Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

[oldjeep]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

Sanding drum on a drill press would work fine for either aluminum or the plastic

 

[wired1236]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

DUMB IDEA!! TRUST ME ON THIS. YOU NEVER want to use a peice of thick HARD plastic the rubber will work fine. Do what I said. The wood will do the trick and it is flexible enough to help distribute the movement. You can use fiberglass, but guess what you will need some wood to thicken up the area. It is the gel coat that is cracking not the fiberglass. The stress is coming from behind the mount not the front. The liquid nails is what will contour to the shape of the inside of the HULL that is why I said to lay it on thick. I will snap pics tomorrow of one that we did 2 weeks ago if you like?? I have installed towers for years and this is the way to do it. Again LIQUID NAILS and a PEICE of wood will work!! And for all these guys saying that a thick peice of rubber on a universal tower will not work it does work it the rear that is making the crack. The strongest part is the curved part in the outside of the boat (like an egg) the problem is the inside curve you are trying to flatten by trying to crank down on the nuts with those small aluminum plates. PM me if you want some pics tomorrow.....Good luck!!

Dude...really? Maybe you didn't understand the plastic application? Not sure. From the guy who has made the plastic shims, it works great and the rubber is not fine. It doesn't make up the gap. The plastic, (exaclty like an aluminum plate), distributes the force AND NO, it does not slip around, it does not crack, and it gives just enough encase you are not 100% matching your curve of the boat which no plate will ever do, I don't care what it's made of or who makes it. Not here to argue but I'm speaking from experience and having done it.

His hull is too thin and coupled with the curved surface as we are all in agreement on is the problem. The tower installation manual states that if you have a thin hull, (I believe under 3/8" is mentioned), you also need to support it with an additional backer plate.

So, 1. fix your cracks; 2. make the backer plate to beef up the hull, & 3. if you want some added assurance, make some shims out of whatever material "floats your boat". 4. go out and pull someone.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp253/wired1236/IMG_0134.jpg
http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp253/wired1236/IMG_0135.jpg

 

[Hansolo99]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

Dude...really? Maybe you didn't understand the plastic application? Not sure. From the guy who has made the plastic shims, it works great and the rubber is not fine. It doesn't make up the gap. The plastic, (exaclty like an aluminum plate), distributes the force AND NO, it does not slip around, it does not crack, and it gives just enough encase you are not 100% matching your curve of the boat which no plate will ever do, I don't care what it's made of or who makes it. Not here to argue but I'm speaking from experience and having done it.

His hull is too thin and coupled with the curved surface as we are all in agreement on is the problem. The tower installation manual states that if you have a thin hull, (I believe under 3/8" is mentioned), you also need to support it with an additional backer plate.

So, 1. fix your cracks; 2. make the backer plate to beef up the hull, & 3. if you want some added assurance, make some shims out of whatever material "floats your boat". 4. go out and pull someone.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp253/wired1236/IMG_0134.jpg
http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp253/wired1236/IMG_0135.jpg

If that is your boat you just confirmed what I said as the curve of you hull is in NO WAY uniform to the bracket, the rubber is doing they work if you look at the pics (the second to be specific). The rubber is fine........ You can tell from the curve in the pics. The back is what needs to be reinforced like the manual and you just stated. I have been installing towers for years before there were even brackets. At one time all there was-was universal towers. Then some guys come out and say they NEED TO BE SPECFIC for your boat application. NO THEY DON'T!! The plastic is not going to solve the cracking problem. The problem is coming from the rear of the brackets inside the HULL! And YES dude!! REALLY I am also not here to argue, but realizing where the problem is will help to solve it.

 

[wired1236]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

If that is your boat you just confirmed what I said as the curve of you hull is in NO WAY uniform to the bracket, the rubber is doing they work if you look at the pics (the second to be specific). The rubber is fine........ You can tell from the curve in the pics. The back is what needs to be reinforced like the manual and you just stated. I have been installing towers for years before there were even brackets. At one time all there was-was universal towers. Then some guys come out and say they NEED TO BE SPECFIC for your boat application. NO THEY DON'T!! The plastic is not going to solve the cracking problem. The problem is coming from the rear of the brackets inside the HULL! And YES dude!! REALLY I am also not here to argue, but realizing where the problem is will help to solve it.

That is not rubber in the pics. It's that plastic shims. I tried the rubber and it left huge gaps hense the shims to help distribute the weight for some added protection. We agree on the backing, it's the most important thing so let's just leave it to that, get off this site and go have a beer.

 

[Hansolo99]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

That is not rubber in the pics. It's that plastic shims. I tried the rubber and it left huge gaps hense the shims to help distribute the weight for some added protection. We agree on the backing, it's the most important thing so let's just leave it to that, get off this site and go have a beer.

I'm surprised your still on!! LOL! I thought you would be drinking already. Glad you agree on the rear! WOE that sounded strange!

 

[Rinker97]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

HAHA thanks for clearing that all up..

Anyways i just bought some 1/8 plywood i did this because i know it will bend and take form to the curve in the inside of my boat, I'm gonna layer it up to about 5/8 thick and glue it together.
I was reading about how to bend plywood, still make it strong at the same time and this is what i came up with i think it sounds like a good idea. This is how they make alot of furniture. I also made new back up plates that are 8 inches long. What do you guys think?

 

[Hansolo99]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

That should be fine, just remember to use liquid nails (or something similar) so that it will fill the gaps between the wood and the inside of the hull. Let us know how it turns out..

 

[Gryphon]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

That should be fine, just remember to use liquid nails (or something similar) so that it will fill the gaps between the wood and the inside of the hull. Let us know how it turns out..

Not to hijack the thread, but i have just installed my tower (Monster MT 1) on my Bayliner 195 Discovery. I used 5"X5" 1/4" plywood backing plates to help distribute the load. The feet are mounted on flat surfaces.

Qustion - I did not use any filler such as liquid nails bewteen the plywood and the fibreglass, is this required if the area is flat?

Thanks

 

[Hansolo99]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

Not to hijack the thread, but i have just installed my tower (Monster MT 1) on my Bayliner 195 Discovery. I used 5"X5" 1/4" plywood backing plates to help distribute the load. The feet are mounted on flat surfaces.

Qustion - I did not use any filler such as liquid nails bewteen the plywood and the fibreglass, is this required if the area is flat?

Thanks

Not really. You really only need to do that if the inside where the wood meets the fiberglass is not flat against each other. Basically it is just there to fill any gaps as extra insurance.

 

[searay12]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

so how did you fix it i would love to see pics. also if you havent already i would not use liquid nails it will sooner or latter crack and f everything up again. i know thats what most people use but i do not agree. use a good fiberglass reinforced resien and it will never fail. you realy shouls watch rhe video on the sampson tower. com they really know how a tower should be installed good luck the tower looks great on your boat

 

[Rinker97]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

so how did you fix it i would love to see pics. also if you havent already i would not use liquid nails it will sooner or latter crack and f everything up again. i know thats what most people use but i do not agree. use a good fiberglass reinforced resien and it will never fail. you realy shouls watch rhe video on the sampson tower. com they really know how a tower should be installed good luck the tower looks great on your boat

I actually watched the video lol. i figured if they were selling universal towers they should work, but they don't lol.......


FOR ANYBODY INSTALLING TOWER MOUNTS ON A CURVED SURFACE!!!
I'm gonna do a write up with some pics and post it on here but this is what i did.

I removed my mounts noticed the only places my gel coat cracked was around the mount and rubber the cracking did not come from the holes i drilled. this was caused by the back up plates they were to small causing that area to move.

I got 1/8" plywood cut it into 11"x6" inch pieces. I used 4 pieces on each mount which layered equals a 1/2", I soaked the plywood over night in water once the wood softened a little bit I installed it wet. Once it was dry I took it off "This made the wood take the curve of the inside of my boat" and used liquid nails between each piece of plywood, i also made new plates 10"x1" and put that and the nuts on last. I let it dry and then i hit the water I've been out 4 times and waked boarded for hours and the gel coat has not gotten any worse.. I am almost positive if i would of done this is the first place i wouldn't of had any gel coat cracking..

P.S. If the liquid nails cracks down the road I don't think it will effect anything since the wood has taken shape to the inside of my boat..

 

[searay12]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

thanks, did you make a piece to take the shape of the outside. i didnt on mine its got a very very small gap where the mount meets the hull. im shure it would be fine but i got some abs that i will match to the hull like the guy from portland did. this will take up any gap and fit perfectly. i will sleep much better even if others say the rupper alone works fine.. have fun wakeboarding

 

[Hansolo99]

Re: Wakeboard tower installed/ gel coat cracking. help

I actually watched the video lol. i figured if they were selling universal towers they should work, but they don't lol.......


FOR ANYBODY INSTALLING TOWER MOUNTS ON A CURVED SURFACE!!!
I'm gonna do a write up with some pics and post it on here but this is what i did.


P.S. If the liquid nails cracks down the road I don't think it will effect anything since the wood has taken shape to the inside of my boat..

WELL DONE. I really hope you take the time to do the write up for all these guys! This will help so many people in the future and put it to rest. Also post some pics. Thanks for the update and get working on that write up (OH WAIT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT TILL IT RAINS NOW!!! LOL!!!)