How to Make Custom Acrylic Dash Panel for Boats - DIY

Hello, it's been a while! Before we dive into today's video, I want to emphasize that I'm a total beginner when it comes to custom boat dash panels. In fact, this project marks my very first attempt at replacing an entire dashboard with an acrylic sheet.

I've had my fair share of boat projects, but this one was a real first for me – crafting a custom acrylic dashboard for a boat. The vessel in question? A Japanese import, the Nissan PS-730 stern drive. Originally powered by a Volvo Penta inboard engine, it underwent a transom makeover to accommodate an outboard engine. As part of this transformation, I handled all the technical aspects, including electrical rewiring and the installation of various electronic accessories.

This endeavour necessitated reviving and enhancing the aging dashboard to accommodate the new gauges and electronics. To achieve this in the most cost-effective and time-efficient way, I decided to cover the dashboard area with a 6mm black acrylic sheet. To get started, I crafted a template from thick paper, which I later translated into Lightburn, my preferred laser cutting software. For the laser cutting itself, I enlisted the expertise of a professional.

Once the cut acrylic sheet arrives, it's all systems go with a flurry of drilling and hole-cutting activities. Without wasting any time, we swiftly move on to the final step: securing the new dash panel in place using sleek, black 304 stainless steel bolts, each measuring 4mm in diameter.

PROJECT CHAPTERS:
00:10 - THE NISSAN PS-730 FISHING BOAT
00:30 - TRACING OLD DASHBOARD PATTERN
00:45 - DRAW PATTERN TO LASER CUTTING SOFTWARE
00:55 - LASER CUT ACRYLIC DASH PANEL
01:05 - BUNCH OF CUSTOM WORKS START HERE
01:45 - SCRAP ACRYLIC FOR SWITCH PANEL
02:45 - MOUNTING ACRYLIC PANEL INTO DASH
03:30 - DRILLING & CUTTING FIBER DASH FOR ACCESSORIES
04:00 - MOUNTING ELECTRONICS INTO FIBER DASH
04:45 - MOUNTING GAUGES INTO ACRYLIC PANEL
05:00 - APPLY WEATHER SEAL STRIP
05:20 - BOLT DOWN THE ACRYLIC DASH PANEL
06:05 - DONE!

The entire process of working on the dashboard panel consumed approximately two weeks of dedicated effort. To be completely honest, it was a physically demanding and tedious task, often feeling like it took a toll on my back. However, the ultimate outcome was undeniably gratifying and deeply rewarding! I couldn't be happier with how it turned out, and I'm genuinely excited to see the customer's reaction to their boat's brand-new dash panel.

Stay subscribed to my channel for the other boat technical works:
Custom fuse, relay and switch panel
Freshwater system
Boat electrical rewiring
Boat plumbing
Marine audio setup - This is for all my old channel subscribers, I hope this will interests you in some way.

Thank you all for the undying support all through the years! I'll see you all in the next video...