How could I fasten a piece of plywood over my open bow?

In light of the various bad experiences recounted, I think I will use two sheets with the junction at the top, secured by a 6" plywood strap. Stingrayaxe is welcome to the leftover 2 & 1/2' x 4' piece of wood to mount bindings on for a matching gargantuan ski. Other comments regarding flotation are also welcome at http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/will-my-holed-boat-float.101747/
You can search or Google my name to see photos of my many controversial but successful marine projects like the FM-200 extinguisher, the blower and engine fire shutdown box, the low voltage circuit warning and shutdown switch instead of 2nd battery, the dashboard impeller pressure gauge, the keel rollers, the added trailer brakes, the power trailer winch, the ski mirror (worked well w/o getting dislodged), the ladder rung cushions and stowing strap, and others. The AM antenna solution-no coax. Removed the idiotic helper spring from the throttle linkage for much smoother operation. Became comfortable with running at WOT just trimming down slightly to silence the overrev (5100 rpm) horn and maintaining 50+ mph. Put in a cupholder mount for my Android phone and display the GPS speedo app for sensitive skiier speed control although the various nav apps eliminate the need for most expensive equipment-there will be no need for anti-collision radar once all are equipped with AIS. Come to think of it, those big boys in the foggy shipping lanes will now show up w/o radar although I'd need an add on AIS receiver. I think the biggest controversy was solder vs crimp.. The piss hole in the swim platform was never used so I replaced the prop inspection & cleaning plate. OBD2 does not work on this Chev based engine. Any comments regarding any of these dead issues belong on those old strings. Anyway, the winter is long and dreary.

LITTLE_BOY_LOST_IN_FOREST_Wallpaper_JxHy.jpg
 
In light of the various bad experiences recounted, I think I will use two sheets with the junction at the top, secured by a 6" plywood strap. Stingrayaxe is welcome to the leftover 2 & 1/2' x 4' piece of wood to mount bindings on for a matching gargantuan ski. Other comments regarding flotation are also welcome at http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/will-my-holed-boat-float.101747/
You can search or Google my name to see photos of my many controversial but successful marine projects like the FM-200 extinguisher, the blower and engine fire shutdown box, the low voltage circuit warning and shutdown switch instead of 2nd battery, the dashboard impeller pressure gauge, the keel rollers, the added trailer brakes, the power trailer winch, the ski mirror (worked well w/o getting dislodged), the ladder rung cushions and stowing strap, and others. The AM antenna solution-no coax. Removed the idiotic helper spring from the throttle linkage for much smoother operation. Became comfortable with running at WOT just trimming down slightly to silence the overrev (5100 rpm) horn and maintaining 50+ mph. Put in a cupholder mount for my Android phone and display the GPS speedo app for sensitive skiier speed control although the various nav apps eliminate the need for most expensive equipment-there will be no need for anti-collision radar once all are equipped with AIS. Come to think of it, those big boys in the foggy shipping lanes will now show up w/o radar although I'd need an add on AIS receiver. I think the biggest controversy was solder vs crimp.. The piss hole in the swim platform was never used so I replaced the prop inspection & cleaning plate. OBD2 does not work on this Chev based engine. Any comments regarding any of these dead issues belong on those old strings. Anyway, the winter is long and dreary.
Have you considered adding a ramp to your boat for a pet pig? It's been done before, just search the CSR archives.
 
Have you considered adding a ramp to your boat for a pet pig? It's been done before, just search the CSR archives.
And with the right amount of reinforcement to the plywood dodger, you could mount a portable Honda generator up there.... Might want to go up a size or two on the previously recommended galvanized lag bolts to accommodate the additional weight though?
 
I understand, you want to take your current boat into sea conditions which exceed the design of the boat.

Start off by securing eye bolts into each side of the stern. These will need to go through the surface level and be anchored to the stringer in the stern area of the boat.

Next I would recommend a bow tow strap piece which includes stainless strips that come back along the hull then is anchored all the way through the hull. These are commonly available from multiple sources. You can route a strap through the tow piece which then comes back over the top of the bow, each end connecting.

Now using appropriately sized straps connected to the boat at the 3 connection points, you can safely lift the boat with a jib crane on a much larger boat. Secure your boat on the bow area of the much larger boat - and presto you are ready to take your boat into rougher water.

The variability is how rough of water do you want to go? This will determine the size and tonnage of the larger boat.
 
In light of the various bad experiences recounted, I think I will use two sheets with the junction at the top, secured by a 6" plywood strap. Stingrayaxe is welcome to the leftover 2 & 1/2' x 4' piece of wood to mount bindings on for a matching gargantuan ski. Other comments regarding flotation are also welcome at http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/will-my-holed-boat-float.101747/
You can search or Google my name to see photos of my many controversial but successful marine projects like the FM-200 extinguisher, the blower and engine fire shutdown box, the low voltage circuit warning and shutdown switch instead of 2nd battery, the dashboard impeller pressure gauge, the keel rollers, the added trailer brakes, the power trailer winch, the ski mirror (worked well w/o getting dislodged), the ladder rung cushions and stowing strap, and others. The AM antenna solution-no coax. Removed the idiotic helper spring from the throttle linkage for much smoother operation. Became comfortable with running at WOT just trimming down slightly to silence the overrev (5100 rpm) horn and maintaining 50+ mph. Put in a cupholder mount for my Android phone and display the GPS speedo app for sensitive skiier speed control although the various nav apps eliminate the need for most expensive equipment-there will be no need for anti-collision radar once all are equipped with AIS. Come to think of it, those big boys in the foggy shipping lanes will now show up w/o radar although I'd need an add on AIS receiver. I think the biggest controversy was solder vs crimp.. The piss hole in the swim platform was never used so I replaced the prop inspection & cleaning plate. OBD2 does not work on this Chev based engine. Any comments regarding any of these dead issues belong on those old strings. Anyway, the winter is long and dreary.

I really think you are over thinking this. Fill the bow with floatation foam and spray paint it. Done. Oh and I'll take you up on the leftover wood. I've never seen a piece of wood I couldn't use somewhere except maybe to cover up my open bow.
 
@Arminius, you seem to be testy on some of the tongue in cheek advice and with people funnin' wit ya. Its pretty simple. You seem to understand that there is risk taking your bowrider across open water in a place that is known for high waves and nasty sea conditions at times. So you are trying to turn it into something it isn't, presumably so that you can venture out in more nasty conditions or maybe feel better by trying to change your boat into something that it is not. Your other thread asks if your boat will float if it gets holed or swamped, which adds to the tone of the advice. Sorry but when you ask for advice you will get advice. What you do with it is up to you.
 
I understand, you want to take your current boat into sea conditions which exceed the design of the boat.

Start off by securing eye bolts into each side of the stern. These will need to go through the surface level and be anchored to the stringer in the stern area of the boat.

Next I would recommend a bow tow strap piece which includes stainless strips that come back along the hull then is anchored all the way through the hull. These are commonly available from multiple sources. You can route a strap through the tow piece which then comes back over the top of the bow, each end connecting.

Now using appropriately sized straps connected to the boat at the 3 connection points, you can safely lift the boat with a jib crane on a much larger boat. Secure your boat on the bow area of the much larger boat - and presto you are ready to take your boat into rougher water.

The variability is how rough of water do you want to go? This will determine the size and tonnage of the larger boat.

I am replying to my own post - after some thought. While it may be amusing to make light of the question from some of us, I do want to bring up a very real danger.

Not an engineer, just observation from someone who has spent time in rough water.

When you venture into crashing waves there are more factors than just washing the water off the bow. When you stuff the bow there will be tremendous pressure forcing the bow down. The recovery time driven by the overall buoyancy of the boat will determine how fast (or slow) the bow comes back up.

When the bow is forced down, the stern will want to rise. When the stern rises the boat loses the ability to stay on a straight heading. How heavy, how long is the boat. These are factors which have impact. If your stern starts to come out of the water, then you are susceptible to the boat spinning such that you take the next wave on the beam - and roll the boat.

Assume that you do not strike the oncoming wave perfectly perpendicular, the bow wave will push the bow of the boat to the side. The boat will spin so fast it will be impossible to steer out of it. Besides if the stern has lifted or is still riding over the wave behind - you will have limited steering.
 
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This is a progress report. Used 2 sheets of 3/8" MDO plywood. Attachment points are the snap retention holes using same pitch #8 stainless screws. Clearance holes are loose enough that I can finger twist as I don't want to damage threads. The 9 snaps in front were flat and I got good imprints whacking the plywood and will drill after I remove the wood for final trimming, finish work, painting and storage. Fender washers will be added in front and at other points where the screws are perpendicular. The upper wood will be drilled after the underlying screws are removed. A 33" leg of 4x4 treated fence post fits under the center of the overlap retained by 4 long deck screws through both sheets. Will add another supporting leg forward of that. The brackets beneath the windshield are aluminum angle from Lowes. Plywood edges will be filled and sealed with paintable, siliconized, latex caulk. Add a couple coats of oil paint from Sherwin-Williams and then I store it under my home's deck against the unlikely event I venture into blue water with my lake boat. I read "The Perfect Storm." There might be 30 sq. ft. of area and water weighs 64.5 lbs per cubic foot. The weakest point would fail first. However, pleasant ideas (like Sucia) have a will of their own and it is better to be prepared.

The biggest challenge here was fastening the cover below the windshield. I used the 3 snap holes and a pair of 1.5" aluminum angles bolted to one another with short embedded carriage bolts. The lower angle was increased to 100 degrees by clamping in the shop vise around a piece of 2" conduit.





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@Arminius, you seem to be testy on some of the tongue in cheek advice and with people funnin' wit ya. Its pretty simple. You seem to understand that there is risk taking your bowrider across open water in a place that is known for high waves and nasty sea conditions at times. So you are trying to turn it into something it isn't, presumably so that you can venture out in more nasty conditions or maybe feel better by trying to change your boat into something that it is not. Your other thread asks if your boat will float if it gets holed or swamped, which adds to the tone of the advice. Sorry but when you ask for advice you will get advice. What you do with it is up to you.
Didn't mean to be testy, only humorous. I appreciate all the feedback I get. At a minimum, it makes me think.
 
This is a progress report. Used 2 sheets of 3/8" MDO plywood. Attachment points are the snap retention holes using same pitch #10 stainless screws. Clearance holes are loose enough that I can finger twist as I don't want to damage threads. The 9 snaps in front were flat and I got good imprints whacking the plywood and will drill after I remove the wood for final trimming, finish work, painting and storage. Fender washers will be added in front and at other points where the screws are perpendicular. The upper wood will be drilled after the underlying screws are removed. A 33" leg of 4x4 treated fence post fits under the center of the overlap retained by 4 long deck screws through both sheets. Will add another supporting leg forward of that. The brackets beneath the windshield are aluminum angle from Lowes. Plywood edges will be filled and sealed with paintable, siliconized, latex caulk. Add a couple coats of oil paint from Sherwin-Williams and then I store it under my home's deck against the unlikely event I venture into blue water with my lake boat. I read "The Perfect Storm." There might be 30 sq. ft. of area and water weighs 64.5 lbs per cubic foot. The weakest point would fail first. However, pleasant ideas (like Sucia) have a will of their own and it is better to be prepared.





View attachment 95063 View attachment 95064 View attachment 95065
Thanks for the pictures. The progress is great. Honestly, most of us think this is an idiotic idea, but once we get past that we'll support you.

You have probably already thought of this, but make sure you have a way to close the gap between your new deck and your windshield, otherwise you are just going to channel the water right into your cockpit. It looks like you've got about a 3" gap there. On my bowrider we have a 2 piece factory cover that snaps under the inside of the windshield and then covers the bow. By snapping on the inside of the windshield it channels all the (rain) water from the windshield down and out, instead of running it into the boat. You might be able to fabricate some type of skirt that would do the same thing.

Many of us are going into 5 months of winter, so this project will help keep us entertained. Keep the pictures coming!
 
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"Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies.
Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain
For we’ve received orders for to sail back to Boston.
And so nevermore shall we see you again”

maxresdefault.jpg
 
This is a progress report. Used 2 sheets of 3/8" MDO plywood. Attachment points are the snap retention holes using same pitch #8 stainless screws. Clearance holes are loose enough that I can finger twist as I don't want to damage threads. The 9 snaps in front were flat and I got good imprints whacking the plywood and will drill after I remove the wood for final trimming, finish work, painting and storage. Fender washers will be added in front and at other points where the screws are perpendicular. The upper wood will be drilled after the underlying screws are removed. A 33" leg of 4x4 treated fence post fits under the center of the overlap retained by 4 long deck screws through both sheets. Will add another supporting leg forward of that. The brackets beneath the windshield are aluminum angle from Lowes. Plywood edges will be filled and sealed with paintable, siliconized, latex caulk. Add a couple coats of oil paint from Sherwin-Williams and then I store it under my home's deck against the unlikely event I venture into blue water with my lake boat. I read "The Perfect Storm." There might be 30 sq. ft. of area and water weighs 64.5 lbs per cubic foot. The weakest point would fail first. However, pleasant ideas (like Sucia) have a will of their own and it is better to be prepared.
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Good stuff!

Just out of curiosity I wanted to see how this design stacked up against the span rating of those panels you’re using. Assuming your 3/8” MDO was stamped 24/0 and you’re supporting it at 36” +/- the boards would deflect roughly 0.6” on both sides of the support with 12” of water on top. Not too shabby if the load were a dead load and uniform even though it is 3X the max load rating of the panel. It may or may not be enough to pop your fasteners out of the fiberglass.

I think the missing piece when looking at the “weight of the water” is the buoyancy of the boat. You’re not just putting water on top of the wood, your boat is also working to lift itself back out of the water in the opposite direction. It’d be a pretty complex math problem but you can safely assume the forces acting on the plywood will be greater than the weight of the water. Is it double the force of the water? Who knows without using far too many brain cells. But if the deflection starts pushing into the 1”-2” range your fasteners will struggle. You could also start to approach the shear strength of the plywood – split the panel right down the edge of the support 4x4 you installed, though it seems pretty unlikely the other support features would survive long enough to reach the shear strength limit of the panel.

Will you trim the edges of your panels to be flush with the gunnels? As pictured I’d be willing to bet the panels would be ripped off pretty quickly in a bow-stuff scenario. The water pushing up from the sides as the bow goes below the surface would smoke those #8 fasteners if you keep those wings on.

If you want to prove the arm chair engineers wrong (for now) throw 5,000lbs of weights up on those panels and tow it to the gas station!
 
Those who know the future are idiots or charlatans. One must prepare for the future based upon planning. Plans present a range of possibilities, probable to improbable. Preparation is carried out by executing anticipated countermeasures suggested by cost-benefit analysis within the available budget. In other words, plan for war with likely and less formidable adversaries. Keep flight as an option.
Displacement hulls are less able to flee.
 
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Those who know the future are idiots or charlatans. One must prepare for the future based upon planning. Plans present a range of possibilities, probable to improbable. Preparation is carried out by executing anticipated countermeasures suggested by cost-benefit analysis within the available budget. In other words, plan for war with likely and less formidable adversaries. Keep flight as an option.
Displacement hulls are less able to flee.
I’d use a submarine to flee.
 
<snip>

Will you trim the edges of your panels to be flush with the gunnels? As pictured I’d be willing to bet the panels would be ripped off pretty quickly in a bow-stuff scenario. The water pushing up from the sides as the bow goes below the surface would smoke those #8 fasteners if you keep those wings on.
If he used the overhang to attach more flotation, the bow won't stuff as far because of the bouyant forces exerted upward, and thereby reducing the load on the panels.
 
Good stuff!

Just out of curiosity I wanted to see how this design stacked up against the span rating of those panels you’re using. Assuming your 3/8” MDO was stamped 24/0 and you’re supporting it at 36” +/- the boards would deflect roughly 0.6” on both sides of the support with 12” of water on top. Not too shabby if the load were a dead load and uniform even though it is 3X the max load rating of the panel. It may or may not be enough to pop your fasteners out of the fiberglass.

I think the missing piece when looking at the “weight of the water” is the buoyancy of the boat. You’re not just putting water on top of the wood, your boat is also working to lift itself back out of the water in the opposite direction. It’d be a pretty complex math problem but you can safely assume the forces acting on the plywood will be greater than the weight of the water. Is it double the force of the water? Who knows without using far too many brain cells. But if the deflection starts pushing into the 1”-2” range your fasteners will struggle. You could also start to approach the shear strength of the plywood – split the panel right down the edge of the support 4x4 you installed, though it seems pretty unlikely the other support features would survive long enough to reach the shear strength limit of the panel.

Will you trim the edges of your panels to be flush with the gunnels? As pictured I’d be willing to bet the panels would be ripped off pretty quickly in a bow-stuff scenario. The water pushing up from the sides as the bow goes below the surface would smoke those #8 fasteners if you keep those wings on.

If you want to prove the arm chair engineers wrong (for now) throw 5,000lbs of weights up on those panels and tow it to the gas station!
I had some extra time sooo......it appears he'll need more modification
 
The trim button is often useful. You should know as this is your first listed boat.
 
On our jetboat we had one of the front 3 windows shatter while trailering it north. Rather than cancel we duct taped very heavy 30mill clear plastic over the window. When we crossed Lake Athabasca we were in 4 foot waves. The plastic held receiving over the bow waves and on the 500 mile drive home at 60 to 70 MPH. If you want to close in the area temporally this method might work. Very quick and inexpensive.
 
This has to be the strangest thread I have ever read. Maybe if the wooden pieces are covered with Sunbrella it wouldn't look so Rube Goldberg.

Personally, if I'm going to add non-standard accessories on my boat they would have to be triple chrome plated.

This all reminds me of a guy I once met at the launch ramp. He tried to put a 20 footer on a 12' trailer. It only stuck out the back a few feet. He said he only had to drive a mile to his house. When the trailer cracked in half and the boat went crashing down on the pavement he was so surprised.

In my youth I took a 14' closed bow woodie on Lake Erie on a calm day. It didn't stay calm for long. The seas went to 5-6 in a hurry. I learned piloting skills that day for sure. I was lucky I didn't die. The lesson I learned was not to go back out there until I could afford a 24 footer.
 

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