Retrofit my 1999 Aquasport 215 Explorer with an anchor pulpit?

[davedimension]

Greetings from SF Bay
This past January I acquired an Aquasport 215 Explorer. I am doing some modifications: already added a kicker motor, replaced broken tach, and some other minor things. Wanting to add a good system for deploying and retrieving the anchor. Right now there is an anchor locker accessed through a flush hatch in the bow, but there is no provision for using the Danforth, chain, and rode stored within. The hatch is fairly close to the point of the bow, and the small forward running lights are located dead center where I'd like to mount an anchor pulpit with windlass. Are there after-market pulpits that will fit the type of bow I have, or will this involve custom work? Any ideas will be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
DC

[RickK]

Hi Dave,
The pulpit on my 230 is a bolt-on and was built to fit over the anchor locker hatch that was in the cap mold.  The nav light was moved to the front of the pulpit.
I think it would be pretty easy to replicate.


I think the entire hatch area acts as the receiver for this bolt-on.


I switched the Danforth to a plow type - a bad-azzed anchor.

[davedimension]

Yes Rick,
Thanks: this is exactly what I envisioned.  Is it an Aquasport product or after-market?  Where can I find one of these?  And, finally, do you deploy and retrieve the anchor by hand, or is there a windlass hidden somewhere?  I was thinking of a windlass because it seemed like it could be a dicey situation to need go forward to hand-pull or deploy an anchor in rough conditions...
Cheers,
DC

[RickK]

The pulpit was a factory option - you can tell by the railing that is out on the pulpit.  I would think that you could get someone to build a pulpit for you - it would be custom for your model.  I'm not sure it the pulpits were made at the factory or if they outsourced them.

About 5 years after I purchased the boat I decided to add a windlass - one of the best decisions and purchases I made for the boat.

[davedimension]

Thanks for the informative replies.
Your windlass looks like the Lewmark Profish 700.  Correct?
That is the one I'm considering for my 215 Explorer.  How has this winch held up over time?
DC

[Capt. Bob]

Thought.
http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=8286.0

Another thought.
http://kingstonanchors.com/

Yet another thought.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Bow+Pulpits&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&gws_rd=ssl

Good luck.

[CLM65]

Capt. Bob is a pretty thoughtful guy!  Good stuff there!

[davedimension]

Thanks all,
I found this image.  Seems like it might be a good solution, instead of an actual pulpit.  Figuring on an aluminum backing plate inside the point of the bow.  Gotta remount the running lights tho...
What do you'all think?
DC

[RickK]

Yup, the Pro 700.  Plenty big enough for my 230 Explorer.
On the pic of the pulpit that you posted, I'm fearful that the mounting of that is for show only. If you got tied up in some heavy grass or your anchor digs in a little and you use the boat to free it, that pulpit will be gone.  You need to figure a way to put something beefy on the front.

[davedimension]

Rick,
Thanks!  Makes a lot of sense.
I'll go to work on a design.  After doing a lot of searching on internet, realizing I may have to make something custom myself, either out of "starboard", aluminum, teak, or some combination of materials, as I don't have the capability to mold something out of fiberglass.  Plenty of glass pulpits available commercially, but all appear to be plank-like, and none that get support from the down-sloping rails, as yours does.  That kind of support seems important to me for this application.
Cheers,
Dave

[RickK]

Making a mold is pretty easy.  Start with a bunch of cardboard and make what you want from cardboard. Look at mine and use it as a guide - a proven design.
Once you have the design you want, take a piece of 2' melamine as the top and lay it on a flat place - maybe a sheet of plywood set on saw horses at a comfortable working height.  Now take your cardboard pulpit and flip it upside down on top of the melamine. Now build the pulpit on the outside of the cardboard model.
There are plenty of examples of molds but they are buried in rebuild threads.  Maybe Craig, CLM65, can link you to his hatch cover thread.  Great all around methods used that you can employ. I have some molds that I made but didn't do as good a job of documenting it.
Making stuff out of fiberglass is not hard - basic wood working skills and access to a treasure trove of examples like we have here (and youtube) is all you need.

When you're done you'll back it with wood, or a composite, in some places and glass over that for extra strength.

We're here to help share our mistakes with you 

[CLM65]

There are much better examples on the site, but here a link to some hatches I built. 

http://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=10287.555

As Rick said, making a mold is not difficult.  Once you know the size/shape/etc., you just build a frame that forms the outer surface of it.  I typically use melamine to do this, as it only requires a little wax and/or PVA (mold release agent) to separate it from the part you built when you are done.  Then it is gel coat, mat, and a couple of layers of 1708.  Just try not to do too much at once.  If you decide to go this route, let us know and we will help guide you through it.

[davedimension]

Impressive work Craig!  Thanks for directing me to your thread.
I'm a pretty good woodworker, and I glassed a couple of surfboards in my younger years, but haven't used these types of materials since.  If I decide to go this route I'll definitely seek further guidance from you guys.
Thanks!
Dave 

[wingtime]

You can also check with the many marine surplus companies. I'll bet all of them have fiberglass bolt on pulpits laying around

[davedimension]

Thanks!
Could you PM me with an image of your boat?  I clicked on the thumbnail, but it does not expand.  Looks like you have some kind of pulpit...
Dave