A Frame / Wakeboard Bars - Photo Request!

Happy Shopper · 04 October 2013, 21:37

Hi All,

I'm looking at having a frame fabricated or purchasing something off the shelf. One of my good friends is a blacksmith and although not too often getting involved with stainless I'm quite sure he is in a good place to help me!

Has anyone got any photo's of theirs they could post for some ideas, I'm also looking at options for mounting. I'm really only after something for esthetically improving the boat but I'm thinking maybe once I've learn a bit more and step up to a beefier engine in a few years that my son may enjoy some water sports. So if there isn't a huge cost implication it might be nice to think about it's mounting and strength for towing.

I'd probably be better off posting this in a more technical section, but i'd love to see what some of you are running.

Thanks,

Mike

Nick Hearne · 04 October 2013, 22:30

Have a look here http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/new-afra...sr4-42705.html this is what I had made

ncp · 05 October 2013, 04:44

cloyd had a nice fold down arch made for his 7m can you can wakeboard from.

Festinghouse · 05 October 2013, 12:59

mine may not be compact, but its solid - i made it out of aluminium scaffold tube then had it powder coated. its got cleats for tying up alongside, and all the electrics are mounted on a stainless plate on top and can all be removed in around 15 mins without having to disconnect any wires. the stainless eyes under the rail with the cleats on have rope ladders attatched. the fame is bolted through the transom and through the deck.

Happy Shopper · 07 October 2013, 14:29

Some nice ideas there chaps, thank you. I actually own an ac/dc tig welder but not sure i'm up to scratch with my skills yet. Haven't touched it for about a year. Seeing the ex scaffolding tube idea has got me thinking I should get practicing!

ribraff · 07 October 2013, 15:46

Mike

Have a chat with Seaswift boats in Newton abbot, they are selling some nice A frames, I just bought one from them for a cheeky little Searider project i've got on the go.

Festinghouse · 07 October 2013, 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Shopper

Some nice ideas there chaps, thank you. I actually own an ac/dc tig welder but not sure i'm up to scratch with my skills yet. Haven't touched it for about a year. Seeing the ex scaffolding tube idea has got me thinking I should get practicing!

im a relative novice with aluminium, but i found the scaffold tube pretty easy to weld. the frame is solid as you can imagine, ive had two people sat on top of it to test its strength, so i know it would easily be up to towing off it.

tony t · 08 October 2013, 11:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Festinghouse

im a relative novice with aluminium, but i found the scaffold tube pretty easy to weld. the frame is solid as you can imagine, ive had two people sat on top of it to test its strength, so i know it would easily be up to towing off it.

Remind me not to go on any scaffold you have been working on

Happy Shopper · 08 October 2013, 12:04

Thanks again all!

Festinghouse · 08 October 2013, 17:20

im scared of heights tony, thats why i chopped up all my scaffold and put it on the boat!

Peter_C · 08 October 2013, 19:43

I am not sure many people here realize the forces a wakeboarder can generate. When an average size rider tries to save a trick the entire boat can shudder, the tower will shake and the non stretch rope stretches. Many boats have the gel coat crack where the tower is attached to, and some like my Nautique with a Boss tower have the welds of the tower crack from the large forces at work. Fortunately the tower company covered it under warranty.

The load on the tower needs to be spread out, and the mounting points reinforced. Many towers have large backing plates mounted under the gunnels. In the floor you will need to get a way to access the bottom mounting section.

"The better you get, the higher you fly, the harder you fall".