26M Stainless Transom Arch

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

At the BWY rendezvous two weeks ago one of the boats had a new Stainless Steel transom arch installed that BWY is now selling. I shot a couple pictures for everyone to look at as some here have talked about building ones for their boats.

It has a double bow construction with connectors. At the top center is a removable mast roller.



The arch mounts to stainless plates bolted to the inside surfaces of the transom. The upper mounting tube is in the exact same location as the factory mast carrier so you can switch between the large arch and the factory mast carrier arch. The second lower tube creates a very solid mounting base for the large arch to lock into.



Here's a shot of the boats at the rendezvous, I'll have more pictures up at my website soon. The weather made the trip to Port Townsend very rough with winds of 20-30 knots in Admiralty Inlet and the eastern part of the Strait of Juan de Fu c a. Over 15 boats canceled due to weather, so we only had about 35 Mac's in attendance. It was still a great party though.

[Rick Westlake]

Looks very interesting ... but a little short of what I'd thought of doing. Do they plan to do one for the 26X, I wonder?

Has anyone built or installed an arch that goes clear across the transom? I'd like something that could hold a couple of good-sized solar panels on either side of my stowed mast. It would have to be high enough to let me swing up the transom-seat and get at my gas tanks, too.

Maybe I'd better wait till I get my current "big dream" projects done, though ....

[K9Kampers]

For mounting solar panels, here is an alternative that I found: Solar Stik

Btw, the principals of this product are Brian & Stephanie, if you recall their cruising posts aboard their Hunter 25.5 "Empty Pockets". Stephanie had a different bikini for every day of the month!

[pokerrick1]

I remember Stephanie

Rick

[Rick Westlake]

For mounting solar panels, here is an alternative that I found: Solar Stik

Hmmm ... Saw the website - also checked the 2008 We$$$$t Marine catalog.

Btw, the principals of this product are Brian & Stephanie, if you recall their cruising posts aboard their Hunter 25.5 "Empty Pockets". Stephanie had a different bikini for every day of the month!

At nearly $4000 per unit, I expect they're making enough to keep Stephanie in new bikinis.

I'll have to think long and hard about THIS one ... do I really need that much power?
(Exploring the possibilities is part of the fun! But how much of a yacht do I want to make of my Mac 26X?)

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I doubt BWY will build a model for the X.

Has anyone built or installed an arch that goes clear across the transom?

Here is my X arch, it's made of aluminum which I prefer to the SS. The aluminum arch is very light weight yet very strong.

It goes fully across the wide X transom and could easily mount large solar panels. I'd never even consider a davit for a Mac, the boat is just too narrow. Even a small 10' dinghy like mine would stick out to far on each side since the boat is only 7'10" at it's widest, even narrower at the transom. I think hanging a dinghy back there would look ridiculous.

[K9Kampers]

Another direction to look at is a wakeboard tower. Different designs & configurations to fit entire width of boat. Look for ones that are made to tilt / remove. This company, as an example, was at the top of the search page: Bigairpylons

[Rick Westlake]

Another direction to look at is a wakeboard tower. Different designs & configurations to fit entire width of boat. Look for ones that are made to tilt / remove. This company, as an example, was at the top of the search page: Bigairpylons

Very interesting! Their "H2O" does look as if it would do the job, and it's easy to mount and de-mount. Price is good, too.


These images from "Big Air Pylons" tend to confirm the H2O pylon's strength, so the Mac's strength at the gunwales would be the real issue. (I'm not planning to use it as a trapeze! But I might put a roller-bracket up there for transporting the mast.)

(BigAir Pylons told me they don't recommend putting more than 150 pounds on their arch on a permanent basis.)

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

here's my X arch.







Bob T.
"DāBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

[Love MACs]

Now that is an Arch. Nice job and looks good. Did you make and install it yourself I assume the attached arch precludes the use of a bimini


Allan

[Rick Westlake]

Bob, that is definitely "Dā" arch. It looks like it fits almost exactly where the little corner "pushpits" go on an X. It fits, and I don't doubt you could do chin-ups on it without a problem. And it's stainless steel, whereas the "Big Air" arch is aluminum (and would soon be "gray-'luminum").

How's the height of that, when you're at the helm? Your mast-down photo shows the arch is a bit lower than the mast on its support, in trailering mode. What about getting the spreaders over it?

And, if you don't mind my asking, about how much did it cost to get it fabricated?

(Allan, I've seen biminis made to be supported by an arch like that.)

[Love MACs]

Rick if you could jury rig a stock Bimini to fit Bob's arch, that would be the way to go (If you had to have a special made Bimini, that might be another matter) But that arch has so much applicability else wise... Really nice set up.

Allan

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

the story goes like this...

- i originally conceived the idea by designing it w/ pvc
- then had a welder fabricate a template out of steel conduit
- then i went to a fabricator who had a digital bender and experience in stainless welding and bending
- the whole process cost abt $950 (in '04), and i had plans to market one for the X but the M was introduced
- thought (at the time) i could mass-produce for the 5,400 X's & sell for $700, but didn't go forward w/ project
- i installed myself by removing the current rails and cutting 2 deckplates on each seat back to acccess fasteners
- the helm seat hinge is now on the starboard side, and the arch is built so that the seat folds back (like OEM) in between the rail space
- by placing hinge on starboard, it opens up port rear for easy boarding access
- it's abt 6'2" at the lowest point on the rear engine platform. i built it that way so it can be used for trailering w/out modification (lower than the mast in the trailered position), yet high enough to walk under
- i don't use the arch to support the trailered mast (use the OEM mast support rod), but use the arch for fishing rods, surf & wakeboards, solar panels, etc.
- the rear stay is attached to the center of the arch when mast is up
- also have a large custom sunbrella piece that can attach to serve as a tent from mast to arch

regarding weight...I'm very conscious about adding un-necessary extra weight to the X (both for trailering and motoring). in this case, after removing the OEM rear rails and replacing w/ the arch, the net weight gain is only 20#.
and, since the install of the arch, i added a Tohatsu 90hp which weighs an additional 50# over the stock Suzi 50hp.

Bob T.
"DāBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki