Pop Top questions

[Sailing Virginia]

71' Mac / Venture poptop has large holes that bolts go through. My boat has a varity of washers on the inside. The PO taped over holes on the top with a HVAC SILVER TAPE. Does anyone know of replacement washers and or bolts? Any photos showing the set up out there? (I've looked and found very little) Anyone know of a replacement cover for the top, screen or canvas? One's I've seen were custom made...Thanks in advance for your help on these questions.

[PNKFLOYD]

Sailing Virginia-
There are six 1/4"SS machine screws holding my top down. They have wing nuts inside and three have large rubber washers under the top to space betwwen the top and the cabin roof. I'm going to find an old tire tube to cut out spacers for the other three screws and add a rubber washer and SS flatwasher under the wing nut to tighten the top down again. I'll try to wrap a bread tie around the screw and top rubber washer to keep from losing them every time I pop the top up. Be sure to only hand tighten the wingnuts to keep from cracking the fiberglass.
You could use bronze hardware in fresh water, but salt water will corrode bronze or galvanized steel hardware.
Hope this hepls.
Mike

[Sailing Virginia]

Sailing Virginia-
There are six 1/4"SS machine screws holding my top down. They have wing nuts inside and three have large rubber washers under the top to space betwwen the top and the cabin roof. I'm going to find an old tire tube to cut out spacers for the other three screws and add a rubber washer and SS flatwasher under the wing nut to tighten the top down again. I'll try to wrap a bread tie around the screw and top rubber washer to keep from losing them every time I pop the top up. Be sure to only hand tighten the wingnuts to keep from cracking the fiberglass.
You could use bronze hardware in fresh water, but salt water will corrode bronze or galvanized steel hardware.
Hope this hepls.
Mike

Thanks, I have a bag full of stuff that came with the boat and some it looks like what you described. I'll post some photos of it in the next few days.

[PNKFLOYD]

I found some nylon washers that may be better than old tire tube.
This is just one site:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... at+Washers

Let me know if you come up with any bright ideas!
Mike

[RobertB]

Save on shipping and buy the same ones from your local hardware store.

[Sailing Virginia]

Took a photo of some hardware that came with the boat. The SS bolts / worn out washers must go with the top. Rusty winch cover and handle to the two winches in the cockpit. Will replace them in the near future.

[PNKFLOYD]

We seem to have the same type of hardware.
Except, mine is rusted in slightly different places.

If it keeps raining, I may be able to sail off the trailer in my driveway!
Mike

[RobertB]

We seem to have the same type of hardware.
Except, mine is rusted in slightly different places.

If it keeps raining, I may be able to sail off the trailer in my driveway!
Mike

Always good to have an alternate form of transportation for the morning commute