| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Rustys84 |
Posted - 04/21/2007 : 04:38:46 AM
I would like to put a tube steel tower on my 84 Carver for attaching lights, antennae, t.v. disc, and future electronics on. Anyone have one, or have any recommendations/warnings?
Thanks,
Rusty
Oceanside, CA. |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Rockmeister |
Posted - 09/15/2008 : 11:04:28 AM
Thank you Dale! 
Pics of the Arch mounted on the boat.
This shows the hinges where it mounts. The top pin is removeable to allow tilting the arch back.
Installed a 2" thick piece of starboard inside the sidewalls of the flybridge to mount the arch to and spread out the load.
(Fiberglass cannot hold a screw well.)
Wider side view. Note that the top has a tilt towards the front, that is about the attitude of the boat on plane.
The canvas will eventually mount to the front and back edges of the arch.
Port Side View
Pic showing rails and mounting of arch.
You can see where I bent the railing to match the arch, I did the same on the other side.
Molded a depression into the arch to allow more hand/finger room when using the rails.
Upshot showing all the twists in the side to match the lines of the boat. (These were fun to match! lol)
Rear view.
My objective when I started this project was to make a strong (relatively light) functional radar arch that would provide mounting for radar, canvas, audio, lighting, etc while also softening the "squareness" of the origional lines of the boat by creating a "flowing" arch that blends into the boat. Believe I have reached my objective!
Think it blends in pretty well! Am very happy with it!!! 
I still have the wiring todo for Nav lights, interior lighting, audio, etc.
Let me know what you think!
79 28' Mariner twin inboard V-drive.
SW Lake Erie: Maumee Bay & The Islands |
| mille73 |
Posted - 09/12/2008 : 11:43:29 AM
Ahoy,
I've seen radar arch on Rock's mariner it looks really good if you didn't know the boat came without it you would think it was origional equipment.
Dale
Mille73 |
| Rockmeister |
Posted - 09/12/2008 : 09:56:29 AM
Here are some pics as I was transporting it to the boat to test fit it.
It made it 280 miles like this!
The green color is from the Duraglass, I used it to make the finish smooth and fill in the proper radius on the curves.
There are MANY layers of Duraglass on the arch!
The white is a high build primer, I had just started to prime the edge facing down.
Primer is used to fill in the very small imperfections and sanded, again, it has many coats of primer.
The arch fit great and I hauled it back home to finish over the winter.
79 28' Mariner twin inboard V-drive.
SW Lake Erie: Maumee Bay & The Islands |
| Rockmeister |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 11:37:17 AM
Hi Paul!
Glad I can help. 
Posted some of the during pics in the article above.
I will get some pics of the arch on the boat this weekend and get them posted for ya!
79 28' Mariner twin inboard V-drive.
SW Lake Erie: Maumee Bay & The Islands |
| carvermitch |
Posted - 08/25/2008 : 9:12:36 PM
Hi Rock
Sounds great, would love to see some photos.
If you or any others have these sort of projects and want to post photos, feel free to or we could put them in the gallery on the website if you want.
Thanks to you, wood boat and the others who keep us so informed. This is really appreciated.
Regards
Paul
Paul
http://www.carvermariner.com |
| Rockmeister |
Posted - 08/25/2008 : 7:23:00 PM
After many, many times of fixing imperfections in the finish, I finally said it looked good enough and painted the arch.
Found a Krylon spray paint that was nearly identicle to the boat color and used that.
The arch looks incredible on the boat.
It fits the boat so well, it looks like it came with the boat.
Am very pleased with how it turned out and can't wait to get the wiring done for the lights, sound etc.
79 28' Mariner twin inboard V-drive.
SW Lake Erie: Maumee Bay & The Islands |
| Rockmeister |
Posted - 09/24/2007 : 1:08:41 PM
Hey Rusty!
Have you had a chance to do anything on the Arch?
I have mine almost done.
Found a place to host the pics. (www.tinypic.com)
Cut the arch pattern out of foam.
(Must NOT use styrofoam, MUST use JohnsMansfield foam siding, the resin wont eat it. I used 1" thick sheets and glued 2 of them together to get the 2" thickness.)
The foam in the pic above was eaten by the resin. Had to make them again. If the foam you use is eaten by gasoline, the resin will eat it also.
Routered out for the flexible chases.
Installed the flexduit.
Screwed the side pieces, and the top piece down with blocks underneath to set the curves I wanted.
Fabricated Starboard(Plastic, 1" thick) ends where the hinges mount and for the radar mount.
(Need something to screw into that will hold a screw well.)
Pic of the Starboard in the ends.
You can see where I used expanding foam to fill in the voids around the chases after a layer of fiberglass, to help strengthen the assembly and to help prevent any possible rattles.
Fiberglassed the side facing up to set the curves.
Let sit overnight, unscrewed from jig, did lots of cleanup on parts.
Attatched sides to top.
Cut out pattern for curve where sides meet top piece, made 6 pieces and glued in place inside the top curve.
Cut and ground down outside of curve where the sides meet the top until it matched the inside curve.
You can see the flare(&Twist) at the bottom of the arch in the above pics, this is to match the exact flare of the flybridge sides.
The bottom also has a curve in it to match the flybridge back ends.
Then the arch flare outward to help clear the rails and to make it larger inside for usable space. Finally, it curves back inward to the top of the arch.
The whole thing is one big curve with a twist in it! lol
Sanded like crazy.
Put on multiple temporary boards (1x2s) to hold shape/dimensions/square.
Fiberglassed what I could to strengthen and hold form.
Let sit overnight.
Flipped over, cleaned, ground, sanded, etc.
Fiberglassed other side to strengthen more.
Cleaned, ground, sanded, etc. lol
Imperfections like the one on the lower left are sanded and/or filled with fiberglass and duraglass as required.
Almost ready to remove 1x2 boards and add additional layers of fiberglass.
Ended up with at least 5 layers of fiberglass woven mat, with more in high stress areas such as the top curves and near the mounts.
The resin does Not stick to the starboard, so I used alot of fberglass to encase it.
This is a long process, with LOTS of cleaning and sanding, yet can be done with persistance.
Used Dura-glass to fill imperfections, this stuff works great and hardens fast!
Can sand in 20 minutes or so!
(Best bet is to make it so you have to sand very little! Take the time to smooth the Dura-glass when it is soft!)
Am up to the point of finishing the Dura-glass and getting ready to paint!
A few notes:
Disposable gloves, dust masks, paint brushes, and mixing containers are invaluable!
The Polyester Resin attracts mosquitoes! (Lord knows why...) Use LOTS of bug spray!
Mix the resin as the manufacturer states or possibly with a touch more catalyst.
If you set the fiberglass in the sun, it will set MUCH faster!
(If it doesnt set, put it in the sun, it will usually harden then.)
Work fast and wipe out drips as you go, its much easier than sanding!
Rockmeister
79 28' Mariner twin inboard V-drive.
SW Lake Erie: Maumee Bay & The Islands |
| Rockmeister |
Posted - 05/04/2007 : 11:16:43 AM
Hi Rusty!
Things have evolved a bit since my last post on this!
I have a drawing of a really cool swept forward and back fiberglass arch, that you could make out of steel also.
The curves fit into the lines of the boat really well!
At the back edge of the cabin/flybridge follow that line up and forward, then start curving back about midway up, curving back to match the angle of the windshield of the flybridge, at the top last few inches straighten up to vertical.
I have a pic of the rough drawing I have will try to email it to you, if you don't get it, send me an email & I will send it.
(I haven't had any luck posting pics here, apparently need to find somewhere to host the pics. )
The arch is pretty cool looking!
I also have great welding skills and the equipment, just think I'd rather have the look of fiberglass.
Am now thinking using foam only as the core, as shown in the link I posted, and flexible conduit for the chases.
Mounting:
Am thinking use 2 stainless steel hinges on each side. One on front where mounted and one on the rear. (Mounted pins out) Grind and remove the hinge pin on front hinge only. Replace front hinge pin with a removeable stainless pin. That way, you just pull the pin(s) and the arch hinges back easily.
Rock
79 28' Mariner twin inboard V-drive.
SW Lake Erie: Maumee Bay & The Islands |
| Rustys84 |
Posted - 05/04/2007 : 02:15:43 AM
Good info Rock, thanks for the post. I had the same picture in my head when I imagined how it would look with a swept back fibergass piece on the back of the flybridge. For me cost and simplicity is an issue, and weatherproofing is not a concern. I have done some welding and have a friend with a motorcycle exhaust mandrel pipe bender. I am gonna price building a ladder syle (2 overhead hoops with braces) stainless arch myself. If it makes money sense (and isn't ugly) I will go forward with it and keep you updated. Mounting and wiring will be an issue for both of us so please keep me updated with progress on your radar arch as well. Good Luck!
Rusty
84 28' Mariner twin 220 crusaders
Oceanside, CA. |
| Rockmeister |
Posted - 05/01/2007 : 10:10:03 AM
Check this out!
Found a site about making a Radar arch!! WoooHoo!
http://foxxaero.homestead.com/Radar1.html
79 28' Mariner twin inboard V-drive.
SW Lake Erie: Maumee Bay & The Islands |
| Rockmeister |
Posted - 04/30/2007 : 1:23:17 PM
Hi Rusty,
Am thinking of making a Radar Arch myself.
I have seen the metal ones & didn't think they looked that good.
They are also expensive, as are the Fiberglass ones!
What I am thinking of doing is making a fiberglass one.
Will use 2" foam insulation for the core, and fiberglass over it.
Am currently thinking through the design right now.
Was thinking of having it mount right at the back of the flying bridge, on top of the sidewalls, leaning somewhat towards the rear. Should look really good!
Am also thinking of making it so it hinges, and can hinge back, to clear low bridges, have had to lower the Bimini top to get under some!
(Haven't quite figured out the hinge arrangement yet.)
Also am thinking through the chases to run wiring through etc.
Figuring the chases can be strength members also to help prevent racking of the arch.
Can make the chases out of SCH 40 PVC, which can be heated and bent to any shape.
Possibly make the front and rear edges out of SCH 40 PVC, use the PVC for the curved shape, chases, and strength members, fill in with foam between the front & back PVC edges, then fiberglass over the entire assembly.
A couple possible problems with the chases are:
1) How to terminate the upper ends so they look good.
2) Again, how to terminate the upper ends so they don't collect water and transport it to the bottom of the chase.
I am going to re-do the canvas top on mine (make it more like CarverMitchs') and add a camper top to the rear.
Am thinking of making the transition at the the radar arch.
Only issue here is, I would rather the top doesn't leak at the seams where it attach's to the arch, if possible, so still thinking through how the top ties into the arch...
Maybe over-lapping the canvas, from front over back?
I would appreciate any ideas from anyone also! : )
79 28' Mariner twin inboard V-drive.
SW Lake Erie: Maumee Bay & The Islands |
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