Phil, Been thinking about your hardtop project. As you may recall, the Manatee has a hardtop and we love it. We have three front windows. The center one is lexan and opens, hinged on top. the port and stbd. windows are fixed glass. It is a great setup. We don't use windshield wipers but rather, Rain-X on the glass and Plexus on the plastic window. Our clear vinyl windows are set in an aluminum bolt rope along the top and have zippered "smiles". I know that some Manatee owners have screens in their openings too. We find that the hardtop/enclosure is so much more versatile than a bimini. Our VHF hangs from the overhead, at the helm. Its up and out of the way but always on & ready. Our stereo speakers are mounted high and can be rotated aft when we are lounging on the boat deck. We can zip/unzip the windows depending on the weather and sometimes roll everything up when its really hot. The big surprise was how warm the "pilothouse" is in the winter. If there is any sun at all, its like a greenhouse. We end up running in shirtsleeves, waving at the poor slobs who are freezing in their sailboats, decked out in sweaters and foulweather gear, hunkered down behind their dodgers. Been there...done that! I have the name and number of the guy who made the opening windows for the Manatee. He's still in business. He made a replacement window for us two years ago. If you do a good job on your top, we might even make you an honorary Manatee! Regards, Randy Pickelmann MORNING STAR