it's on !
 

started on my own rig yesterday...forward deck - cut out - replacement core fabricated,and laminated in place - on kick time !

started derigging the t-top:
enclosure's off,vhf,cell,radar antennas are all off,and wires are outta the tubes..

boat's getting a "down east" style pilot house,in place of the t-top - gonna be 3 sides,with a hard top incorporated onto it.

deck replacement too...


rig looks really strange with nothing on the top ?

Keep us updated with pics please! I'm thinking of building a pilothouse on my inboard savage. Let us know about materials and progress. thanks

ship looks really wierd,with the t-top removed...

Lookin' good so far!!

I'm looking forward to see what you come up with.

forgot to mention this:

t-top...
it may be available for sale - waiting on the final word from a client...

console's out - and it's stripped !

made a "jig" today - actually,made a few jigs - settled on this one...

jig's made out of cheap crap underlayment - "pinned" together - idea here is to "see" what it's gonna look like,and,it will be the template for the house...

it's gotta a "down east" look...

again,none of these products are used in the construction of this - these are templates only...

Looking good! I know that what you got so far is just a template but you may want taper the two side windows to follow the same forward lines as the house. It should make everything stronger and is looks a little better. That way you can mount outriggers, radar, and anything else up top.

thank you

what's there is a template - the house will be built from penske board - it will support the top i'm fabricating...

the console is currently being modified - the console,being a part made from a mold - it has a "negative draft",meaning,it tapers - width changes,from the bottom,to the top - the console's being modified,to eliminate this - ,this avoids the house sides tapering in,it also will assure the console and the house sides are bonded properly - eliminates stress cracking...the original "flange" is also removed,and a suitable mounting area will be fabricated...my hard top mold,it's cambered,also has a molded in radar mount area...

the windows,i cut them square - reason being i want sliding windows - http://www.americanmarine.com/windows-intro.html

mounting/sealing windows,with the seals,like the one's in your picture,these are prone to leaking - not a good thing,especially with a wood core...

the console will be "faired" into the house sides - basically a one piece unit...upon completion,it will be sprayed in awlgrip...



the house you constructed,wood,yes ?
atached to the console ?

Yes, 3/4" birch core with two layers of 1708 inside and out. 1/2" on top with 2 layers of 1708 with a slight camber to match the transom We cut out the holes for the windows and then ran a piece of 4" glass tape all the way around and epoxied it in place. Even if water does get in I don't see it getting to the wood core. It is attached directly to the console with both bolts and glass. After one season with 15' outriggers and a 24" open array and some pretty long and nasty runs, it is rock solid.

I didn't know you were going with sliding windows. Keeping them square makes more sense now. Once you have it finished your going to wonder why pilot houses are not standard from the factory on most boats.

in between client's rigs - i managed to get some work in on my own rig...the console - it's be

en completley recored - helm area.the console was also modified to be "square",meaning,the console's now the same width from top to bottom - lotta core matting ! this eliminates the "taper".the pilot house sides will be laminated to the console - it's gonna be a one piece unit...

the flange,on the bottom of the console has been removed - 2 pieces of 1/2" penske board have been laminated to the console,then to those pieces,a larger flange piece of penske board has been laminated - after these are fully kicked,they will be matted over - at that point,we're ready to laminate the house sides to the console...

the laminating mix was west system epoxy,mixed with 403 additive - only stuff i use...

few more pictures:

this is the mounting flange - the console's upside down...

Jim I follow everything you do to learn a better way then some
 

of my old fashioned ways. I feel I need to return that favor. West Geugeon brothers system was my first and only choice for many years. I was buying drums of it. Then 5 gal batches. I know many that will not change from it. Me, I found out it was not as friendly as other products out there. I buy all my epoxy from USComposites now. For atleast 10 years now. It does not blush. It is epoxy, It won't fail.it is cheaper. way cheaper. the thin epoxy is good for laminating and I buy their fillers except for cabisil. They are much cheaper also. It was explained to me years ago that epoxy is bought generically and then be it west system or system 3 or US composites specify different hardeners and fillers in the resin part for thin and thick resin. or hardening times. I have never seen my epoxy blush and they claim I should be buying a 2/1 hardener for non blushing? I have never seen 3/1 blush after many years in cold and warm conditions. I find it the best all round resin and hardener to use.

Ditto.

US Composites Epoxy is the best value I know of. The 3/1 epoxy (medium hardener) in a 2.67 gallon kit is less than $45/gallon (before shipping).

Dave

sorry guys - there's been no work done on my own rig,for quite a while...just too tied up with client's boats - and that's not a bad thing in this economy...