Pay the difference for 2 1/2" on a custom tower?

bobwire · Criminal Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 72 City: Melbourne

I'm having a tower built and my fabricator want to use 2" pipe. I asked him if he could use 2 1/2" and he looked at me like I was crazy!
He said it would not look right but will do what ever I want.
$500.00 extra for 2 1/2"............
Do you think 2 1/2" will look that much better?

Brit Rider · Posted: Jun 05, 2006 10:42 am Post subject:

depends totally on the design..

can we see a sketch? itf its got lots of parts and cross members 2 1/2" will probably look a bit poop.

if its a simple design like the titan series or monster tower then i'd go with it - all depending on price of course.

coudl end up cheaper to just get a tower out of the box.

bobwire · Criminal Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 72 City: Melbourne

It will have a very similar design as this.
we have already completed the base's that follows the window frame in 2 1/2". I could do the top out of 2"??
I'm not really sure what to do.
any advise would really help me out.
Thanks

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/boat/products/modelimage/422/8/1/0/image.aspx

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Brit Rider · Posted: Jun 05, 2006 2:38 pm Post subject:

Hmm, my personal preference would be 2" as 2 and a half may look a bit too much and for $550 it just doesn't seem worth it.

but thats just that... my preference.
It's your boat and your money so do what YOU want Very Happy

lee · Outlaw Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 196 City: USA

Pipe is sold by the I.D. not the O.D. Ask him what size the O.D. is.

bobwire · Criminal Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 72 City: Melbourne

Its 2 1/2 OD. I decided to use it for the arch too.
Check it out.

Brit Rider · Posted: Jun 09, 2006 4:35 am Post subject:

wow! thats looking great!

What kind of money is it coming in at if you don't mind me asking?

bobwire · Criminal Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 72 City: Melbourne

He is a friend of mine, and I have been there to help him. So he is only charging me $1500.00
He said he could have built two of them by himself out of smaller pipe in the time its taking to build this one with 2 people.

Brit Rider · Posted: Jun 11, 2006 9:42 am Post subject:

bobwire, cool, sounds like a great deal.

Just a quick and very important note: please please put some rubber between the deck of your boat and those tower feet. bolting those flat feet to the deck could very easily lead to deck cracking now or in the future. for a $5 investment its not worth the risk.

My recomendation would be 3-5 mm soft rubber on the inside and outside of the deck to compensate for the poor match of curved fibreglass and flat metal. This could save you hundreds on repairs later on.