Anyone here install an Atlantic Tower-in a-Box on a 180 Sportsman?

[Recoil Rob]

I'd like to get some pointers on how you did it before I start on mine.


thanks,

Rob

 

[DennisG01]

Hang it from a tree into the position you want. Mark holes, drill. You could carefully brace it in position instead of hanging it.

But... I thought they send pretty good directions? And/or, I do know that they have a ton of installation directions on their website. I would look at those and read through them.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Yep, I got all that, I was wondering if anyone had tried installing 6" Beckson plates to get under the deck for backing plates or if they were all glued and screwed like Atlantic states.

 

[DennisG01]

I always prefer backing plates, myself.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Absolutely but Atlantic says they do all the GW180s screw and glue. Might be easier for them.

I think a Beckson about here might give access to front and back stanchions but not sure what's underneath, pretty close to the live well lines.

 

[DennisG01]

I was thinking it was being mounted to a vertical surface - hence the suspend/brace comment. It's even easier in your situation to line things up.

You know your boat better than me, but I'd be very wary of putting an inexpensive pie plate on the deck floor. A latching, heavy duty one, sure. But the little pie plates can leak too easily and it's quite possible that in that location it can leak into a cavity (probably with foam) where it might get trapped. What's your access like to the vertical sections inside the CC?

There are much less issues with glue-n-screw on the floor than on a vertical section that isn't as strong. But if you wanted, look into the "Toggler snaptoggle", or similar.

Is your deck cored with wood? I would be really sure to fully saturate the deck holes with resin, which will also provide for longer-lasting "holding power" of the screw.

 

[DennisG01]

Oh, and be sure to chamfer the hole to keep from causing spider cracks in the gel.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Atlantic's tower mounts to the deck at the 4 corners of the console and to the console on each side.

I emailed Grady, they don't do T-Tops at the factory on 180's but sent me some pics of a similar after market setup, screwed and glued.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Circling back to this for anyone else contemplating a T-Top. I ended up doing the screw and glue to the deck and since I put on the T-Bag and electronics box, along with extra rod holders, got the extra console bracing kit . Top is solid to the boat, great addition.

 

[Sdfish]

Looks great and very practical! I would just be cautious when trailering at speed, that will put the most stress on the top.

 

[Recoil Rob]

More than any other T-Top? Just curious why?
I trailer it twice a year, once to the ramp in spring and again back home in fall, about 15 miles each way.

 

[seasick]

Looks great and very practical! I would just be cautious when trailering at speed, that will put the most stress on the top.

I don't think that the stress is greatest when trailering. When in rough seas while holding onto the frame for support will probably put a lot more force on the structure.
In cases when there is added weight in the actual top or extra hardware added, there is a higher stress issue when the hull rolls but the standing mass of the upper structure due to momentum causes the top to roll delayed a bit. In addition when the top starts to move, the hull may stop sooner than the top again due to momentum.
These forces are the same for the kits as they are for the factory frames but the kits have potentially more points subject to flex such as the bolted hinge flanges and the mid strut support brackets. Welded joints make for a more rigid structure. I may be biased a bit by stories of loose fittings and hinges in early model kits. Hopefully modern kits are less prone to movement.
I should also point that there are plenty of reports of factory welded frames cracking under stress.
Guess I haven't been very helpful

 

[Recoil Rob]

OK, got it. FYI this frame is all welded, no hinges, only the top is held to the uprights by 4 large beefy clamps similar to this, only the bottom half is welded to the frame...

 

[seasick]

Don't the uprights have a hinge point where they meet the deck flange?

 

[drbatts]

T-top looks good and is a nice upgrade. This is not exactly an apples to apples comparison but. A few boats back I had a BW outrage 20 CC which I had a T-top made for. The was no way to access the bottom of the deck to through bolt the legs. They were just screwed and glued. This worked fine in my case, sold the boat locally and saw it around from time to time. As far as trailing goes, I would worry about it too much. In my case I trailer-ed a couple times a year including short stretches on the highway. Boat would do 50mph on the water so not much different then highway speeds.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Don't the uprights have a hinge point where they meet the deck flange?

No, the deck flanges are welded to the bottom of the upright.

 

[DennisG01]

You'll be fine with trailering - hook it up and go

 

[seasick]

No, the deck flanges are welded to the bottom of the upright.

View attachment 27199

That looks a lot sturdier than the hinge approach.
As to actual attachment, I would feel a lot better with bolt through and backer plates or 'fender' washers as opposed to screws and adhesive.
( Of course adhesive could be used with bolt through but a sealant would be a better method in case the frame ever needs to be removed.)

 

[Recoil Rob]

No way to get underneath for backing plates.