Bertram31.com General Bulletin Board

Re: Sedan-to FBC Conversion

Posted By: Capt Patrick McCrary
Date: Saturday, 20 November 2004, at 2:55 p.m.

In Response To: Sedan-to FBC Conversion (Alex Moore)

Alex,

Like most things, just about anything is do-able, and adding a flybridge to a sedan top falls into the do-able category, BUT.....

First, there is no easy or inexpensive way to accomplish this project. We're talking major project and major expense; not for the faint of heard or light in the wallet.

Hunter Scott, as pointed out below, is one who has or had a flybridge conversion set of molds. Exactly how the design is, I don't know. Ray Cabrera, Jr has another version, but it's part of the whole house top. I should imagine they could lay up only the flybridge portion.

Making a set of molds from an existing flybridge would be highly impractical, unless that owner already had his bridge stripped down completely, all holes patched and faired and was willing for his bridge to be unaccessible for the week or two that it'd take to make the molds. Then you still have the manufacturing costs to deal with and the molds would probably never be used again. This would probably be the most expensive route to take...

If you can get the flybridge from either Hunter or Ray, the basics would include:

1. Placing the flybridge onto the house top and marking the foot print.

2. Cutting out the interior space so that total access to the under side of the flybridge is accessible.

3. Grinding the house top, where the bonding surfaces will be, to raw fiberglass.

4. Epoxying the flybridge into place, glass tabbing the base to the house top.

5. Sanding, fairing, and priming all epoxy glass work. (The tabbing and faring can be done in polyester resin if done correctly, but that another story...)

6. Configuring the rest of the cabinetry, controlls, guages, etc.

From start to finish, I'd hazard a guess as to around 80 - 120 man hours for the labor, ready to paint or gelcoat. Materials & supplies maybe around $100.00, plus the cost of the bridge kit & shipping.

All in all, probably just south or north of $12,000... That's excluding the actual controls, guages, etc.

Best regards,

Patrick

Messages In This Thread

Sedan-to FBC Conversion
Alex Moore -- Saturday, 20 November 2004, at 8:34 a.m.

Re: Sedan-to FBC Conversion
Doug Crowther -- Saturday, 20 November 2004, at 1:17 p.m.

Re: Sedan-to-FBC Conversion
Alex Moore -- Saturday, 20 November 2004, at 1:57 p.m.

Re: Sedan-to FBC Conversion
Rit -- Saturday, 20 November 2004, at 1:58 p.m.

Re: Sedan-to FBC Conversion
Capt Patrick McCrary -- Saturday, 20 November 2004, at 2:55 p.m.

Re: Sedan-to FBC Conversion
ian_upton -- Saturday, 20 November 2004, at 6:45 p.m.

Re: Sedan-to FBC Conversion
Capt Patrick McCrary -- Saturday, 20 November 2004, at 7:21 p.m.

Re: Sedan-to-FBC Conversion
Alex Moore -- Sunday, 21 November 2004, at 11:19 a.m.

Re: Sedan-to-FBC Conversion
Rawleigh -- Monday, 22 November 2004, at 9:56 a.m.

Re: Sedan-to-FBC Conversion
Alex Moore -- Monday, 22 November 2004, at 9:11 p.m.

Re: Sedan-to-FBC Conversion
Rawleigh -- Tuesday, 23 November 2004, at 11:55 a.m.

Re: Sedan-to-FBC Conversion
Alex Moore -- Tuesday, 23 November 2004, at 12:13 p.m.

Re: Sedan-to-FBC Conversion
Rawleigh -- Tuesday, 23 November 2004, at 2:20 p.m.

Define "Sedan"
Capt. Mike Holmes -- Saturday, 27 November 2004, at 11:19 a.m.

Re: Define "Sedan" *LINK*
Alex Moore -- Tuesday, 30 November 2004, at 11:36 a.m.

Re: Define "Sedan"
Capt. Mike Holmes -- Tuesday, 30 November 2004, at 9:34 p.m.