Pontoon rebuild / redesign

[seamorewaterVIP]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks Produceguy! I was chasing my tail on the design, I just wasn't getting anywhere.....so I took last weekend off from the boat. I started to work on it late in the week and hit it hard this weekend. I have a lot of wadded up tracing paper, lots of CAD plans I don't like and a couple Sketchup models that I don't like.....but I did work my way through things till I came up with something that I think is workable. I had Malia (she is an amazing interior designer) come over to critic what I had come up with. I really wanted to bounce things off her, half of this project is like designing the seating in a club. I was happy to hear she agreed with me on direction! After she left I looked at the mess we had made on my drafting table....the winning sketch was on top.....

I stuck with the bow design and seating, added a "center console" setup for the helm, added aft facing loungers.....and a "hood" over the outboard......there is also a half circle swim platform. I didn't get the floating bar in, but I'm thinking the swim platform might evolve into that somehow. What I think is the most interesting part of the design is the "swing wing" design of the lounge chairs. I'm going to have them fold out to 18" or so. Not only is it functional, but should be pretty cool too. I spent some time looking at the Benniningtons on Monday, I really think the aft facing loungers will be a plus. I am planning on going with a simple design. I plan on the lounger turning into a backless bench seat when the back is folded down. I may even make both ends fold up so it you can face the bow or stern. I'm also planning to raising up the deck where the helm and loungers are 6". That will allow for some nice storage, plus a better view.

hey Arch,

After seeing your sketch I am thinking you could create a bunch of extra room if you used RV slide out technology on the winged section it would give you about 3 extra feet on each side.

Clifton

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

That is kind of what I have been thinking about Clifton....we have been working on a RV dealership addition for a year....that is where I came up with the idea. I have even been digging around in their parts department for parts that I might be able to use. Even gaining a 1' or two is huge in a boat.

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Hey, if you need any help with CAD layouts, i have AutoCAD Inventor, Pro-Engineer and Solidworks....been off work for 5 months and getting kind of bored here

 

[Last Mohican]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

After you finish polishing those Pontoons you might want to look into protecting them with sharkhide or zoop seal. One or two trips to the lake without protecting them and they will look just like they did before you started. I've seen many a jet boat guy be really disappointed with his shiny new polished bowl once he gets back on the trailer after a couple trips to the lake.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks Mrdjflores, that is some serious $$$ worth of software! First thing I need to do is get a good set of drawing files going.....clients keep interfering with that this week . I'm also heading to the lake tomorrow, so there won't be much done till I get back this weekend.

I have been looking into Sharkhide Matt, hadn't heard of the other one. I have read a lot of reviews on sharkhide, a lot of the airstream guys seem to really like it. I figure polish them up, put sharkhide on it and see what happens. Do you know anyone who has used either product?

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I seem to recall that Jason (jasoutside) used shark hide on his jet star. I think he liked it... If he isn't subscribed to this, lob a pm over to him (he is good about responding). I'm sure ez, our esteemed mod and metal boat guru, has the skinny on both products as well.

Like the drawings... If you can incorporate the rv slide outs, I would be most impressed. My brother has an rv and I always get a kick out of watching his tenement on wheels go into expansion mode...really does add a ton of space.

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks, I did design work for over 10 years...and made a lot of contacts with the software companies....they give me software for "personal" use..not for business...so i spend at least an hour a day...maybe more...designing things in CAD...sometimes just building CAD models of things in my house...may not always be to exact scale, but enough to get an idea or get things built

 

[Last Mohican]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks Mrdjflores, that is some serious $$$ worth of software! First thing I need to do is get a good set of drawing files going.....clients keep interfering with that this week . I'm also heading to the lake tomorrow, so there won't be much done till I get back this weekend.

I have been looking into Sharkhide Matt, hadn't heard of the other one. I have read a lot of reviews on sharkhide, a lot of the airstream guys seem to really like it. I figure polish them up, put sharkhide on it and see what happens. Do you know anyone who has used either product?

I have a couple of friends that used Zoop on polished car wheels. It worked great to prevent oxidation on wheels but that is less water contact than your pontoons. Other than that I really have no experience with either product. Both seem to get pretty good reviews though.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Hey Arch,

BigHoss used Sharkhide on his TinCan and it looks like Chrome.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=475888&page=11&highlight=bighoss

If you get a chance and just out of curiosity, stop by Walmart and get some mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish. Small jar cost about 2 bucks. Rub it on the aluminum till it turns black and then wash off with water and buff. I did this on my rub rail and windshield frame and it made them look like new. I'm curious if it would work on the "Toons"

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I keep thinking that highly polished "toons" will make for some incredible fishing...all the fish will want to look at themselves in the mirror and you can pretty much just scoop them out of the water with a net, fire up the grill, a few cold ones, bikini clad babes...

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I would like to buy an option to purchase an early Sea trials seat!

The bikini babes admiring their reflection in the mirror finish 'toons might prove too much for me!

This is where I'd insert a video of the Japanese fat head carp leaping on to the deck on their own if I had one!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

You guys are cracking me up with the fishing ideas.....lol! I was thinking they shiny toons might draw bikini babes like moths to a flame . Wood I have some Mother's (somewhere...), I'll give it a whirl this weekend. My guess is these are going to need the buffing / sanding as pitted up as they are. The buffing really isn't hard at all....kind of rewarding to see that shine coming through after a minute or so. Jbcurt I like the idea of selling the seats, that might help my funding situation! I might even find some bikini babes to serve drinks on the maiden voyage!

I'm off to the lake tonight, hanging out and grilling steaks tonight....then hooking up a gas line tomorrow, great fun. I love spending my day off crawling around under the lake house, yeah!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Well the lake was nice....I came back this morning looking forward to an afternoon fiddling with the boat. On my way back I called my Dad....he mentioned having a new sewer line put in.....I told him, "whatever they do, don't let them dig up the power line to the shop".......guess what the first thing they dug up was? I got back in time to dig up a couple of sprinkler lines before they got to them, but they had already taken out his main water line..... I figured it was best that I left......I have a friend who works on power transmission lines coming over to do the underground splice tomorrow......well I guess I will spend the day drawing....

 

[Last Mohican]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Hey Arch,

If you get a chance and just out of curiosity, stop by Walmart and get some mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish. Small jar cost about 2 bucks. Rub it on the aluminum till it turns black and then wash off with water and buff. I did this on my rub rail and windshield frame and it made them look like new. I'm curious if it would work on the "Toons"

All those retail aluminum polishes work about the same. My personal favorite is Blue Magic.

Bobby, If you have an English Color near you they sell used washed wool pads. They are like $2 each. Those and cheap *** Harbor Freight buffer will make quick work of polishing those pontoons.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Well I still have all the wheels and jewelers rouge from buffing out the stainless. Same stuff works like a champ on the stainless, you just use the finer wheels and rouge. The are 8" wheels, which fit nicely on my Milwaukee buffer. You just hold it perpendicular to the surface and away you go! I've also used a 8" grinder before, but the buffer is quite a bit lighter.

 

[Last Mohican]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Well I still have all the wheels and jewelers rouge from buffing out the stainless. Same stuff works like a champ on the stainless, you just use the finer wheels and rouge. The are 8" wheels, which fit nicely on my Milwaukee buffer. You just hold it perpendicular to the surface and away you go! I've also used a 8" grinder before, but the buffer is quite a bit lighter.

Oh yea. I forgot about you polishing that stainless. You got it covered.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I will NEVER forget polishing the stainless.....my fingers are still sore from wet sanding! I spent a couple hours this morning drawing and fretting over the swing wing idea.....I ended up going back to the slide out concept. In some ways the swing wing is simpler, but fabricating the arced support members might not be the easiest thing. I like how I get better deck area with the slide out. Especially between the side and the helm seat. I just wasn't happy with the way the side elevation looked in my previous designs. I think I have talked myself into this one....but I still want to mock it up. We finally got the power back on in the shop this morning, so I may get out the cardboard after lunch....after I fix the generator, figure I might need that in the next month or so.

By the way the plan and elevation aren't coordinated yet, the console, helm seat and engine cover don't show up yet in the elevation.....and the swim platform is missing. If anyone is wondering I think I'm going to need to add a third pontoon or the water glide to offset some of the weight I'm adding.

 

[oops!]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

i really like the look of that profile

 

[wa_ssv197]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

will there be a slide on the other side as well?

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Thanks Oops, I want to mock it up but I think I am finally happy with it. I have been working on the slide mechanism as I go (just sketches so far).....its interesting how much there is to consider in the mechanics of a sliding lounge chair, lol!

Wa_ssv197 there will be a slide on the other side....I have been drawing on one half of the boat, when I have it right I will mirror it. Its a lot easier to get your drafting correct that way, the magic of AutoCAD. lol!