Pontoon rebuild / redesign

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Lookin good Bobby. I'm anxious to see this one come together. Hope to see it in person this summer.

Thanks Matt, I have a feeling this one will be a slow build.....I keep making it complicated and my budget is tight right now. Hopefully things will speed up after I make it through the design process. I'm hoping the 3D modeling will get started next week, depending on where I am with the drafting.

I've always admired Frank Lloyd Wright's work, and much of his art in just a few miles from my house.

Bear.....he was brilliant, an azz at times, but brilliant. We have his only completed high rise in OK....and quite a few houses, its amazing what oil and gas money have built in this state!

This is going to be one seriously BAD-@$$ Paaaaar-teeeee barge!

Hopefully GT1M, but I still have a loooonnnngggg way to go!

Thanks for all the complements....after spending a couple hours (8 on the lounge) building mock-ups you start to wonder about the design! There are still a lot of changes I want to make, but I feel like I'm making progress. As long as its 2 steps forward and only 1 backwards!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

By the way I was studying my design for the helm tonight.....I think there is room for the gauges and steering, but I haven't found a great place for the steering. I guess I could use a hotfoot, but that doesn't sound like something that would work for long cruises. Originally I had the idea of the drivers seat being more like a cockpit, with the throttle on one side next to a fixed helm seat. Any thoughts? I may have to re-think the helm console some......

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

By the way I was studying my design for the helm tonight.....I think there is room for the gauges and steering, but I haven't found a great place for the steering. I guess......

W/out seeing the helm layout, I'm not sure if this helps or not, but dash mounted throttle & control box (using a top mount)?? Push button forward/reverse? Paddle shifter F/R mounted on the back of the steering wheel? Mount a pod off the side of the center console & mount throttle vertically in pod (using top mount). Cabin cruiser We used regularly had twin helms (an early 60's 24' Marinette) It had the controls mounted on the helm/s dash in both locations:



or slim side mount to attach to the side of your helm seat:

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I think I'm going to need a side mount shifter, somehow integrating it with the console design. I don't think I will have room for the controls to be top mounted unless I put the steering off center. I think that is going to look a little goofy with the current design.

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

not sure about the engine cover clearance but how about a jack plate? just raise the motor instead of tilting it into your swim platform?
One of the most awsome things I have ever seen on the lake was "Bikini Clad Fire Jumpers" = Hot girls dancing around and jumping over a fire, any plans for a fire pit?

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

26aftcab454, The engine clearance should be good in regards to the cover. I have dashed in the range of motion in the drawings...I might have to tweak it a bit, but is should be close. I do need to study the relationship between the motor and swim platform. I will certainly have an issue if I tilt the engine all the way up. Realistically I can trailer it with the engine down without an issue given the trailer height. I figure if I can tilt it up so that its higher than the bottom of the pontoons I should be good. I can't think of a reason I really need it higher. I can always put a limit switch on it. For right now the swim platform is on the back burner, I'm focusing on the lounge seats, helm, engine cover and storage....how all that stuff fits together. Once I have that figured out I have a motor I can put on and check clearance and hammer out the swim platform.

I like the fire pit idea....but for some reason that doesn't sound like a good idea on a boat full of gas .....especially after a few frosty beverages! For some reason I can see my insurance agent freaking out! Nice looking boat you have there! Thanks for the thoughts, keep them coming!

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

So I was looking at the boat tonight thinking......"if I bring anymore cardboard in the shop I might have to add a fire sprinkler", . Don't ask me why but I was thinking about that and the boat name for some reason, and I thought of the Spruce Goose.....

Hopefully our displacement will be under 200 tons! Maybe we will call it the "cardboard goose"?

I did meet with the foam guys today, they seemed confident that they can make the foam molds. The question is what will they cost?

I also found this product for coating the EPS,

http://www.foamdepot.com/Styro-Roc.htm

Sounds like to me it might do a nice job protecting the EPS from the poly. I have a call into them to discuss the project. I did more drafting tonight....now back to cutting out cardboard!

 

[zopperman]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Just a wild and crazy thought that I think is more for my clarification - what would happen if you just glassed over the cardboard instead of having foam molds made?

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I saw a guy do that over urathane foam.....it gets the basic shape roughed out....but I can see it turning into a ton of body work....think I would rather fork over the $ for the molds!

 

[parrisw]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I saw a guy do that over urathane foam.....it gets the basic shape roughed out....but I can see it turning into a ton of body work....think I would rather fork over the $ for the molds!

The amount of fairing you would need to do would be insane! I hate sanding!

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign


I love the interior layout of this ChrisCraft 25 launch.

 

[zopperman]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Really? Huh, weird. I helped a buddy made a panel (for a hatch of a chest type thing) out of cardboard and we just glassed over it... but I guess it was pretty flat.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I love the interior layout of this ChrisCraft 25 launch.

I agree, very nice layout.

Trust me Zack I don't want to sand that much body filler! Flat isn't to bad, but these compound curves would be a mess. I'll be curious what kind of numbers the foam guys come up with. I think they will be reasonably priced vs building a positive plug, building a mold then pulling the part.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I am loving this build. I need to catch up.

 

[BigLee324]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I like the idea of selling the seats ,i live in OK, any home state dicounts

 

[BigLee324]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

ok for the name i am thinking Wild Goose

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Wait a second, if there are home state discounts, are there distance traveled discounts? Can I write a Progressive Insurance commercial for paid sponsorship? Then Flo can be 1 of the sea trial babes......Maybe you can assign discounts based on personal project progress. Oops, I won't get much of discount then:facepalm:...

Heck, I'd be happy to sit quietly in the driveway & watch the wrap up of construction heading to the 1st splash! Of course, keeping the adult beverages frosty & flowing freely, can be a full-time job on some builds! Just ask Oops's Corona distributer

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I am loving this build. I need to catch up.

Thanks Jay, its been slow going....but I keep plugging away. I had planned on working on it today....but hanging out, watching football, and having a few frosty ones sounded like a fun way to spend my b-day!

i live in OK, any home state dicounts

if there are home state discounts, are there distance traveled discounts?

I think the discounts will be proportionate to how many adult beverages your "donate" to the maiden voyage and how many single attractive women you bring , lol!

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

I can supply a single, attractive redhead, but, ah, yeah, she's married...... AKA the warden..... Does that mean I have to pay a penalty charge? Or buy all the adult beverages? And for the record, I don't share well w/ others! After a glorious career as a waitress, she does know her way around a frosty adult beverage College Ed-u-ma-cated too, that helps w/ the 6+ iced beverage carry. Yes, I am thankful everyday.... I too often wonder how... Just lucky.... Cause it is officially NOT the money....

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Pontoon rebuild / redesign

Happy birthday my friend!