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Removing 28' Skiff Hardtop

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Mark Christensen
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Removing 28' Skiff Hardtop

Post by Mark Christensen » Tue Mar 20, 2012 7:17 am

Does anybody have any pictures, or tips on getting a hardtop off of a 28' skiff? I want to replace the deck and the only way to do a thorough job of this is to take the top off.

When I removed the windshield on my 22' skiff, it was a bear! The screws were gigantic flat head (not even sure why we still make flat head screws) screws that stripped in a heartbeat. I had to take a sawzall to them. I am dreaming that there is a better way with the bigger hardtops.


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1961 24' Chris Craft Sportsman - CUA-24-0007C
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boat_art
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Hardtop

Post by boat_art » Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:33 am

HI
I did the same thing to a customer's '87 Skiff Craft Flybridge and I agree it is a bear! I have no real advice for you but I did replace the "T" type bolts on the windshield lower frame by simply drilling holes from the top at an angle and c'sinking new SST screws.
Here are some pics of how I did it. Page 2 gives some details. Good luck!

http://www.boatartgallery.net/gallery/SkiffCraft


Tom Sweeney
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St Paul MN
http://www.boatartgallery.com
1956 CC Connie 47'
1959 Caulkins bartender
1965 Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer
1953 Chris Craft Holiday
1941 Chris Craft Deluxe
Plus 8-12 customer boats at any time
God don't count the days spent messing around in wood boats.

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evansjw44
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Deck Replacement

Post by evansjw44 » Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:57 pm

I did some deck replacement on my 35' '67 Corinthian, both on the foredeck where the cabin windshield meets the deck and the cabin top where the bridge windshield meets the cabin top. I did both from underneath. In one case the deck plate was decayed and ran under the cabin windshield. What I did was to use two pieces of mahogany to make up the thickness (1 3/16) and laminate them together as I installed them. So I dry fitted the pieces to fill the void I made by removing the decay and cutting back to a reasonablle splice point and drilled screw points. I then slathered the pieces with West sytem and shoved them in place, drove in the screws to hold the shape and let it cute. I did the same thing for the cabin top where the plywood went under the windshield only the plywood was flexible enough that I didn't have to laminate. In a similar repair I had to cut the cabin top ribs to put in new pieces and I just sistered them and put them back in place.

As an aside, what idiot used steel screws to assemble an aluminum windshield frame. About your only choice is to drill them out and re-thread to a larger size. UGG UGG
Jim Evans

boat_art
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Post by boat_art » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:19 pm

I used SST screws...not steel. For those who are ignorant, that is Stainless Steel Screws.
http://www.boatartgallery.com
1956 CC Connie 47'
1959 Caulkins bartender
1965 Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer
1953 Chris Craft Holiday
1941 Chris Craft Deluxe
Plus 8-12 customer boats at any time
God don't count the days spent messing around in wood boats.

boat_art
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Joined: Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:09 pm
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Post by boat_art » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:30 pm

It is also impossible to "drill out and rethread" a bolt through a wood deck. The t-bolts I referred to run in a track in the frame and oddly enough, were stainless. All fasteners in aluminum windshields are stainless. I do believe that before anyone calls anyone an "idiot" they should take a breath.
http://www.boatartgallery.com
1956 CC Connie 47'
1959 Caulkins bartender
1965 Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer
1953 Chris Craft Holiday
1941 Chris Craft Deluxe
Plus 8-12 customer boats at any time
God don't count the days spent messing around in wood boats.

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evansjw44
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No Offense

Post by evansjw44 » Sat Apr 14, 2012 7:18 pm

I didn't mean offense. I was referring to what CC did at the factory. My windshield frames are extruded AL and CC put them together with steel screws. The almost instantly sieze to the AL. I supposed they just ddidn't think anyone would ever have to take them apart.
Jim Evans

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evansjw44
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Visualize

Post by evansjw44 » Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:21 pm

OK, this isn't construction I'm familiar with. My windshild frames are mahogany and the windshield bridge frames that hold the glass are aluminum. The frames sit on the cabin top and deck and are screwed in from underneath with wood screws.

So what you're saying is is the windshieild frames are almunium and so are the frames that hold the glass. And, that the windshield frames have a slot cut in them, I assume on the bottom (deck) edge that have nuts in the slot and this is screwed in from underneath? Is that right? When I think of T-nuts I see a threaded shank with a flange that has tangs that dig into the wood, like blind nuts. I'd expect to find those in the plywood deck and screws through the frame running into them.

I guess Im learning here.
Jim Evans

boat_art
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Post by boat_art » Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:05 pm

Sorry about my rant before, I thought you were referring to me.
Like I said, the one I did was a Skiff Craft with a flybridge. That boat has aluminum framed glass and yes, t-bolts from a slot in the bottom of the frame down through the deck and stainless washers and self locking nuts under the deck. They were a nightmare to remove and impossible to reuse.
These photos show it pretty well.
http://www.boatartgallery.net/gallery/SkiffCraft
http://www.boatartgallery.com
1956 CC Connie 47'
1959 Caulkins bartender
1965 Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer
1953 Chris Craft Holiday
1941 Chris Craft Deluxe
Plus 8-12 customer boats at any time
God don't count the days spent messing around in wood boats.

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