Centre console conversions
Well I ended up selling my Ramco as my mate who owned half never used it and as i work away so much I could not justify spending the money to buy him out so we sold it... I sold it on the Monday and after 4-5 days of being misrable I decided I had to get another boat even if it was just a cheap old one.... I had a look at a few and I ended up getting a great little Pacemaker for what I considered not a lot of money and it has a new trailer and the motor is old but runs like a new one.... I bought it with the intention of doing a centre console conversion simmilar to one I read about on bluewaterfreediversofwa http://www.bluewaterfreediversofwa.com/files/bluewaterboatrebuild.htm. I am fairly sure many will of read this before.
So I will keep a photo diary of the build and try to show my build in simmilar stages. I would be greatfull of any advice from guys who have attempted this before and/or links to web pages that show other similar conversions. I have been looking at T-tops and they don't seem to be cheap! I was thinking about making one with stainless tube but after buying the pipe and hiring the gear to bend the tubing, hiring or buying a notcher, tig welder and argon, canvas top..... it will be almost worth just buying a ready made ally one. I have seen one on ebay Witness T-top, does anyone have any experience with this brand??? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WITNESS-Premuim-Boat-CENTRE-CONSOLE-T-TOP-Bimini-Cover-/330540041947?pt=AU_Boat_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4cf5b8c6db there are a few others from the US but I would rather get one localy if there is a company that makes or supplies them?
I will have heaps more quetions as i go but that is a start for now....
NEVER PUSH YOUR GRANNY WHEN SHE'S SHAVING
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Do you trust the floor,
Do you trust the floor, transom and stingers?
That bluewater rebuild is interesting, but very agricultural. Other ways to get the job done than PVC gunwales and that brace across the floor.
Alfred has a fishmaster t-top, its pretty good and it can be folded for long trips. Perhaps you can find a local dealer or import one.
mrwinta
Posts: 457
Date Joined: 14/01/10
Actually the stringers and
Actually the stringers and floor has just been replaced with an 18mm ply floor and was done profesionaly but for what I want to do I think I will have to take the floor up again to run cable conduit and an underfloor fuel tank... I have been looking at an Oceansouth t-top from whitworths for 370 but will have to modify it so it will colapse for storage.
NEVER PUSH YOUR GRANNY WHEN SHE'S SHAVING
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
The main reason I ask, is
The main reason I ask, is that if you're going to get under the floor, why not put in a shoot-thru tranny? Seems much easier to get better reads at speed than a transom mount. Can just leave an inspection port over it to get access as well.
Those oceansouth t-tops seem pretty semi-disposable, you see the remains of a lot on boats here and there around the place, sometimes the uprights, sometimes the mounting gw.
mrwinta
Posts: 457
Date Joined: 14/01/10
You are rite with the in hull
You are rite with the in hull tranny... I was at first going to try and avoid lifting any of the floor so that was why I wanted to go with a transom mounted one but I am now thinking I would like to get the fuel tank under the floor and rather than the cables and controls going out to the side like in that blue water build, I want to run a conduit/ polly pipe through to the transom under the floor too. as I don't kknow the lay out of the stringers etc it would beneficial to lift the floor and start a fresh. that way I could make a plan of what is where and put in a tranny with a hatch.
I put up a post about which sounder/ trannys would be good but I think people get sick of covering that question... what tranny would you recommend for this aplication? (for an fcv 620) when you say shoot through, do you mean like a wetbox type or the type you drill a hole through the hull?? I know f**k all about sounders and transducers am afraid...
so from experience you wouldn't recomend the oceansouth t-top?? Have you seen the ones in the US on ebay?? I wouldn't hold you to it don't worry... just I have never seen them in the flesh before.....
NEVER PUSH YOUR GRANNY WHEN SHE'S SHAVING
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Yeah seen those oceansouth
Yeah seen those oceansouth ones in bits more than a couple of times.
You can get both thru-hull (you drill holes in your hull), as well as shoot-thru (wetbox) transducers.
Furuno FCV-620
Go there, then click on the tab that says equipment list. You can see a bunch of thru-hulls and a couple transom-mounts.
Then pop over and check this out: Airmar P79 In-Hull.
nico
Posts: 226
Date Joined: 17/08/10
It would be easier to cut a
It would be easier to cut a long narrow section with a scarf cut down the starboard side and glass a pvc pipe to the cut out and drop it back in put tags evey 500 mm with stainless screws in each tag glass over the top with a few layers of csm and woven rovings. Much cheaper and less time consuming than a whole floor for such a simple job .
In Mocean
mrwinta
Posts: 457
Date Joined: 14/01/10
just had to google a scarf
just had to google a scarf joint.... now I know what you mean... sounds like a good idea nico, but as I was saying above I don't know the layout under the floor and I would like to hide the fuel tank so I may aswell think about taking the floor up. Maybe not the whole thing just from infront of the console perhaps... If anyone had measurements or a floor plan I could look at that would be a help and then just take the floor out between the stringers???
NEVER PUSH YOUR GRANNY WHEN SHE'S SHAVING
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Truth there, maybe some
Truth there, maybe some exploratory drilling then take it from there!
nico
Posts: 226
Date Joined: 17/08/10
I would be thinkin 3
I would be thinkin 3 stringers maybe 4 or if your lucky a glass box stringer system and if so lots of work as you will have to cut the centre one downto form a keel stringer and hope you still have enough distance between the other 2 for a tank and enough depth as well. Think long and hard before you tackle this project and where else you can place fuel tanks.
In Mocean
mech115
Posts: 6
Date Joined: 31/12/11
T-Top
Did you end up doing the conversion? I have an Atlantic Towers T-Top that I am looking to upgrade, it is in great condition and would suit you to a "T" (excuse bad joke).
mrwinta
Posts: 457
Date Joined: 14/01/10
G'day mate... thanks for the
G'day mate... thanks for the offer but I ended up not doing the conversion in the end and sold the boat as it was... I work away and decided I wouldn't be able to spend enough time on the boat as I had a fair few other commitments at the same time....
NEVER PUSH YOUR GRANNY WHEN SHE'S SHAVING