The top is on!

Today was warm and sunny with a light breeze. Mercifully, there were no wake board boats on the river. We began around 2 p.m. and ended  work about 4. Temporary positioning blocks, (shown at right), were clamped to three cross members. These will hold the top off the adhesive until everything is lined up for clamping. 

Captions are above each of the following photos. Click on a picture to enlarge for a closer look. 

Dia was waiting when the finished top came down the drive, delicately balanced on the back of the pickup.

David, Jim, Major, Paul and I maneuver it though the gazebo and down the ramp to the Albin.

After the rafters and longitudinal stringers are liberally buttered with 3M 5200 adhesive, the top is placed on the positioning blocks.

That's me on the coach roof and Jim on the aft cabin top. We are aligning the registration marks on the underside of the top with center line marks on forward and aft cross members. With the marks lined up, the positioning blocks are un-clamped and removed. This settled the underside center line of the top on the center line of arched the rafters.

Ratcheting nylon load binder straps are looped over the top. They are attached at each end to 2x4s lashed fore and aft between the cleats on each side. The top's arch becomes apparent as the the straps are tightened.

Taking up more slack in the straps completes a pleasing curvature.

The top is now held in place by a clamp on the aft cross member and by the screws securing the light mast brackets forward. After everything was clamped, screwed and strapped down, more 3M 5200 adhesive was applied along the insides and outsides of the longitudinal stringers and rafters. We used 2 1/2 10-ounce tubes of the adhesive, applied with caulking guns.

And, at the end of the day, Ms. Bettencourt is all strapped up, waiting for the adhesive to cure. 

Our present plan is to let her sit like this for a week or so. Then we'll bolt and screw the handrails on each side. The fasteners for the rails will pass through the top into the stringers. At that point, the top will be firmly and finally attached to the boat.

If anyone wants more details or needs questions answered, just use the comment box below and I will respond quickly. Thanks for following this project.

.