Hi All,
I'm looking to equip my new destroyer 5.5 with a stainless double A frame.
I would really like one with a high towing point for wakeboarding but all the prices I have seen online from the big manufacturers are rather higher than I feel like paying without feeling like I am a victim of "For a boat?" pricing. Most are in the £1000-1500 range. I know that stainless is expensive but thats more than my braked trailer cost new!!
I have seen some frames that also fit exclusively to the transom avoiding the need to bolt through the deck which is particularly appealing.
Does any body know of any sensibly priced frames availaible or a stainless fabricator in the south west who could cut out the middle man!
Give Cliff or Ian at Shoreweld a call (01872 863920). They did all of my s/s, good stuff and pretty reasonable. They're near the Norway Inn on the Truro/ Fal. road.
hello,i had the same dilema last year,well not the wakeboarding bit but i wanted a double a frame as they look a lot better than singles.Could not believe the price people were asking for them but managed to find a shop on ebay selling them for £200,the only draw back is that they are deck mounting which like yourself was no way going to start cutting holes in my brand new boats hull,so basicaly we cut two bits of wood to shape,counter sunk four bolts(two each side)so about an inch of thread was sticking out top,resined the holes so they would not turn,sikaflex the wood to the hull and transom and then fibreglassed over the wood and then managed to find humbers exact orange gel coat paint(or whatever its called)paint it.Done this first with my 5.0 assault and have just done it to my brand new 5.3 destroyer.Pretty solid (we like hitting the waves hard)and have had no issues,but would not suggest they would be strong enough to pull a wakeboarder about.
Thanks for that Montu, Its always interesting to see how folks overcome their problems. That is a sound idea but as you say I don't think it would hold up to a nice fat wakeboarder! Those frames are certainly good val for £200 and the folding featutre would certainly be handy when you put the cover on. I'll have to be getting some Zips into mine when the frame is fitted!
markyboyo you could always buy a single pole,probly need to be 3 inches or so thick,solid not hollow,weld a plate to one end which you could use to bolt to transom and then with a bit of imagination find something to use as an eye to attach wakeboard rope on the other end.Would certianly be cheaper than a frame option if thats the only reason for the a frame.
I will also be fitting Nav lights, VHF ant, GPS ant and various other bits to the frame over time.
I'd prefer a nice swish A-Frame and not bother with wakeboarding from the RIB
Several of my friends have more suitable wake boats anyways.
Why are A-Frames from any large manufacturer so expensive any ways?!
I originally bought a radar set and other goodies to fit on a large wide double A Frame, the frame was getting so ridiculously expensive to have made anywhere I ended up selling the radar and forgetting the whole thing.
I ended up with the pole and the space saved on the other side has let me mount my aux where I can easily get to it. Swings and roundabouts (although the radar would have been nice!)
I originally bought a radar set and other goodies to fit on a large wide double A Frame, the frame was getting so ridiculously expensive to have made anywhere I ended up selling the radar and forgetting the whole thing.
I ended up with the pole and the space saved on the other side has let me mount my aux where I can easily get to it. Swings and roundabouts (although the radar would have been nice!)
I've a Ribcraft with their standard Double A-Frame which is very well built and finished. The rearmost 'A' is bolted into the top of the transom but where you might expect the second/foward 'A' to bolt into the deck/hull it cuts back in for the last foot or so to bolt in low down on the transom.
It's not unlike Yoyo's frame except it bolts inside the transom.
Is this stronger or weaker for wakeboard towing when compared to a double A-frame bolted to the transom and the deck/hull? I think as the transom transmits all the engine thrust so carrying the towing stress straight to the A-Frame/transom rather than distributing it over the deck/hill and transom seems better. I mean the engine is basically trying to lever a ton of boat out of the water via the transom! But something's telling me the triangulation effect of spreading the A-Frame across the deck and transom is better but maybe that's only true if the A-Frame is a closed triangle?
Bottom line is does anyone know if the standard Ribcraft A-frame -purely transom mounted- can pull a middleaged waterlogged wakeboarder?
Thats the type of frame I want Daibheid. I saw one of X-ribs towing frames at the boat show and that was bolted entirely to the transom like yours. I think Ribcrafts towing frames are the same and only bolt to the transom too.
Is yours a 1.5" or 2" dia tube? I'd phone ribcraft, it may be that your frame is basically the same as their towing frames just without the eye at the top....
Any chance you could post some pics of it. Espically where the Fwd frame comes back into ther transom......I'm looking to get one made up locally to same a few £s.
Here's what I have to hand - I think you'll get what you need to sketch something for your local fabricator but if not I could take some more pix next week.
Thanks for those, definately the sort of design I'm going for regarding the fwd frames attachment to the transom. I'll prob print those out & get sketching when I'm home!
