Enclosure sooo close to done.

[Airslot]

:) *I went up to visit my boat today. *Snapped a few pics for Hammer while going over the last few details with the canvas guy. *It wasn't much, but he didn't want to drill holes in my boat without checking with me, and I appreciate that. *She's a little dirty, but he said she'd be cleaned up and ready to take home tommorrw. *More pics and more details, on the details, after I get her home.

Airslot

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e41/Airslot/BiminiPics001.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e41/Airslot/BiminiPics002.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e41/Airslot/BiminiPics005.jpg

[phester]

you stylin' now 8)

[Mac_Attack]

Very nice! Billy Mac ;D

[Zebra]

make sure you get the guy to install straps to hold each section of the windshield up.. dont see them in the pics... Z

[reelapeelin]

Slot, what a NICE top!! 8) ...your man does nice work for sure ;) ...

[phester]

Air, [or anybody else], whats the best way to clean the plastic? I once heard that "pledge", furniture polish, was like a "wax" for the glass.....any truth to that?

[reelapeelin]

Air, [or anybody else], whats the best way to clean the plastic? I once heard that "pledge", furniture polish, was like a "wax" for the glass.....any truth to that?


Dish-washin' liquid does a great job...just make sure cloth or whatever you use has "ZERO" abraisive factor ...chamois good...natural sponge bad ;) ...

[phester]

so far that's all I've used, mild soap and a terrycloth towel....a while back somebody told me that either "pledge" or "endust",.... some otc furniture product......,made the glass look new and sorta acted like a Rain-x for glass ???

[Airslot]

There will be straps to hold up the center sections of the windshield and rear curtain. Not sure of the best way to clean it yet. I can't pick it up when it's done cause.......I'll be feeshin. I'll get her tommorrow night or Saturday.

Airslot

[msbhammer]

Looking great Airslot. Top looks much taller then mine. I need to tilt my head slighly when going in, but then have plenty of head room. Hope to take her out Sat. if it doesnt rain. Will take plenty of pics too. ;D

[parishht]

Nice looking enclosure.

[Airslot]

Well, I just got the call, come and get her she's done. ;D
I'm getting ready to retrieve my baby.

Hammer, you got the enclosure, now your not goin out because there's a chance of rain ???

Pics and such to follow.


Airslot

[macojoe]

Looks great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I am torn to what I want as far as rear curtains??

Hammer has all glass, and you have 1/2 cloth ?

the cloth will be better to take care of when dirty.

But thew glass will allow to see the rear when driving in case something falls or or is moving around.

I might split it, lower then yours air but higher them your hammer.

Glad I am watching you guys to allow me ideas when the time comes. ;D

[Airslot]

Well, I'm home. *Feel like I just been kicked in the 'nads. *Top was beautiful. *Rodney (canvas guy) helped me hook up. *Helped me take down windshield and rear curtains and said to trailer home with just the side curtains up, and to stop and check things along the way. *Can ya tell where this is headed yet >:( *I leave and go about 2 miles from his house and stop to check and all is well. *I turn onto the main road and when I get up to speed, I felt something, wasn't sure what, but I just felt something. *So I pull over, and my top is folded back and the side curtains are gone.... :( :o :(

I called Rodney and said man, you ain't gonna believe this. *He said stay there, I'm on the way. *We found that one side had come off and was trashed. *The other side fell into the boat and suffered nary a scratch. *The front poles had pulled apart. *It's possible he forget to tighten the set screws when he reassembled the frame.

Rewind to picking up the boat. *As I was paying the man he was saying "You know, you can build bridges for 20 years and no one will ever call you a bridge builder. *But suck just one *;), and your known as a *;) sucker for life. *I want to be known as a bridge builder."

Well, when we get the pieces back to his house he told me, don't worry, I'll make it right. *I said "Yep, here's your chance to be called a bridge builder :)" *

Rodney is a good guy and he'll make it right. *Just makes me sick that I had it in my hands. *When I finally do get it home, the pole ends will be 5200'ed. *Bass-turds ain't coming loose again.

So, my top saga continues. *For now, me and Captain Morgan are gonna stew for awhile.

Airslot

[garagenc]

Nice enclosure, mine looks like yours except I didn't get the rear curtains.

I was told not to use pledge or rain-x because it will yellow and stain and you can't get it off. I was told to use dish washing liquid and I have been since new in 1991. I still have the same curtains except the stbd side tore and I had replaced just this year.

[Zebra]

So let me get this right. The guy said it was ok to trailer the boat home with the top up and and told you to leave the side curtains up. UMM

I have seen boats going down the road with the top up looks like alot of stress on the top.

I just watched that movie THE OutLaw Josey Wells and i quote.

"Now remember, if things look bad and it looks like your not gonna make it, than you gotta get mean. I mean, plumb mad dog mean... 'Cause if you lose your head and give up than you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is...

Good Luck !!!
Z

[macojoe]

Thats to bad!!
Must have been some real stress there!! I mean you had the sides Velcro to the poles and all!

O well like he said he will make it right! Just have to weight a bit longer.

Good Luck!

[parishht]

That is too bad about your top. :'( I think most people in business would make it right. ;)

I know just how you felt when the top let loose, I have had things fly out of my pickup bed. :-X
You feel mad >:(, embarrased :-[ , disgusted :-/ , scared :-/ and shocked :o, all at the same time.

[reelapeelin]

Hey Slot...gotta be a bummer, but if it was gonna let loose some time, better on the road than the water ;) ... you found out the easy way...when mine was new, it let loose w/ passengers in the boat and blooded one of 'em :o ...


I guess set-screws are OK, but those front poles, ya might wanna consider a screw all the way thru the pole ends :) ...

[Airslot]

RAP, when i do get it home it will be glued and screwed, either 5200 or epoxy.

Airslot

[reelapeelin]

RAP, when i do get it home it will be glued and screwed, either 5200 or epoxy.





Somehow I believe that ;) ;D ...

[Blue_Runner]

How terrible Slot!!

I do trailer mine for short distances (10 miles or less) with the top fully up. I have 2 rules - zip everything up good so air doesn't get in. And most importantly, don't go over 45 mph. I set the cruise at 40 mph and just watch the cars pass me.

Now if I'm towing to the beach, I take everything down, lay the curtiains neatly in the cuddy and roll with it! Then put them up when I get there.

I hate that for you but you were just doing what the man said!

You are lucky you didn't lose the whole top with all of the air that would get under it due to the front window being out.

I might split it, lower then yours air but higher them your hammer.
MJ - good idea - I was thinking along the same lines.

[Airslot]

Good news. Top is done, again. Round two of the pick-up, tonight. Stay tuned to this channel for "breaking" developments. 8)

Airslot

[reelapeelin]

I got a feelin' this time out will have a better result ;) ...

[Blue_Runner]

It is a very nice top, I know you are excited (again).

I hope my top can hold out for a couple more years. When she goes I want to do something special. Gonna be one of those "Blue's secret project" deals. 8)

[macojoe]

Can I follow you home? ;) ;D

Good Luck!!

[Airslot]

Anybody that wants to follow is AOK by me. I think this time I'm just gonna keep on drivin' ;D

Airslot

[C YENSEN]

that sucks man sorry you lost the first one. i never tow with any part of my top up. i take the whole thing down EVERYTIME!

I have been told they are only made to withstand like 35 mph. :o

[Airslot]

Well boys, she's home. By the time I got home and re-assembled the top it was dark and dinner was ready, so no pics tonight. Only took 15 minutes to put her back up. Not bad for my first try I suppose. I'll follow up w/ more pics. Also stopped on the way and filled her up. 'Nother hundred bites the dust. Ready to rock and roll again. Just need to get caught up and work and catch a little weather. Wanna get me a 50#er this fall.

Airslot

[macojoe]

Great news!!

[msbhammer]

Good job Airslot. Glad she is home, but Vary disapointed that you didnt take no Pics. >:( >:( >:( ;D
We have beat this drum before, but I was "thinking" when we discussed what to use when cleaning the enclosure windows. I been told to use dish soap. Thats great, Its cheap and always have it, but what about normal glass cleaner "windex ??, Now everytime I wanna wash the windows, I need a bucket of dish soap to wipe the inside and outside down, then yank out the hose and hose her down. :-/ Whatever happened to a spray bottle and a few paper towels ?? ???

[macojoe]

For washing I think it is much better to use the soap and water!!

Why you ask? Well first I will hose them off to get rid of grit, then soap them down, Then wash down again with the house.

Salt sticks like crazy and if you were to just spray it it would not dissolve fast enough and you would be STRACHING the plastic!

The hose water will ensure that the salt has melted away and after applying the soap it will be clean and non marred!

go with the hose!!

[Airslot]

Windex is a big no-no Hammer. The active ingredients will remove the "plasticizers" from the vinyl. In plain words, you gonna eff up your curtains with windex.

Airslot.

[msbhammer]

Thanks, guess its the hose and bucket deal then. ;)

[parishht]

Dish soap is probably the best thing to use on the rest of the boat.
The grease cutting action of the soap will take off any oils that get put on the hull while in the water.

[Airslot]

But dish soap will remove any wax on the boat :(. *There goes all of MJ's hard work on his wax job ;D

Airslot

[macojoe]

Are you kidding!! I have not added a drop of wax to that boat for 6 years!! I use bleach and dish soap all the time!
The mildew remover stuff is the best!! It melts all the leaf crap and bug crap right off!

I would have to wax every time out the way I clean the thing!

[C YENSEN]

MJ maybe if you gave her a coat of wax that motor would not have to work so hard. ;)

[msbhammer]

M.J., That EYEBALL IS FREAKING ME OUT !! :o :o