Hinging The Arch

wyrman

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2012
1,917
Tri-Cities, Wa
Boat Info
2007 310 Sundancer
Engines
Twin 350's, V drives
2003 Fisher 17 aluminum
90hp Honda 4 stroke
It has started! My plan was to buy the material and build the hinges at work.
We have a machine, and welding shop, along with the workers.
The machinist didn't have the time, or bit to mill out the 3/4" round stock for the pins and hinge side, so I was going to have a local fab shop drill them out and do the rest of the work, at work.
One thing led to another and I had them just build them.
Two weeks later I went to pick them up , and the work they did was atrocious.
Completely 100% not acceptable!
I don't have the time to write out everything that was wrong with their work, it was that bad.
They got back with the guy that I originally talked to, and decided to make it right.
They bought all new material, and had the guy make them again. Two more weeks later and they're done. He did a much better job this time, although he did miss two welds.
Our welder at work took care of those for me.
So today I drilled the mounting holes, and the countersink holes.
I hope to have them all polished up this weekend, and the arch mounted.
I will post my progress as I go.
I owe a big thank you to stephenm27 for providing me with very detailed pics and measurements.
We have the same boat, except his is a couple of years newer.
 

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I got them all polished up, and the front two mounted.
I will finish the hinged side tomorrow. I will be ordering the starboard tomorrow as well, that will fill the 1/2" gap that the hinges created.
I wanted to sand the fiberglass down 1/8" on each side so I didn't have the big gap, but decided not to.
That may be a project next winter, we'll see.
I was going to order a hydraulic kit, but I need to call Bennett because I have a question on their kit.
I made a large tent and covered it with a large blue tarp as I don't have a shop large enough for the boat, so the pictures are all blue. I have to change the color on them to make them decent enough to look at, so they're not the best.
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Looks good, thank you for keeping us up to date. This is a project a lot of us would love to do
 
Where does it fall on the front end?
Does it hit your windshield? Are you blocking it up with a brace when folded?
 
Just a thought... I don't know if you would want to sand down the fiberglass. By thinning it where the hinges are placed may reduce the structural integrity right where you are adding a stress point.

-Kevin
 
It's short of the windshield, it lays on the handrail going to the bow.
I'll take a pic of it tomorrow.
I'm going to put a Bennett hatch lift system on it, and I believe that will be enough to hold it in place when it's lowered.
 
Just a thought... I don't know if you would want to sand down the fiberglass. By thinning it where the hinges are placed may reduce the structural integrity right where you are adding a stress point.

-Kevin
I thought about that, that's why I was only going to go 1/8", but in all reality, once this is done, I doubt it's ever coming apart to do that.
 
If you are worried about the cosmetics of that small space between the bottom of the arch and the gunwale, how about a thin blue LED light strip in there for some accent lighting?
 
Where does it fall on the front end?
Does it hit your windshield? Are you blocking it up with a brace when folded?
Here's a pic of it laying down.
I called Bennett this morning, not super helpful, but I did get a part number from them eventually.
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Greg, that looks good and will make your tension level while towing a lot lower. That arch looks heavy. Is it difficult to lower and raise?

Also, what did you do about disconnecting/reconnecting the wires? What holds the arch up when it's raised? Just curious because I've never seen that done on a boat.
 
Mike, I can lift it pretty easily now that the front hinges are in place. I have a call into BOE for a price on the Bennett hatch lift kit. I didn't have to cut any wires, the pics I have seen all show a flexible tubing that the wires are ran inside of. I haven't got to that point yet, one step at a time.
It will definitely be a lot more comfortable pulling with the less height.
The arch will be held in place with two 3/8" stainless positive locking(very expensive) pins. You can see them in the first pic I posted.
 
If you zoom in on my arch directly under the radar dome you can see the stainless pocket that was added to my 340 with the folding arch. When the arch was folded forward there was a pole inserted into this pocket that rested on the floor near the helm. It took all the load off the rams. The "pocket" itself was a 30-45 degree affair that attached to the forward edge of the arch, not flat, as you can imagine.

I'd highly recommend something like this, especially if you add hydraulics. I may have mentioned previously that I had a ram pull out of the floor. Don't let that happen to you :)

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And on the topic of flush hinges - it can surely be done. In the photo above you see no gap at the seam. The hinge on my 340 was routered flush on both top and bottom. A gasket was added to seal the joint when the arch was in up position. Nobody knew there was a hinge there...
 
And on the topic of flush hinges - it can surely be done. In the photo above you see no gap at the seam. The hinge on my 340 was routered flush on both top and bottom. A gasket was added to seal the joint when the arch was in up position. Nobody knew there was a hinge there...
I noticed from the pic that you can't tell it has a hinge. I like that, looks good.
 
I received the Bennett hydraulic kit yesterday.
I ordered from BOE, and they drop shipped from Bennett.
Its missing half of the cylinder mounts, so I won't be able to get them finished this weekend.
I have the starboard bottom half done, and am fixing to start in the port side.
The port side is impossible to get to,
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I'm not 20 anymore, thank goodness I have a hot tub for later.
I put a piece of wood under where I'm going to drill to protect the fuel hose.
 

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What’s your height on the trailer with the arch up?

my 260 sits 12’6” to the top of the radar mount (dome removed) on the slightly undersized venture trailer. If it’s over 12’10” on the new load right I’m hoping to order I’ll have to go with the hinge as well.

would be nice to not have to pull the dome
 
I'm at 14'2" in the up position.
I think this is going to put it around 13'2", roughly.
I didn't have any problems with my 260, but it didn't have anything on the arch except the nav light.
 
It's finally done! I still need to clean things up, but the arch is done.
It was quite the project, mostly from the lack of access to do the job. I also did a few preventative items while I was waiting on materials here and there.
I removed the starboard wet exhaust, and replaced the starboard seawater impeller.
I did the port last summer. I also installed stainless barbs on the port cool fuel module.
I did the other one last summer.
Now to clean her up, and get some wax on her.
I'm off at least next week, and it's supposed to be in the high 60's to low 70's.
I was doing PT for right shoulder pain.
I finally had an MRI in January
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, and I have bursitis, arthritis, a slight impingement, and a medium grade partial tear in my dominant shoulder.
That sure added to the fun.
 

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