Hinged tower 290 tourny

[truckie888]

Help looking for some input on hinging my tuna tower. i remove tower after season for transport takes 6 guys looking for input on adding hinges.

[seabob4]

Help looking for some input on hinging my tuna tower. i remove tower after season for transport takes 6 guys looking for input on adding hinges.

Post a pic or 2, I'm sure we'll have some ideas.  Whether to hinge it so it folds fwd, or folds aft, that sort of thing...

[truckie888]

id like it to go foward as harness will reach. i would if i could i dont know how to move pictures to post

[seabob4]

Truckie, read this...viewtopic.php?f=7&t=111

Or if you are familiar with Photobucket (what I use), you can go that route too...

[wingtime]

Here is a link to some hardware to do the job.  They are wholesale only and I think you can probably find the same hardware closer to you.

http://www.easternmetal.com/pdfs/aluminum-anodized-marine-hardware.pdf

[Capt. Bob]

id like it to go foward as harness will reach. i would if i could i dont know how to move pictures to post

[seabob4]

Well thanks, CB, that's more like it!

This one's a piece of cake, as you can see the rigging is simply running in flexible rigging tubes from upper to lower...not through the tower frame.

Hinge the fwd legs right at the level of the hardtop (the floor for the upper station).  You'll need to add a brace on each fwd leg below the level of the top to the existing lower frame.  On the aft 4 legs, I would cut them just above the hardtop, and figure out some method for securing the legs to the hardtop...doesn't look like they are attached on the aft side.  You'll have 4 attachment points on the frame, which can be a bit of beetch when folding up and securing, but nothing you and a buddy can't "wrestle" in place...

Once you get all the cutting and welding done, when you fold it fwd you'll see where she wants to hit on the fwd side lower, and devise a stand-off on either side to keep her nested and secure...

[truckie888]

Thanks guys really appreciate your help

[seabob4]

BTW Truckie, you may want to consider a buggy top for that upper station...  

[truckie888]

that would be cool

[seabob4]

Down here, it's a "must have"...  

[Georgie]

Truckie,

My 246CCC has a hinged tower and is constructed very much like yours is in terms of basic function and design.  I can't currently post the photos from my gallery and don't have the time to load to Photobucket, but take a look at a few of the photos that show the hinges and lock brackets.  Might give you inspiration.  Oddly, it already looks like your top tube in the crows nest already has the lateral spikes/braces that my tower uses to prevent the top half of the tower from swinging too far underneath the existing platform...yet it's not a hinged tower

http://www.classicaquasport.com/gallery/member.php?uid=57489&protype=1

Here is a link to some hardware to do the job. They are wholesale only and I think you can probably find the same hardware closer to you.

http://www.easternmetal.com/pdfs/alumin ... rdware.pdf

The 3-Leg hinge bracket (HB3L) in the above link is the same basic type of hinge that my 246CCC has and would be required if you want the tower to be able to fold 180 degrees (upside down)

[gran398]

Georgie's 246

[Capt. Bob]

Hinge bottom:


Hinge top:

[Georgie]

A few photos showing the folded position...