Has anyone ever tried this?

So trying to figure out how to get the cap off my boat, well being by myself and not wanting to ask for help since everyone thinks this is dumb and i should just buy a brand new boat. Some people just dont see the potential, but the same people will drive by a rusted 67 mustang laying in the bushes and be completely amazed and drooling over what they could do if they had it:facepalm: maybe i should tell them "why dont you just buy a new one?"

anyway sorry not to go on a rampage just people have been bugging me about this boat i bought recently oh well when i get it done i dont think there will be much bugging but begging to take a ride in it

So like i said im trying to get the cap off my boat and i've been struggling pretty good, well today i thought of and idea and said what the hell and tried it and its working out so far pretty good, (it started raining so i came inside)

I pretty much took a bottle jack and cranked on it on the inside of the boat and i have the one side up and its allowing me to see were its still connected as i start working my way around the boat ive been putting wood shims in place so it stays up.

Ive been pretty careful so far and nothing has broke yet. ill keep posting pictures as i go around it.

http://s100.photobucket.com/albums/m38/ccarver80/

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

FYI Your Photobucket is passworded = no pics.

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

Fixed, sorry forgot i had pictures on there i didnt want anyone stealing along time ago.... should be public now

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

Should keep this within your existing resto thread, keeping all your questions and answers together in one tidy spot not only helps you find it, but also helps others learn how you did it from day one to splash day, without looking all over forum. Anyhow, unless you have some sort of crane built for it, you will need help carrying that cap to its holding place. when you remove it you need the center supported or there is a good chance it will crack, I learned this myself the hard way, didnt crack but damn near did

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

yea good point on keeping everything together, but this way its all free and this will be the tricky part of setting it down somewhere, i have some land out of town were i can just block it up, and we have a crane like a 4000lbs lifting crane i work in the oilfield and im sure it will handle the job just fine. If i pick up on all four corners evenly i shouldnt have a problem.

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

slide a couple of two by fours under it and lift it with them

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

you have to be careful with the bottle jack idea.......you will craze the gellcoat before you know you are stressing it.....

as soon as the rub rail is off and the rivets are removed.......take a utility knife stick it up under the cap.....and cut the 5200 all the way around the boat......

i use paint stir sticks as shims to lift the cap, little by little......if the knife didnt slice the 5200....the stir sticks will let you see where it is still joined.

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

I had the same problem with my cap being glued to the hull with 16 year old 5200. First I hurled several swears and vulgarities combined in various permutations, then I decided to forced a Utility Knife along the crack and it came apart pretty easy after that. Now I'd probably try using a heat gun on the area too, if I had it all to do over again.

Yea the problem for me was were the dash was still attached to the floor underneath were I could barely reach it I was just careful and listen for any cracking noises that were coming from the bottle jack. After a while I finally heard a pop were it busted off the floor.

Carver

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

Instead of just using the round tip of that jack, you might want to add a small piece of wood to the jack top to spread out the lifting power. Seems like you would have less chance of creating a crack. Did the crack in the bow picture come as a result of lifting the cap?

Re: Has anyone ever tried this?

HAHA no, i knew someone would ask that ? when i posted that pic. thats how i bought the boat. im going to need to do some glass work and patch that up later. and i did do that on some parts for more surface area just the pic i took was befor i thougth of that idea.

Its completly off now i just need the help storing it somewhere. Ive been thinking idk if im even going to keep it cuz i plan on doing sojmething differnt with the boat anyway that consists Of one windshield and pretty much flat throught the rest of the boat. (kinda bass looking boat style) i might just build a simple rail system out of 2x4s and fiberglass. havnt decided yet.

this is a 1976 glastron trihull t-179 starflight if anyone is interested in buying the top cap? let me know