad and I knew when I bought the boat that it
would be the most expensive single item to replace or repair.

I've decided that it's still well worth it to keep the boat and complete
the repairs/restoration. I really like the gull-wing hull shape and the
size of the deck (to carry up to six people). Actually, that brings up a
question - I've assumed that these boats are very stable at standstill as
well as under power. Can anyone attest to this?

Regards,

Greg Van Vliet
gvanvliet@...
Received on Tuesday, 11 June 2002