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  1. #11

    Red face Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build

    Put some fiberglass cloth over it on top and bottom will make it last longer.
    Bob

  2. #12

    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

  3. #13

    Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build

    Quote Originally Posted by Cricket View Post
    What's your plan to attach the bracket to the bottom of the launcher? That's where all the stress is. Btw, looks good.
    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.

  4. #14

    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.

  5. #15

    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.
    Attached Images
    "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

  6. #16

    Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build

    Quote Originally Posted by rustybucket View Post
    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.
    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

  7. #17

    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

  8. Re: Rocket Launcher for fighting chair build

    Looks great! Cannot wait to see more pictures.

  9. #19

    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!!

  10. #20

    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

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