 An area of our plant that we have yet to visit is our hardtop lamination and hardtop rigging areas. So let's take a deep dive on this episode of Behind the Glass. Design, function and comfort are all key elements in a well thought out hardtop. Modern hardtops provide much more than shade and have become iconic features of our boats. At the core, hardtops provide shade and protection from the elements. They are a key design feature and it gives the center console the iconic look. Special care is given during the designing and planning phase to accommodate for many comfort and safety features. For one, the hardtop is the perfect mounting spot for the anchor light and navigation lights due to it being the highest point on the boat. Other convenience lights like the built-in spread lights and cockpit lighting are also accounted for. In addition to lights, modern electronics and joystick systems require antennas that will be mounted on the top as well as optional equipment like radars. Wrapping around the back, additional ride holders and support is also typically seen depending on the size of the top. The rear legs are added on the larger models for additional structural support. These rear supports lock in the top in six spots and stop any movement even in the roughest conditions. For those looking to elevate their visibility, we have a wide offering of half tower with second stations. This option swaps out the top for a different top that features a sunroof style sliding door and an electronics pod. On this pod, we mount electronics and duplicate controls from the main helm. New technology in steering and other advancements in the electrical systems has made this possible. The hardtop construction method is two fiberglass parts joined together to allow both the top and the bottom to have a finished gelcoat surface. Once completed, the two parts are bonded together using a bonding putty. This manufacturing process is what allows for the strategically designed cavities inside the hardtop. These cavities will be used as storage and to run wires inside the top. Now that we understand what we are building, let's take a look at the manufacturing steps. The two half molds are first sprayed with gelcoat. The mold corresponding to the top will be white and the mold corresponding to the underside will receive a gelcoat that matches the boat's color scheme. This is how we achieve the matching underside color. Next comes the equivalent of a skin coat layer. This layer is what ensures proper cosmetics and supports the gelcoat layer. This is followed by a layer of coring material that has been precisely cut in our CNC room. Each top has a design kit of corer that gives support and accounts for additional options like outriggers. Following this layer is a bulk layer of fiberglass to encapsulate and strengthen the top. As we have seen, the next steps are all prep steps for infusion. Starting off with adding the necessary flow media that allows the resin to flow through the part property. Next comes a complex network of tubes that has been meticulously engineered for each top. This will ensure even flow throughout the entire part. To get the proper vacuum on the part, sealant tape is applied to the perimeter of the mold. This is followed by the bag. The bag is carefully sealed using the sealant tape all the way around. All of the vacuum and resin ports are also carefully routed through the bag and sealed with additional sealant tape. The part is put under vacuum to check for any leaks. Once satisfied, the resin ports are opened and the part begins to get infused. This process will take between 35 to 45 minutes. The two parts will be set aside to cure. Once cured, it's time to join the two halves. The process starts by first removing the bag and flow media from the parts. Next, in order to ensure good adhesion, the edges where the two parts will be joined is sanded and cleaned off. Once sanding is complete, a predetermined amount of bonding putty and methyl methacrylate will be applied in specific areas to the bottom half of the hard top to join the two parts. Once applied, it will be moved to an area where a lift will be used to raise the top portion, flip it and lower it down to join the bottom portion of the top. Special alignment pins that are built into the mold are used to precisely align the two halves for a perfect uniform edge. Once aligned, the parts are secured and will begin to cure. Once the part is finished curing, it will be removed from the mold carefully and put in a dolly to await final trimming. Special templates called splashes are used to mark precise holes for installation spots or components. These include speakers, additional storage, lights and more. At this time, they will also final trim the edge leaving behind raw fiberglass that will need to be finished off. The top is rolled into our finishing department where they will sand the edge smooth and uniform. They will follow this with gel coat for a seamless look. The fabrication part of the top is now complete. Next is time to add components and wiring. In a top rigging sub-assembly, a team member will rig up all of the components required to complete a boat order. A specified kit of parts arrives at the rigging station with all of the components specified by the order. The technician will install and pre-wire as much as possible in preparation to install the top on the frame. If you remember from our metal fabrication episode, we build and powder coat all of our tops in-house. The corresponding frame is delivered and the now fully rigged fiberglass shell is test fitted on the frame. The technician will then fish any wires through the pre-designed routes completing any final connections. At this point, the hardtop and frame meet up with the console to be assembled on the jig alignment cart as we saw last season in the center console episode. Modern hardtops provide so much more than just shade. Advancements in manufacturing and design pack these tops with features and amenities. The techniques shown in this episode are part of the SportTech advanced fabrication process. These preparatory manufacturing steps yield the best results and have been thoroughly tested for durability, longevity, and finish. All sportsman boats feature a 100% composite construction with no wood, NMMA certification, and a 10-year haul-limited warranty. Join us in our next episode of Behind the Glass as we hit the road for the first time and head on down to Miramar, Florida to visit the JL Audio Manufacturing Facility. From Summerville, South Carolina, my name is Victor and thanks for watching.