Pop Top Lift Assist

[Poman]

Hello,

I'm a geezer who has read some old threads about pop top assist and want to move forward with this mod. (otherwise I'll never be able to raise my pop top)The W/M gas strutts are too expensive for my limited budget.

Cheaper sources for the gas strutts ? (other than auto salvage)

Specific sources for gas strutt mounting brackets ?

Detailed guide to installation ?

thanks in advance

Poman

 

[Fred Villiard]

Check mcmaster.com, this site store, and defender.com

Fred Villiard

 

[oreana123]

Cheapest gas struts I could find www.surpluscenter.com

 

[caguy]

Try Amazon these are the ones you need.
http://www.amazon.com/JR-Products-GSNI-2300-90-Gas-Spring/dp/B002UC6WS0

For installation I hope this helps.

http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=viewlink&link_id=6558&Itemid=257

Detail pictures of mounts. Upper is 1/2" aluminum channel. Bottom is standard ball with 1/4" threaded shaft.

 

[Poman]

Thank you all for the info.

What is the "search" word(s) for surpluscenter? I can't come up with any gas strutts there.

thanks again

 

[justsomeguy]

Maybe "strut"?

 

[RonRock]

I found mine on Ebay. Here is the item description and seller,

2ea 90 # RV Columbia Strut Gas Shock Support Spring Lift

http://myworld.ebay.com/strut-your-stuff-here/&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2754

I have a Venture 25.

 

[vizwhiz]

planning to do this mod on my 26S at some point soon...admiral can't push the pop-top up by herself, and I don't want to have things on the boat she can't handle by herself...
Somehow, I get the idea that the 22-25 pop-tops go aft (toward the cockpit) when raised...is that correct? Doesn't sound right, but seems to be what people are saying... My 26S lifts and goes foreward toward the mast...please correct me if I'm wrong about the older boats.

 

[justsomeguy]

My 25 raises back.

 

[RonRock]

Yeah the V25 goes back. Makes the boat more aerodynamic, therefore faster.

 

[Mic Jones]

Two 40 lb,14 inch gas struts from RV parts shop $14 ea Four end fitting $5 a pair. Can raise and lower with one hand (at 77 and only 125 lbs). With PT up haven't had to use the mast screw even with canopy on. Remove PT arms bottom screw to access nuts on lower fitting. Instal with GS cyl uppermost. O-123 sent some good photos of his installation these photo are mine.

 

[Mic Jones]

These are O-123's photos which helped me

 

[Poman]

Good information.

I have a M-22 which opens to the back. It needs to be raised 18-19 inches. When it is in the down position there is only one and one half inches between the support bars (which rest at an angle). Kind of a tight place to put a gas strutt. (?) Also at this angle the strutts would be pushing forward when the natural raising angle is to the rear. My PT will not open if I lift at the front (kneeling on the cabin) or the rear (standing in the cockpit)....it binds and won't go. When raising from inside the cabin nasty cracking sounds come from my neck and shoulder.



So now I'm looking for specific info for strutt placement on a M-22 ( I hope all 22's open toward the cockpit).

Thanks again for the info.

 

[caguy]

The pictures at the knowledge base are of Timo45's Mac 22. It also opens to the rear. I know it seems counter intuitive but it works. Just use the recommended gas struts and follow the instructions. I know it is a tight fit but there is clearance.
I copied Tim's on faith with only minor changes it the mounts.

http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/index....558&Itemid=257

 

[Lost Parent]

Ebay ?

 

[caguy]

I have found them on Ebay and also Amazon.com. I found mine at Pick-U-Parts autowrecking. There seems to be more of them on the market now and the prices have come down. When we did it about 5 years ago the price of one strut was about $40. Now they're less than $40 a pair.

 

[RonRock]

Poman, I have a Venture 25 so not the same boat. But very similar I think. I have the same issue that you have with the pop top supports being very close together when the top is down. There must have been some huge variance in the spec's when these boats were built. I have studied my pop top issue for some time now. It was even considered that the weatherstrip would hold the pop top up enough that there would be room for the strut to fit. So I replaced the weatherstrip, (needed it anyway) that did not help. From what I can see after many hours and attempts. At least on my boat, I will have to move the front pop top support tube forward. That will require drilling and filling the mount holes for the support tube, then I'll have to deal with the bolt holes at the bottom of the tube, where the bolts go through the fiberglass. I figure that there will be a weak spot from drilling a new mounting point so close to the existing hole.

All in all not as simple for some of us as it appears to be for others. But when it is all said and done, hopefully worth the effort.

Besides, I bought an old boat. I must like to work on it.

Let us know if you figure out something better.

Ron

 

[Poman]

Thanks again....I thought Timo was a Mac 25.

I was just out looking at Po (my Mac 22) and am wondering about the strutt bracket that attaches to the roof. The place I believe the bracket should be through bolted to the cabin roof is occupied by my hatch slides. I had to replace the hatch slides when I worked on the hatch (long story). The new hatch slides are at least twice as wide as the old ones.

How did you decide where to mount the top strutt bracket ?

Does the top bracket need to be "square" with the bottom bracket ?

I want to use a bracket with the 10mm ball joint on a right angle bracket that can be bolted through the roof of the cabin. Yes ? No ?

Thanks again

 

[caguy]

Try to get it as upright as possible. Raise the top as high as you can get it, mark your spots, lower the lid and check for clearance. If its not perfectly verticle there is not harm.

 

[Poman]

I think you may be right about the variation from boat to boat..even the same model and year. I'm wondering if the diameter of the strutt increases with the strength of the strutt. Would a 40 lb lift be thinner than a 90 lb lift? For me the thinner the better in order to fit between the existing support tubes.

I'm not able to face the possibility of moving a support tube. If I can't make the lift assist work I believe I would build a short double crutch thing that would set on my shoulders and join together above my head. A kind of frame that would put the weight on my shoulders and above my head. Then I could lift with my legs.

Yeah, most of the time I like working on my boat.