Tuna Tower Rigging 2 – Controls & Steering

[DaleH]

Continued from this post here, Part 1:

My plan is to leave the Raytheon radome where is. As is, she’s a good 3’ forward of the forward tower ‘cage’ cross-bar and quite a bit lower. This should give me ample roof area for access. To get into the tower, the crew (or Capt !) willl walk forward, step up on the trunk cabin, kneel onto cabin roof, crawl under forward cross-bar and stand up. The only things to grab will be the radome itself (a Bozo no-no :shock: !) or the existing 4-loop teak handrails.

On a ‘warm’ day between now and March, I’ll crawl under the canvas and will strip out the VHF cables and plan how to route them through the tower frame. If you read my post on a DIY Winter tarp, I create a steep A-Frame cover where there’s plenty of room to work under thar’ during the Winter.

Conceptual Plans:
Any reason NOT to center the helm pod on the center of the boat? Whereas the radome is in the center, placement of the controls in the center too would likely make it easier to access the tower from BOTH sides of the boat, and at the same time too.

The cage of this tower is full-width of a Parker cabin and there’s enough room for 3 to stand or sit side-by-side. I’m excited to ‘cut teak’ and make some dust, but I’ll make up a full size mock-up out of plywood first. But if I get delayed with ANOTHER rainy Spring or “if” the tuna come in early, I might have to go with that helm pod for the first year and just shoot it with matching beige gelcoat – haha !

Budget:

* Cables, Controls - $70
* Hoses, new Steering - $150
* Controls, (2) single lever SS - $140
* Control Box, teak - $100
* Helm, titling Seastar - $160
* Steering Wheel, 13.5" - $150
* Tuna Tower, w/ shipping - $600
* New OB hydraulic hoses - $220
--------------------------------------------
TOTAL - $1,590

NOTE: Since I’ll be tying into the existing hydraulic system, I may upgrade the hoses on the boat that go to the motor, in anticipation of “some day” throwing a new Suzuki 250hp or 300hp OB on the stern. That adds ~$250 for the hoses and fluid, plus it would be a good chance to flush out the current helms.

Not too shabby, huh?

 

[gf]

I like it! Get started on it there, old chum. It's a balmy 25 degrees out now!

 

[Bryan 2530]

Looks like a plan!!!

Question.

How are you going to connect the helm pod to the existing framing??

It looks a little low in the pic, just a thought.

 

[DaleH]

Whereas the underneath portion of the teak helm pod that lies behind the Seastar helm will have a large flat area, I'm thinking of tying in a corresponding wooden base to the round cross-bar pipe. Maybe something more elegant than shown below, who knows, as of right now, I surely don't.

 

[BradV]

We get into my tower by stepping on the lip on the side of the cabin then a foot or knee on the roof depending on how flexible you are then youre in. I thought like you originally but that way seems to be the easiest. The only thing with centering your helm is that if you are up there with other people then its a pain usually. Usually its me and 1 other person in the tower and if the other person is standing i end up elbowing them. Another thing that would make me consider moving it to the side is so you dont have so many bends in your control cables not sure how youre putting rigging tubes in or if you are going with that corrugated pipe looking stuff.

 

[gf]

How are you going to connect the helm pod to the existing framing??

It looks a little low in the pic...

Dale doesn't need it too high. If you know what I mean. :wink:

 

[Megabyte]

How are you going to connect the helm pod to the existing framing??

It looks a little low in the pic...

Dale doesn't need it too high. If you know what I mean. :wink:

:lol:

 

[Capt. John Deering]

does any of the out put (radiation) from the radar go up........... instead of straight out? i would check with someone who knows for sure, otherwise next time i see you i might be able to recognize you.

 

[Megabyte]

does any of the out put (radiation) from the radar go up........... instead of straight out?

The Garmin GMR18 radar dome (for example) has a beam width of 5.2 degrees at 4kw, so the beam definitely goes out, not up.
The dome doesn't radiate upward, but then I would think that the radar should be off, or on standby, when the tower is occupied (as a precaution).

All radar safety rules apply.

 

[ReelTimeCapt]

Dale: That looks like an awesome plan. I have a basic 2nd station question: Can I use my Yamaha 702 Binnacle when adding a second station? Or, do I need to switch over to a twp level system?

Thank you and Best Regards,
FLetcher

 

[BradV]

Depends if you have 1 motor or 2. If you have a single engine i would recommend saving your money and alot of it at that and ge the morse controls that have a shift lever and a throttle lever. If you go with the yamaha dual control station single engine its a heck of a lot cheaper than with twins but still about 3k. Same thing with electric controls. Not to mention youd have to get all new control cable thatll run about 300 bucks.

 

[panga]

I have been thinking about the same project, except in the opposite order. I just bought a 2520 with a tuna tower with second station controls up top but no radar. I will be looking to add the radar before too long. Problem is the boat barely clears bridges and trees when on trailer. So if I were to mount the radar receiver up top it would have to be easily removable for trailering, doesn't sound ideal. Or if below the seat like discussed above, but I am worried about either interference from the tower frame (not sure if this is any issue as I don't know much about radar) and issues with someone sitting next to a device emitting radiation? I guess I could always turn it off, but it is inevitable that someday I will for get or some greenhorn down below would flip it on, and I would be having three legged children! Any ideas?

 

[Capt. Ronnie]

This project get done yet ???