Rotted Radar Arch

[Mapleport]

I purchased a 10 meter express last year. I love the boat but the radar arch is rotted and sagging. I am looking at different option:
1 reinforcing the arch
2. removing the arch and replacing the canvas (which will need to be completed anyways)

Has anyone experienced this or completed a removal on their boat? Open to suggestions. I primiarly use the boat as a day boat so no extended open water cruising.

[Jimmy]

I also have a 10 meter, but Arch is still very sound. However, when I had the boat inspected prior to purchase, the inspector noted that really the only way to repair this (his opinion) was to remove the arch, completely gut it of the rotted material, and replace the damaged wood, and epoxy it in. He noted he had to do this on a different boat and it was quite a job to do so. He even suggested that some folks have actually drilled small 'drain' holes in the base of the arch to let out any water that may have gotten into the arch as a preventative measure. After he scared me with the task if it went bad, i immediately made sure all my fittings on top were sealed very well. I was not inclined to start drilling holes in my boat..... So prevention was my plan.....

Hope you can luck out and hopefully an easy and not $$$$ fix.

[Big D]

I would not get rid of the arch. I think that would change the look of the boat too much and may affect it's value and appeal for a future buyer that is looking for the traditional lines. It also offers the best location for some hardware traditionally mounted on arches.

I agree with having the unit removed, split open, and re-cored. Time consuming but the only way to go IMO.

[RWS]

category 4 Hurricane Charley damaged my already soft arch.

1. remove arch

2. remove all wood

3. have 2 square aluminum tubes bent to match the inside radius curve of the arch, have flat plates made to weld them together into a "skeleton".

4. the skeleton fits inside the front and rear perimeter of the arch and extends down all the way to where the mounting bolts are located at the gunnels

5. the entire aluminum skeleton frame is then glassed into the arch

6. the end result is an arch that is wood free and more rock solid that it was when it left Lancaster

7. problem solved FOREVER

P.S. while the arch is off, paint the small portion of the outside of the side glass covered by the arch black.

RWS

[Mapleport]

Good Thoughts. it is going to be expensive no matter what (it's a boat right!). THe radar arch is so far gone that the snaps for the canvas have pulled out and there isn't much good fiber glass to grab on to. I have priced out having someone put in bent aluminum tubing to reinforce the arch. That would still include removing the arch and getting new canvas (8k).

To remove the arch, patch the holes and redo the canvas I believe will be around 6k. I use the boat mostly for a day boat and I kind of like the big beamy 10 meter totally open to the elements. But I get the re-sale part of it too about keeping it original.

I will let you know how it ends up. Thanks for the help all.