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Pop Top questions

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 12:34 pm
by Sailing Virginia
71' Mac / Venture poptop has large holes that bolts go through. My boat has a varity of washers on the inside. The PO taped over holes on the top with a HVAC SILVER TAPE. Does anyone know of replacement washers and or bolts? Any photos showing the set up out there? (I've looked and found very little) Anyone know of a replacement cover for the top, screen or canvas? One's I've seen were custom made...Thanks in advance for your help on these questions.

Re: Pop Top questions

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:23 am
by PNKFLOYD
Sailing Virginia-
There are six 1/4"SS machine screws holding my top down. They have wing nuts inside and three have large rubber washers under the top to space betwwen the top and the cabin roof. I'm going to find an old tire tube to cut out spacers for the other three screws and add a rubber washer and SS flatwasher under the wing nut to tighten the top down again. I'll try to wrap a bread tie around the screw and top rubber washer to keep from losing them every time I pop the top up. Be sure to only hand tighten the wingnuts to keep from cracking the fiberglass.
You could use bronze hardware in fresh water, but salt water will corrode bronze or galvanized steel hardware.
Hope this hepls.
Mike

Re: Pop Top questions

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 6:07 pm
by Sailing Virginia
PNKFLOYD wrote:Sailing Virginia-
There are six 1/4"SS machine screws holding my top down. They have wing nuts inside and three have large rubber washers under the top to space betwwen the top and the cabin roof. I'm going to find an old tire tube to cut out spacers for the other three screws and add a rubber washer and SS flatwasher under the wing nut to tighten the top down again. I'll try to wrap a bread tie around the screw and top rubber washer to keep from losing them every time I pop the top up. Be sure to only hand tighten the wingnuts to keep from cracking the fiberglass.
You could use bronze hardware in fresh water, but salt water will corrode bronze or galvanized steel hardware.
Hope this hepls.
Mike
Thanks, I have a bag full of stuff that came with the boat and some it looks like what you described. I'll post some photos of it in the next few days.

Re: Pop Top questions

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:47 pm
by PNKFLOYD
I found some nylon washers that may be better than old tire tube.
This is just one site:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... at+Washers

Let me know if you come up with any bright ideas!
Mike

Re: Pop Top questions

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 1:21 pm
by RobertB
Save on shipping and buy the same ones from your local hardware store.

Re: Pop Top questions

Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 3:08 pm
by Sailing Virginia
Took a photo of some hardware that came with the boat. The SS bolts / worn out washers must go with the top. Rusty winch cover and handle to the two winches in the cockpit. Will replace them in the near future.
Image

Re: Pop Top questions

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:28 am
by PNKFLOYD
We seem to have the same type of hardware.
Except, mine is rusted in slightly different places.

If it keeps raining, I may be able to sail off the trailer in my driveway!
Mike

Re: Pop Top questions

Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:37 am
by RobertB
PNKFLOYD wrote:We seem to have the same type of hardware.
Except, mine is rusted in slightly different places.

If it keeps raining, I may be able to sail off the trailer in my driveway!
Mike
Always good to have an alternate form of transportation for the morning commute :)