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Other than custom fabrication, does anyone make add on arches (metal or FRP) for boats?
I would love to install radar on my 23' John Allmand Ticonderoga, but I trailer the boat and there is insufficient clearance with a fixed flybridge hardtop or arch. I have a bimini up top and would love to add some sort of pivot / locking arch up top to install radar.
I suspect that I will have to go custom on this. Any ideas of cost? Any suggestions / advice?
There are makers of pedistals for mounting them but after that its custom or nothing. Just because you have a bimmini doesn't mean that you can't mount the dome though and highway clearance doesn't have to be a problem either.
If you to go this site you can see one way to do it: http://users.westco.net/~tandjlm/pics/rmount1.jpg and then just take the digit "1" that is in the URL above and change it to a 2, or 3, or a 4, or a 5 to get other views of that one. In the end what you get with it on the boat and in the water looks like this:
The cost to have that made up and bolted on the boat was $225. It was done by a place called Harbor Welding, in Wanchese, NC. I had drawn up a 'plan' of what I wanted and made arrangements to bring the boat down. I showed up, they 'assigned' a fabricator to me, and he said OK, what you want me to do? Three hours later I towed the boat out of there with the arch in place.
Try atlantictowers.com. I used them for my 22' walkaround. They make a prefabricated arch based on your particular boat. If they have never made one for your type of boat they will show you how to take measurements. I was very satisfied with my arch and the price.
[This message has been edited by cobia210 (edited 04-17-2002).]
Be Careful about Atlantic Towers, I have personally heard some bad things about the Company, like not standing behind the warrantee. You get what you pat for?
Interesting rig, Thom. Unfortunately, my arch would need to go up on the flybridge, so overhead clearance would increase to about 14 feet if it was permanent and not foldable. I am already pruning trees with the upper station windshield!
I'll check out Atlantictowers.com and check back on this forum. Thanks again for any and all replies!
What your asking is not impossable or
out of the ordinary. Remember you get what
you pay for. A fold down radar arch should run in the neighborhood of $1200 to $1600.
and fold down will be a few hundred extra.
Make sure it the pipe dia. is 1 1/2"
for the main arch itself and the truss braceing is 1" dia. If done right the
rear legs will piviot and the front legs
would be break away pins...
This would provide a nice fold down platform for radar and you can also put a
bimini on the front for shade...
What kind of boat is that arch bolted to??? (Just kidding, I know you are a Scout junkie).
The real trick is to find a clever fabricator who can make me a fold down arch for my flybridge. As I noted earlier, I trailer my rig and already prune trees with it (the flybridge windshield is just over 11 feet off pavement).
I just installed a tower (fishing arch) from Atlantic Towers. It looks great, is finished very well, (quality of welds etc very high) and looks great on my boat, the four gold rod holders add an elegant touch. It was just under 1k in price, I was able to pick it up myself and save a few bucks. Installed it in a day.
They ship all over North America, and from what I saw when I was at their shop, they are busy!!
Beware of 1st time posters pushing products that hard!!! If I were a betting man, I would say that Atlantic Towers has found The Hull Truth. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
I decided that I will check with a local fabricator (Sirisky Marine) who does a lot of work in our area. I'll get a quote from them when my budget is ready for a hit.
If they need my boat for custom measurements, I'd rather trailer it to a local shop.
Well I guess I will find out how good Atlantic Towers are in a couple of weeks. I put an order in for one of their Fish Arches around the first of the month and they tell me they plan to ship it the first week in May.
Yes, I was a first time poster. Everyone has to start somewhere!! I do not work for Atlantic Towers, nor do I own it, nor do I even know anyone that works there, hope that clarifies it all. I a professional engineer that works with large metal structures every day (tv and radio towers, up to and over 1000ft), and was simply impressed with the product and people I dealt with there, hard to do in this age of lousy customer service. If you want a radio or tv tower built call or email me otherwise I am just a first time boat owner expressing my opinion...
Hey Dbrown, My apologies for sounding like a prick, my intentions were honorable. I happen to have heard the exact opposite about AT, and your post looked a little suspicious being a first time poster from NJ and strongly pushing a manufacturer. We were all new to boating at one time and learning more is why we are all here on the hull truth. Good luck
I agree with Accuweld. My top guy could of done that for a lot less. Here is what I got for 4200 and its about a 7 x 7' hardtop with Etec Sailfish 18' outriggers and I can walk all over the top of.
Mr Accuweld, if I was in your area I would of had you do mine. I am in Va. I had a guy in Hampton do mine. He has been building hardtops and towers for over 20 years with nothing but word of mouth advertizing. Keeps atleast a 6 month back log year around. I think it was a good value as far as hardtops go. 3000 for the top/HD rod holders/lights/ one radar plate is used for the center riger/ he rigged all the antenna's also. The riggers were 1200 installed. That was whatever I wanted. Choice then was rupp or these etecs pretty much. Claims a lifetime warrenty on any welds but have not had to find out. He claims mine is overbuilt for the offshore use. It seems to be sturdy are a rock. I thing he painted the welds not polished them. Whats the standard on that???
Birdman, how did they fasten that arch? There is no cores on those Scouts. Looks like the screws will be close to the outside corners.
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Hawkeye
[This message has been edited by Hawkeye (edited 05-07-2002).]
Accurate,
Acutally, I was quoted more locally. I've had two tower manufactureres look at it on the boat, NEITHER of them could have made it the way it was done because of the complex curves. It is ONE peice of pipe, and HEAVY pipe, top quality. And remember it is a custom arch, not a pre-fab... I had gotten a cheaper quote, but it would not have been as nice of quality.
Also, I had it done prior to getting the boat. It was done in NC near the Scout factory prior to them shipping it to me.
Radar Arches 
