Acrylic is the last thing you want to make it out of....hell, you can barely drill a hole in that stuff without shattering the whole piece.
If you're gonna use plastic, use lexan. I made my first one out of lexan....I didn't heat it, just pulled it into place with clamps. Got it close, then marked it and cut it. I bent it enought to stick it in the boat, then started in the center at the back and worked my way out...clamping/fastening. It turned out like shit because I'm a hack, but I could have done a nice job if I cared. I suppose the oven trick would work, but you have to be careful with it...you can't get it too hot or it will bubble, and it cools off quick. I've tried various approaches with a heat gun, but they haven't added up to much. It bends decently at room temperature, and usually won't break.
I fell on it a couple times and drug the engine over it a couple times while pulling the motor and it finally gave up the ghost and cracked in a couple spots. Normally I wouldn't care b/c my boat is a heap, but this was even a little much for me.
I whipped up a new one today out of aluminum...cuz it's what I had in the garage. I didn't have a piece long enough to do the whole thing, so I did it in two pieces. I got out my bead roller and rolled a step in the end of one sheet so it would be a nice lap joint, then stuck it together with rivits....and swirl-polished it so it looks like elvis's collar.
At least when I drag the motor over it next time it'll bend, not break, and I can beat it back into shape...LOL.
