Bracing your V Drive locker for 1100 Fat Sacs

[mmandley]

I received a couple emails on how did i brace my V Drive locker for my 1100 fat sacs.

Parts needed are all from Home Depot

4 3/4 x 48inch x 1/8th long aluminum angle bars. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202183537/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
6 1 inch Lag Stainless Steel Lag bolts
8 Stainless Steel bolts
8 Stainless Steel Machine screws
8 Stainless Steel washers
8 Stainless Steel lock washers

All the above can be substuted for what ever size you want. I persoanly used 24x10 i think it was.

I used 2 48 inch peaces as the bottom rail and used 3 lag bolts to attach that to the floor of the boat.
I then used the 2 other 48inch peases for my upward bracing. Front is apx 22inch high and the rear is apx 21 inch high.
I then bolts the upper braces to the lower angle bracket and then again to the upper cross member in the boat.
Make sure you watch for the locking tabs on the plastic doors. As you can see in my pic i mis measured by 1/2 inch and need to fix that now lol.
Also you will notice the engine actualy doesnt sit centered in the engine bay so pay attention to this when you place your upward braces.

This all cost me about 35 bucks. and 2 hours or 4 beers of time.

Passenger side bracket. Drivers looks the same.
http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu114/mmandley/IMG_0622.jpg

1100 Empty
http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu114/mmandley/IMG_0621.jpg
1100 Full on goofy side. You can see where my brace is blocking my panel hinge. That will be fixed ASAP.
I also need to repostion the 1100 bags slightly to allow them to sit a bit more upright.
http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu114/mmandley/HPIM6408.jpg
http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu114/mmandley/HPIM6407.jpg

I will post some video of the surf wave after this next weekend as we are still dialing it back in. I can say this with the 1050 nose ballast i run made a huge improvment wave is now even larger and the pocket is insainely long.

[cab13367]

Nice work Mike! Looks great and cheap to boot!

[jester]

Mike Nice work. looks like it would cost more then just 4 beers to make.

[mnpracing]

Awesome! Thanks for posting this. What size lag screws did you use to go into the floor? You list 1", but what diameter?

[mmandley]

Awesome! Thanks for posting this. What size lag screws did you use to go into the floor? You list 1", but what diameter?

I want to say they were 3/8th course thread. I didnt look at diameter as much as length i wanted them to be long enough to bite but not so long they would go into the floor and runners so deep.

[08LSV]

Hey Mike. Thanks for the "How To". I had decided not to do it since my exhaust was so close to the v-drive door and have never had it push past the brace. However since you make it look so easy I think I will be running to Home Depot later.

[zroutt]

Well done. Is this something that all of us should consider with bigger bags in the vdrive lockers? I have a 2x3 aluminum brace at a diagonal from high bow side to low transom side. Is that enough?

[lsvboombox]

Well done. Is this something that all of us should consider with bigger bags in the vdrive lockers? I have a 2x3 aluminum brace at a diagonal from high bow side to low transom side. Is that enough?

Plenty........

[saskyrider]

thats what i was wondering to.. that is a huge brace and i couldn't see how a bag could push past that? So i'm assuming that when they changed the hull design in 06 they changed that as well as my 05 has that angle bracket.

Geoff

[kaneboats]

Nice job documenting this for everyone, Mike! You're all set for the big shindig now, right?

[mnpracing]

I want to say they were 3/8th course thread. I didnt look at diameter as much as length i wanted them to be long enough to bite but not so long they would go into the floor and runners so deep.

one more question, did you just use a silicon sealant on the lag bolts when you installed them to keep the water demons out? I'm assuming you have to predrill the holes as well?

Thanks

[wolfeman131]

You're all set for the big shindig now, right?

Doubt it. Didn't see any beers in the boat yet.

[mmandley]

@ Kaneboats almost ready for the shindig lol Need to stock up on beer and readjust my cabin amp. I had a nasty little water leak this summer and fried serveral of my amps and had to replace them. Got that fixed and retuned the new amps just have a little to much low pass going to the cabins.

@mnpracing No i didnt use any silicon sealent as this is in the rear of the boat and theres nothing to rot there. I also didnt want to deal with not being able to remove the bolts. Maybe i should remove them and add a bit of silicon but i just didnt think of it.

Also NO DONT PREDRILL this. The lag bolts have a point on them and with the fiberglass you want the lag to really bit. I predrilled 1 hole and that bolt striped out real easy so i had to move it up an inch. Just let the lag self tap in. It will go right in and bite really nice with the fiberglass.

[hans]

I want to brace my lockers like that. On the picture the vertical brace seems to be more than 3/4 wide. Like home depot is not close to my house I want to be sure that 3/4 angle bars will be stiff enough.

So are the vertical ones 3/4 inch wide too?

[Cigars n scotch]

Great how-to! I just have a question on how this now affects your maintenance? These lockers and engine compartments are small enough to work in, have you changed your impeller or done your winterization on summerization with these brackets in the way?

[millerda68]

Thanks for all the details on this. I followed and braced mine the same way. Didn't pre-drill for the lag bolts and they bit in nicely. I ensured the upright braces were not in the way for any engine maintenance and that I cleared the swivel locks for the wall.

I would just make sure you use the 1/8" thick pieces. Thinner than that and they are too flimsy. Everything from Home Depot today was $49. I had to get 2 ea 3' pieces of the aluminum since HD did not have enough 4 footers. Took a couple hours start to finish. I just triple checked everything before making any cuts and worked to make sure the uprights were not in the way. Worst case, you can always unbolt them for maintenance work if needed.

[mmandley]

Hans yes 3/4 is the size i used on everything for that. Its more then enought because all its really doing is keeping the panel from warping. Its not holding the weight of the 1100.

Cigars and Scotch Yes i have done all the maintenance and nothing is in the way. I do the Impeller from the top of my engine. I can reach everything i need to get access to.

Millerda glad you got it all set up

[E4NASH]

Mike, did you ever get a video of the wave? I'm thinking of moving to 1100s in the rear from 750s. If I don't put any weight in front and only have the 1100s in the rear how short will the pocket be?


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[lsvboombox]

Mike, did you ever get a video of the wave? I'm thinking of moving to 1100s in the rear from 750s. If I don't put any weight in front and only have the 1100s in the rear how short will the pocket be?


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You need weight upfront with the 1100

[wolfeman131]

Yeah, you should just copy lsvboombox's setup.

[E4NASH]

Which is what? Cutting the cooler out is apparently out of the question according to the misses.


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[wolfeman131]

Uh, whose boat is it? Put your big boy pants on and do what you need to do!

[wolfeman131]

Actually, there is no way I'd cross the wifey when it comes to the boat. Gotta keep them happy. I was referring to the directional Y valve and IBS setup he has running. He has a thread posted.

[mmandley]

Mike, did you ever get a video of the wave? I'm thinking of moving to 1100s in the rear from 750s. If I don't put any weight in front and only have the 1100s in the rear how short will the pocket be?


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Post 44 has 4 videos, these are all behind my boat with the ballast system
https://forum.moomba.com/showthread.php?17394-Business-Trip-to-Portland-in-May/page5

You will have to run weight in the front as the 1100 will stand you on the rear end and you will have a huge tail with no real pocket.

[moombadaze]

Which is what? Cutting the cooler out is apparently out of the question according to the misses.

ok, wanna answer that again

[wolfeman131]

yep. we solved that issue NO PROBLEMO, didn't we?

[moombadaze]

yep. we solved that issue NO PROBLEMO, didn't we?

funny thing about that "we", I remember the 3 of us standing around, supervising with beer in hand, watching young Eric working on the coolerectomy.

good times :)

[wolfeman131]

What was wrong with that? You provided motivation, Kane provided guidance and I provided tools.


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[moombadaze]

nothing wrong--perfect setup if ya ask me, we do good work together

[E4NASH]

Haha! Yeah, I think the wives club had a pretty big influence on the "coolerectomy" approval. We/she is really glad we did now. Unfortunately we've only been out twice since then...

I'm sure it was good times watching me do that...in the dark...with only an iPhone flashlight app and a "shop light" that only stayed on when IT wanted to. Good times Fo sho!


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[moombadaze]

Unfortunately we've only been out twice since then...



one more than us, and that was just me showing the boat to the pending new owners

[kaneboats]

We finally got out again. I posted some pics in the August thread and some 360 attempt video in another thread.

Yea, it was fun watching Eric sweat and bleed and breathe fiberglass while we all sipped beers. :)

[E4NASH]

We finally got out again. I posted some pics in the August thread and some 360 attempt video in another thread.

Yea, it was fun watching Eric sweat and bleed and breathe fiberglass while we all sipped beers. :)

Blood, sweat, and tears...#worthit


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[beat taco]

I can't believe that with two 1100's and an IBS I still need more weight! So what now, another 400 in the bow? Maybe a used 750?

[mmandley]

I can't believe that with two 1100's and an IBS I still need more weight! So what now, another 400 in the bow? Maybe a used 750?

What are you trying to accomplish? I ran a knarly wave with 1100 in the rear and 1000 in front. Jake we need to get your boat and me together to show you how to make the best of what you got. I only run more because i want to, with what you got i can make you a killer wave bro.

[beat taco]

It's surfing but no pocket. I've been wondering if you guys want to do a day run one of these weekends? I also want to go camping the weekend of the 25th somewhere closer then Cove (just spent this past weekend there might go back the weekend of the 18th) and wondering if any of you local guys have any interest?

[mmandley]

It's surfing but no pocket. I've been wondering if you guys want to do a day run one of these weekends? I also want to go camping the weekend of the 25th somewhere closer then Cove (just spent this past weekend there might go back the weekend of the 18th) and wondering if any of you local guys have any interest?

You talking about LBC? I have plans to go up the Saturday of the 18th - tuesday the 21st, also 4 days over Labor day weekend and last trip is 4 days 9/15 - 18th, family friends own 5acres in 3 Rivers with the private boat ramp and beach.

Id love to hope on your boat, trust me there is tons of pocket with your set up, the LSV is just a little finaky with her set up, i promise you, 10 minutes behind your boat, with my setup of your ballast and you will think i gave you a whole new surf boat LOL.

[beat taco]

Guess we will go, my neighbor will be there with his X25 and we will be at three rivers as well!

[mmandley]

Cool I'll call you this time next week work out the details

[KRAK]

I too just upgraded to 1100#'s in each corner and will be bracing soon. Can some one please post pictures of how they attached the top of the vertical angles? Other than that, thanks for the info guys :)

P.S., my 5 month old 750#'s are for sale... make me an offer

[beat taco]

Krak... Pm me, might take them!

[KRAK]

Can some one please post pictures of how they attached the top of the vertical angles?


Please.......

[mmandley]

It doesnt show it as i tink i took this pic before i mounted it to the top rail. I assume you mean how do you attach it to the factory cross brace above the engine. I drilled threw it and into the angle bracket ( L ) and used SS hardware to attach it.

You can see how i mounted it to the bottom one on the floor, i did basically the same on the top.

http://i639.photobucket.com/albums/uu114/mmandley/IMG_0622.jpg

[spyder]

question for this old thread..

Any issues with galvanic corrosion with the aluminum and stainless steel hardware?

[mmandley]

question for this old thread..

Any issues with galvanic corrosion with the aluminum and stainless steel hardware?

This can only happen with 2 unlike materials. The braces them selves are Aluminum just like the frame for the rear of the boat.

The stainless screws I have never had an issue in my other applications with corrosion. On this particular application I sold the boat the next year, no issues with it though.

I would expect you to be fine with these two metals since they are both resistant to corrosion.