Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

I have a project going where I am swapping my L-shaped lounge for a custom transom wall. I am interesting in ideas on how to secure the wall on the cockpit side without impeding the engine hatch opening. The base of the new wall will be secured to the same hinges that held the L-lounge, so it will tilt away. My problem is keeping it from tilting back, but the hatch side needs to have flush hardware on the pedestal. The wall hardware can protrude since I can tilt it back if necessary.

You can see all the project images with detailed descriptions at:
http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg256/mcleaves99/Transom/

Here are the images inline :

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

I take it your not going to reuse the hinged seat?
What is the need for the wall to hinge back towards the stern?
I am thinking that people will be leaning against that wall and the latch on the helm side would have to be substantial.

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

make the seat and back in one piece, like the old ones, and hinge the same, make it tilt all the way back, out of the way.

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

yea but in his link to more images he mentions the desire to eliminate the L-seat as it is in the way of fishing from up there.

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

Interesting idea of integrating the seat into the wall. I really like that. Maybe in version 2.0. I am not "eliminating the seat" completely. Since it's only 8 bolts so it will only take about 10 minutes to do the swap. That way when I take the family out for cruising we will have the seat. When I fish (and you can see how the seat gets in the way for that) I will put the wall up with all my goodies attachable to it (bait table rod holders etc.

I have an idea of what to use. There are some turnbuckle type of fasteners that Perko makes. they are basically threaded rod ad hinge on one end and they have a knob for tightening on the other that slides into a receiving end. They are beefy and strong and I was thinking four of them would be more than enough. They'd be a hell of a lot strong than the two l brackets (see pictures) that hold the seat back onto the bench. The bulk of the anchor mechanism would be attached to the wall. If I need to open the hatch all the way up I can swing the wall out of the way and all that would be left is the receiver side of the anchor system. I could also just *** some rubber stops to the wall and stop the hatch from coming all the way up.

Just looking for ideas.

M

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

Okay,
With those notes in mind, what if you could pull the hinge pins?
That way you could change from the seat to the wall without unbolting the hinge each time. You might have to use different hinges though.
If you altered the front edges of the seat that nest with the helm seat, would there be enough room (less the wall thickness) to hang the seat on the wall? That way the wall stays in all the time.

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

Good questions, but the hinges are pressed. That was my first approach. For not I don;t mind the 8 bolts. It really is an easy job. I may swap the hinges out at a later date for what you suggest, but in truth the seat will probably only swap out 3-4 times a season.

If I were to try the hanging thing I'd buy another seat. I am planning to buy a fold-down type bench or a couple jump seats. I don't want to carve up the original seat. It's in good shape (a primary reason to get it OFF the boat while fishing) and want to keep it in case I sell the boat.

In all these cases I still have to deal with the issue of fastening the front of the wall so it won't tip back on the hinges. If I didn't use the hinges I'd need similar fasteners all around..

The beauty of the project so far is there is no permanent mod to the boat. Everything is bolt on bolt off.

M

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

post a picture or link of the latches your thinking about.

I might use these with the hook part below the wall.

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

tashasdaddy said:

make the seat and back in one piece, like the old ones, and hinge the same, make it tilt all the way back, out of the way.

Click to expand...

thats a good idea.


if you use the swing outta tthe way idea.....(if im following you right)
you will need to beef up the side wall where the hinge is attatched to as the weight of the pony wall will be 60 lbs and with anchor even more.

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

This is what I was thinking of. I like the first picture you posted. What is that called? And yes, my intention is to put the bulk of the hardware on the wall so there isn't much to protrude against the engine hatch. I may try to find a recessed piece to replace the hook

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

Here is a T-Bar fastener which is not closed around the rod.

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

jeeperman said:

I might use these with the hook part below the wall.

Click to expand...

What is the name of the latch in your first picture? I like that one

M

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

mccleaves,
Both images are the same latch.
#13435A61 at McMaster-Carr:
http://www.mcmaster.com/
But it is galvanized steel. But I plugged that # in and now I see a SS one for only $1.20 more just because it ain't padlockable I guess and a bit smaller.
it's # is 13435A67 $14.67
If the technical drawing is to scale, the hooky part only protrudes about 3/8" or less.

If the hook interferes with the engine hatch, you could get fancy and grind a little depression into the hatch with a dremel where the edge of hook hits it.
Putting a latche directly above the existing hinges of the hatch would also allow you to weld the lower edge of the hook to the upper edge of the hinge.

Re: Custom gunnel project - Fastener advice needed

Thanks.. I appreciate the sleuthing.

I'm gonna take a look. I like the padlock ability for a clevis pin of some sort so nobody kicks it open by mistake. Hmmmmm

I appreciate everybody's input so far.

M