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16 holes and a few cracks
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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 11, 2004 8:25 pm    Post subject: 16 holes and a few cracks Reply with quote

Well, I finally did it. I dropped some cash, took some measurements, bent some metal and drilled some holes. Hopefully my boat will have a new tower on it this weekend.

Take a look and let me know if I need to change things while I still can. The metal is 2" .120 wall. The mounts use 3/4" heim joints. The mounts all use 4 bolts with a matching plate on the inside sandwiching some rubber (cut up bed mat). Its all tached together. Tommorrow I'll finish the welding, clean up the welds and a few edges, and paint. This weekend I hope to get behind this thing. More pics can be found at

www.gobeer.net/tower

I'll post more tommorrow when I finish up (hopefully).

Also, by dropping some cash I meant < $250, I'm on a budget. And on that note, does anyone know anything about the "plastic" board racks on ebay. They go for fairly cheap and are black. I'm thinkin my tower will end up black and if they are decent quality, I might have to invest in a pair.




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Last edited by gobeer net on Aug 20, 2004 6:53 am; edited 2 times in total
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chaz28o
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PostPosted: Aug 11, 2004 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice job! Awsume warehouse - I'm jealous Razz
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PostPosted: Aug 11, 2004 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice coronet/roadrunner... what kinda drivetrain.... looks like a bracket racer approx around the 9's, yah?
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Brit Rider
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 3:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very cool... for 250 thats pretty impressive!! Shocked
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thats really sick man you should be very proud of your self!
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cinder1995
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finally took the plunge, huh.

Looks good man. I hope my pics helped, looks like you built it exactly backwards of mine......Nice touch!
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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks T&T, cinder1995 and everyone else who provided me with pics of their towers. They were much help in the designing of mine. Mine ended up being rather simple, I'm hoping it is strong enough to not flex the hull too much.

Now I have to decide what color to paint it. Does black get too hot?

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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd spend the extra pennies and get it powder coated instead.

You'll be happier in the long run.
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't bother with the plastic racks on E-Bay. I tried them out a year or two ago and they didn't work very well. There is too much "give" in the pastic arm. When you hit some rough water and the boat starts bouncing up and down your boards will be banging around pretty bad.
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gobeer net, If you want racks how about making some? you seem pretty good with your DIY.. maybe just a plate with some 4/8ths" tube welded on as fingers.. then coated some how..

Just a thought
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mississippireb
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What are you going to do for a tow spool?

Daniel
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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This "colllege graduate hat" looking thingy will be my tow point. The corners are going to be rounded on the top plate, and the rope will "double looped" around the small piece of tubing. It will of course be sanded smooth and painted/powder coated before i put a rope around it.



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bigonboatin
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

does anyone have drawings of this sweet stuff
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Sick_Air_Crash
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where did you get the Munting Hardware? I have wanted to build my own tower for a while now but have not been able to find the mounting hardware.
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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mounting hardware was made. The plates were cut out of some scrap metal. Cut and drill the plates in pairs so they match. Also label the ends of the plates so they match up when you put one on the inside of the hul. They are 4x8" plates. Drill a hole and and put a 3/4" bolt with the head cut off in the hole. Weld the bolt in there, grind smooth and put a collor (some pipe i found layin around with a 3/4" I.D.) to hold the heim joint off the plate.

The ends of hte tubing were plugged with some solid bar turned down on the lathe to match the I.D. and O.D. of the pipe being used. Drill, Tap, and insert the heim joint. Slide on the plate and repeat 3 more times.

I found an old inner tube for a car tire that i'm going to cut and put between the outside late and the hull. I'm going to cut an old truck bed mat to put between the inside plate and the hull. I plan on putting some wood on the inside as well to spread out the footprint on the hull.

The pictures on www.gobeer.net/tower should be good enough to see how much of it is made. I'll take more pictures when its completed.




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Last edited by gobeer net on Aug 19, 2004 8:47 am; edited 2 times in total
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Sick_Air_Crash
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PostPosted: Aug 12, 2004 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks good! Thanks
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Lakebu
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PostPosted: Aug 14, 2004 11:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice looking Bayliner.....
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bigonboatin
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PostPosted: Aug 15, 2004 6:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

are you chirpin this guys boat man?
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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 15, 2004 8:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Chirpin" my boat, why's everyone gotta be hatin?!..... nah its a bayliner and an old one at that, no harm no foul "chirp" all ya want. It floats and has my name on the title so I like it Smile. When my skills are worthy of a nicer boat, i'll worry about getting a nicer boat, till then....team bayliner all the way.

btw...here's a pic of what happens when you dont measure correctly, then try to correct after the fact. Hence the kinked piece of pipe :-\. There went a smooth $90 down the hole. The straight pieces were long enough to use for the legs though so it didn't turn out so bad. Just a word of caution to diy'ers everywhere.

I'm hoping to get some quotes (after i find someone with a big enough oven) to powder coat this thing this week. Wish me luck.




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bigonboatin
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PostPosted: Aug 16, 2004 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

man i am totaly down with "crappy ass" boats or thats what most people on this forum would say about my boat but i gotta tell ya its my pride and joy i live for it even if it is an old i/o
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PostPosted: Aug 16, 2004 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

and i was asking -lakebu if he was chirpin your boat cause i am not to big on that
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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 16, 2004 6:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alright, so I gotta have this painted or powder coated by the end of the week cause i'm determined to use it this weekend. I WILL BE BEHIND THIS THING THIS WEEKEND. Now I gotta decide which color to paint it. I was goin for black, but I"m worried about how hot black gets. Some black metal layin around out side was too hot to pick up today and it wasn't even that hot today. I'm kinda thinkin white or aluminum. Problem with white is that my boat isnt' really white, its more an old dingy off white so it wouldn't match too well. Does anyone have or have seen a tower painted an aluminum color?
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Fishmaster
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PostPosted: Aug 16, 2004 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice Job! I posted a link to it www.diyTower.com, post some details on the bases and a final cost when your done.

Here is a picture of the first monster tower design prototype. Found it the other day and was looking for a place to share it. 100% "recycled" alumimum and lots of JB weld & duct tap Very Happy




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Johnny5
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PostPosted: Aug 16, 2004 11:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tower looks good man Very Happy

What about Red?
It looks like you have a red contrast stripe on yer float, why not jazz it up?
Just my $.02 (of course it is cdn so it's really only about $.0125)

Also as you obviously have some skills and access to stuff, what about a bushing or bearing for the rope on top of the tower. I am noticing some wear on mine and have it on the list of things to do.

Cheers,

J

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PostPosted: Aug 17, 2004 5:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MonsterTower, that tower is sick...and not in a good way LOL...That shape does look vaguely familiar...
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PostPosted: Aug 17, 2004 5:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

freakin' double post.
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PostPosted: Aug 17, 2004 9:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

that tower ROCKS- I am so unmechanically inclined that if I tried it I would end up with a mess and a half and have given up long ago- Not to mention that I don't have the tools or know how to do it myself. You've done a sweet job. Ignore the idiot posts about having to get a new boat and old blah blah blah- when you're ready go ahead and do it. We drove/skied/tubed and learned to board behind a beat up 1987 Skier and just recently bought a new boat because the family got bigger and we wanted a tower. Old boats ROCK especially if they're paid for!!! Razz
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PostPosted: Aug 17, 2004 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gobeer net
could you move it forward about 4".
NO JUST KIDDING
looks great.
and a boat that floats and you can wb behind is a good.
Fun is Fun, just as long as you wb and have good friends around.

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Lakebu
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PostPosted: Aug 18, 2004 9:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No big I'm not "chirpin". I used to have a Bayliner just like that. Unfortunately mine didn't last as long or stay in as good condition.
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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 18, 2004 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lakebu wrote:
No big I'm not "chirpin". I used to have a Bayliner just like that. Unfortunately mine didn't last as long or stay in as good condition.


What happened to yours...anything in particular that I should watch out for. I'm wondering how long mine will last. If its makes it 2 seasons then I'll probably be happy. I bought it as a first boat so I can make all the mistakes before I get a more expensive boat. I'm hoping this tower will help this one tide me over for a few more seasons.

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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 19, 2004 6:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, i put the tower on for a final testing before powder coating. Unfortunately I think it wobbles too much left and right so no powder coating for a little while. I'm thinking about adding some bracing but dont know where. When i stand in the boat and pull left to right on the tower from the tow point the tower itself bends slightly, but it also seems that the hull of the boat twists slightly. The two added together seems like alot of twisting. When I saw the hull twists, I mean when i pull the tow point to the right, the front right side of the hull goes down some and the front left comes up some. I was kind of suprised and scared when I saw this happening.

I have two choices so far.

The yellow arrows represent the direction of movement i'm seeing.
1. The green lines represent two removable corner braces I could add to the front hoop that is laid back.
2.The red line is approximately where I think a bar should go between the rear vertical legs instead of the green bracing. I think this will add the most side to side rigitidy, but will be about 6' from teh floor of the boat. It really makes the whole thing look kinda cluttered (i like the current clean look) and is right at fore head level making it a major pain. :-\

Any suggestions?

More pics at www.gobeer.net/tower




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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Aug 19, 2004 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok, so I got the bracing situation figured out. Two diag braces from the rear legs to the top cross bar (2nd pic) seem to make this thing super stiff.
They are just tack welding in for testing purposes in the picture. Ends will have to be made for the mounts, so it will be ANOTHER week before this tower sees the water :-\

....but now for the real worries.

CRACKS IN THE HULL Sad.

How much should I be worried..... There is a crack on both sides to the top rear corner of the front plate. They are minor, but this thing hasn't even been in the water yet. I've pulled it around on the trailer for 2 days just to get some "testing" in to see if anything bad happened....so far this is what I have. There is a wood piece on the inside of hte hull that is bigger then the metal plate. The cracks seem to be right at the edge of were the wood is on the inside of the hull....

This is starting to be a good tutorial on how NOT to build a tower. Hopefully it will all come out kosher in the end.

Any Suggestions on the cracks?




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PostPosted: Mar 03, 2005 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Diggin this thing up cause I'm thinking of doing the same. The braces hold up for you pretty well? Pretty sturdy?
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PostPosted: Mar 04, 2005 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks great! I built a tower for a boat a couple of years ago. WHat I used for my toe hook was a ball that you tow with. They're a nice looking chrome and it didn't wear the rope out at all. Just drill a hole in the tube and bolt it in. Worked great.
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PostPosted: Mar 04, 2005 8:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

that tower lookes nice... I like hot it leans back ;ike the MC ones
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