Tony, briefly,
If done carefully and with the correct goop/caulk, bolting the lexan right to the cabin sides and THRU the cabin sides is the way to go, if the original frames are not restorable and we're not going to wait for the bronze Triton patterns to magically appear.
If you choose 1/2" smoked lexan and thru bolted it to Prefilled sides and then crafted a nice wood frame around inside, you would have a bluewater worthy installation with lots of light and much less claustrophobia than the smaller and heavier looking opening ports. Those 4 large deadlights add a lot to the open feeling of the cabin.
You could leave the outside modern with the edge of the lexan showing and bolt heads or machine screws in those cupped washers or make covering wood frames here too. Filling the cabin liner space nets out 1/2" fill, maybe enough to 'lag' the fasteners. It's rediculously easy to make a pattern and rout the dead lights perfect. Or you can have a shop do it, getting them to melt the edge to a flawless perfection.
Whatever you decide make certaing you can pull them 7 years down the line, or sooner if they develop a leak. Which they won't, of course!
I think I'm trying to say that the thrubolted lexan becomes structural with this method. The frames cosmetic.
I'm always reminded of the 'Smeaton Effect' where when you take blue water aboard anything sticking up is likely to get SHEERED off. If your deadlight is held on with a dozen #12 flathead machine bolts and it sticks out 1/2" from the cabin side, I can't see them getting peeled off. Thru bolt!
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