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Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:03 pm
by Tranquilo
OK, like everything else I seem to do, I'm going to look into making my Bimini replacement something way too complicated. I'm looking at fabricating one with my friend (who creates full size Russian fighter jets out of paper) to make it look cool, give my lanky @55 more head roof and a roof rack for my dive gear & solar panel.

(1) Is there an easier way to do this (probably a loaded question)?

(2) What type of aluminum should I use?

(3) It seems that sheets of aluminum are cheaper than having a shop fab me a new canvas (gave me an $800 quote plus material)

Please talk me out of this :)

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 12:16 am
by Busia
I don't know what you have in mind, but I built a sliding aluminum roof for mine. I will try to find a picture, but you can get an idea from my avatar pic. It is strong, but I did put a post to support it in the center of the transom. I find the post comes in handy to have something to hang onto back there. You can see a bit of the roof in this pic.--Ed
2014%20red%20snapper%20at%2016KB[1].jpg
2014%20red%20snapper%20at%2016KB[1].jpg (17.16 KiB) Viewed 14601 times

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:48 am
by Fastjeff
Boy, that's a LOT neater than the ugly wooden thing I built for mine!

Jeff

PS: No; I will not humiliate myself further by posting a photo of it.

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:13 am
by Tranquilo
Jeff, You should see the rigs we have done to to the Miami boat at times :)

That sliding roof is so awesome!

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:54 am
by bcassedy
Jeff,
Don't know about the wooden one that you built, but the new folks should have been here when you built your dinghy for your old boat. The pics you posted told a story of "how to do it right!". Awesome!

Tranquilo,
Joe down in Louisville, Ky. put a rear cockpit cover on his 32" Sedan Bridge that is/was outstanding. He used the top of a (sadly) scrapped boat. Since it was a Big M's roof, it had the support structure that could hold several people PLUS he fabricated a water slide off the back part of it. Its supports were mounted at the rear corners of the cockpit with no center support needed. I may have some pics I could resize and post. (or Joe, could you chime in?).

BIll

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 6:23 pm
by javalin390
I emailed back & forth with John in Louisville Ky (his boat is named the Knockerfellers) and he sent me pictures of the building of the top. He performed this while repainting his boat, and yes it not only looked great, but looked factory since he used the roof off another M. I'd love to do the same thing to mine, but finding a roof from a scrap 37/39 may be a bit more difficult. Photo's of his project were in the photo archive of the old site, so I'm not if they can still be accessed.

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:27 pm
by Tranquilo
Wow, fantastic idea! I'm going to look in the boat grave yard in ft lauderdale to see if I can find one.

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 5:44 pm
by balthaus
I have seen "Knockfeller" out on the river, actually followed him up the 18 mi Island channel and .... Yes! That is an impressive and very well done modification.
Nice colors on the boat as well!

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 7:27 am
by Jeepowell
This is also on my "project list" down the road. My thoughts are to extend the lines of the canvas on the fly bridge back and taper it down covering the cockpit area. I also was thinking of cantilevering the rear seat back over the cockpit to make more room on the fly bridge. I was thinking aluminum structure with canvas cover, but aluminum covering would be less maintenance. Headroom and weight are my two biggest design controls.

Re: Custom rear top fabrication

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 1:25 pm
by Busia
Any good welding shop can make that for you. I would start with 1/8 plate, but roll the bottom edge up to a "J" shape so it is not sharp (or weld a separate channel to the bottom edge) You will bump into it so you don't want it sharp, and a J shape will give you a gutter. You could also make a tube framework and cover it with fabric. Any good boat shop will have the stainless tube for railing in 20 foot lengths, and fittings that go with it. To bend, get an EMT bender or just have exact dimensions and any good electrical shop can bend it up for you quickly. Either way, the hard part is making a good design and getting accurate measurements. ---Ed