Put some fiberglass cloth over it on top and bottom will make it last longer.
Bob
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02-22-2018 01:02 PM #11Senior Member
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- Jan 2011
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- 205
Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
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Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
What's your plan to attach the bracket to the bottom of the launcher? That's where all the stress is. Btw, looks good.
CRICKET
1966 HAT50C101
Purchased 1985 12v71Ns
Repowered 1989 with 8v92TI
Repowered 2001 with 3406E
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02-23-2018 09:02 AM #13Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jul 2013
- Posts
- 1,188
Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
I've got a local welder that has done quite a bit of work for me. My plan was to take the chair and the top to him and have him custom build an overly sturdy bracket out of Stainless. I'll probably thru-bolt the top to the bracket. While I REALLY like the clean look of a top without bolts, I'm also a VERY big fan of thru-bolting.
I could also epoxy some tabs/blocks to the bottom of the rocket launcher to bolt the bracket to.
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Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
Countersink the bolts. That would work. Especially if you use nice stainless. You will be able to see the tops of the bolts but they won’t protrude.
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Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
We end up with a lot of gear hanging off the rocket launcher one of the most useful things on the boat. Keeps the tackle out of the way out of the spray and reddily accessible.
"DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU READ OR HEAR AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE" - BEN FRANKLIN
Endless Summer
1967 50c 12/71n DDA 525hp
ex Miss Betsy
owners:
Howard P. Miller 1967-1974
Richard F Hull 1974-1976
Robert J. & R.Scott Smith 1976-present
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Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
Or you could recess the carriage bolts and fill the holes with epoxy, especially if you're going to cover the top with cloth so the putty doesn't show when it shrinks. If you go that root make sure to scratch the hell out of the bolt heads.
Have a couple different chair launchers and all of them just have the bracket plate screwed in with probably #16 screws, not sure if they added epoxy in the holes or not when they screwed them in.CRICKET
1966 HAT50C101
Purchased 1985 12v71Ns
Repowered 1989 with 8v92TI
Repowered 2001 with 3406E
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Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
Another issue that might come up is the actual mount of the chair. Make sure the deck is reinforced for the weight and leverage the rods will put on it. My chair pedestal goes thru the deck and is mounted to the keel.
"DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU READ OR HEAR AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE" - BEN FRANKLIN
Endless Summer
1967 50c 12/71n DDA 525hp
ex Miss Betsy
owners:
Howard P. Miller 1967-1974
Richard F Hull 1974-1976
Robert J. & R.Scott Smith 1976-present
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02-26-2018 06:07 PM #18
Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
Looks great! Cannot wait to see more pictures.
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04-23-2018 09:44 AM #19Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jul 2013
- Posts
- 1,188
Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
Ok, guys, this project was kinda put on the back burner for a bit while other, more pressing items, were attended to. This past weekend we had a bluewater trip planned so I hacked the rocket launcher together enough to at least make it usable on the trip.
Since my last post here I took the groups advice and wrapped the entire thing in fiberglass biaxial cloth and west epoxy. I had not finished fairing yet, but with the trip coming I just sanded lightly (to remove any rough spots) and mounted the rod holders and cupholders.
All in all, it was fantastic, don't know how we could have managed without it. Honestly starting to think that we don't need the fighting chair at all, just the rocket launcher. In a perfect world it would be easy to switch between the two....
popping holes in her
right after install (excuse the mess we were in the process of packing boat up for an overnight trip
Couple notes moving forward.
- the tray needs a couple of drain holes. When it rains it fills up with water.
- 30" pedestal put it at a great height
- the thing is rock solid, but the screw/clamp that keeps it from spinning is a little weak, you have to really clamp down on it to keep it from spinning when bumped into.
Can't wait to see her faired and painted!!
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07-03-2018 05:00 PM #20Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jul 2013
- Posts
- 1,188
Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build
Just wanted to take a min to update this build thread. Got a little behind posting pics so I'm just going to post them all, with details in the following posts.
This project was finished off in tandem with a couple of soft spots I was fixing at the same time. So as I was filling/sanding/fairing I was actually doing 3 different projects at once. This had it's benefits and it's drawbacks. First off it was hotter than hell with high humidity and high chances of rain. So my only chance at epoxy was usually in the morning hours after the dew lifted but before afternoon thunderstorms could form.
We fished one time with the rocket launcher in un-faired/un-painted condition. This was kinda a test run to make sure we had everything right. We did discover, rather quickly, that the tray needed drain holes, and that it would need a drain hole in each corner b/c at one time or another on the trip water pooled in all of the 4 corners, depending on the attitude of the boat.
We wrapped the top and bottom of the rocket launcher with biaxial cloth, and wrapped the edges with fiberglass cloth tape. Think i did 3 layers of tape on the edges.
I believe this was the final fairing