Hinged arch

why not just remove the arch while the boat is in storage?.....that may be a lot easier than trying to fabricate a suitable hinge.....

also I would think with the arch hinged it may be difficult to lock the arch in place when it is erected and may be a source for noises from vibrations from the engines....

if you are set on going with a hinge I would suggest you send a PM to Dale (aka 'MasterFab') for suggestions....he is a serious fabricator that has done numerous things to his 340DA.....

cliff

 

Yes there was a hinged arch...There is someone with a 340 who had one on CSR... I was hydraulically moved... I would call Sea Ray...

 

Does the building have enough room to put a taller door in?

 

if you want to remove the arch during storage and have a way to lift the arch off and on the boat the alignment pins should not be an issue.......

you could rent a lift truck with long forks for a day when you wanted to remove and install the arch.....or maybe rent a 'cherry picker' articulating lift....

cliff

 

i would assume that also....

cliff

 

this may sound crazy but can the walls or roof of your shop be raised or can the floor be lowered (dug out)?......

how about changing to a taller roof (steeper pitch) and taller door on the shop?....

could you rent a very large lift truck that could take the boat off the trailer and place it in the shop?....you could block the boat upright on the shop floor....

cliff

 

I had 3055 Bayliner that the Arch was hinged. Take out 2 bolts drop down arch. Worked great for winter storage.

 

Oh well, it worth asking the question. Sometimes the easy answers elude us!

I seem to recall seeing a folding arch before on something like a 31 or 34. Maybe it was the one that Rod mentioned and you can find it via searching? But, regardless, once you add the hinge, that helps a lot to keep it aligned. The pins shouldn't be an issue as the top hinge will rotate up and off the pins.

 

I have a 2009 310 Sundancer with a hydraulic hinged arch. Stainless hinges look custom and uses standard trim tab pumps (2). I assume (though could be wrong) it was not a factory option but is a great advantage as we trailer the boat. Two stainless pins are inserted at the rear of the hinge to lock when upright.

Let me know if you have specific questions/etc.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yes, I don't think the pins would cause any interference. But it's also been a while since I've looked at that setup. However, if they were a little too tall, you could always trim them down a bit.

As mentioned above, Dale (Masterfab) would be a good person to get in touch with. If it's not something he has the time to help with, he might be able to guide you in the right direction.

 

Have you thought about shrink wrap or a custom cover? A good cover, like a Fisher, will probably get you 10 years of use. Shrink can actually be reused, although it can be a bit of pain to put it back up - but it can be done.

Some things to keep in mind that the hinging and reinforcing needs to be done PERFECTLY. If the hinges are off, it won't fold properly and will end up putting stress on the arch/hinges/hull. Something will eventually give. Also, if any height is added to the arch, the canvas may need to be reworked. If you go this route, definitely don't base your decision on who does the work solely on price.

Where you able to search for any old threads on this subject? Find anything?

 

I'll take some pics this weekend and post them. In the meantime, I will offer my thoughts after having this "feature" for the past 18 months.

A. I have absolutely no structural concerns about my arch. When done correctly, mine is proof that after years of use, everything remains intact and maintains its integrity. Note that my arch is subjected to trailering in the down position--not just the forces seen on the water.

B. The materials involved in the execution of the hinging aren't that costly. My setup has two standard hydraulic trim tab pumps (mounted on forward bulkhead and rear bulkhead in ER) with actuators mounted in the gunwales under the arch base on each side. The dual-throw switch to control everything is mounted in the plastic cup holder insert at the helm just below the joystick. I suspect the most costly element aside from the initial engineering work and install is the fabrication of the hinges. I assume they are custom made. Having seen MasterFab's work on CSR, he could make them without question.

C. The downside...with arch up I'm right at 14' high sitting on the trailer. When hinged down, I'm right at 12' 11". So, all the masterful engineering (and expense) gains 13" of reduced height. This is mostly a function of the nature of the 310/330 arch--it's fairly wide (fore-aft dimension) and so when the arch is rotated forward this dimension defeats some of the savings of lowering the front of the arch.

D. It's a great feature for accessing the top of the arch for washing, waxing, etc.

I wasn't involved in the specification, installation or paying for this feature--the PO who wanted it to clear a fixed bridge to access his canal-front home did. I can say that I didn't pay a premium for it--but probably would have in retrospect.

Hope this helps, pics up this weekend...