Erie Canal Radar Arch Removal

The wires on the Hatteras I ran had plenty of slack in them. We rested the arch on padded plastic adjustable Rubbermaid saw horses, was really easy, but would've hit the grill station otherwise.

Same here, but it looks like he'll have to angle that down to the deck on one side . To lay it on supports would stand that radar up too high.

Something to consider would be hinging the arch for future use wherever else you may travel as well as winter storage considerations. We learned by storing a 1984 56 that had a fairly high air draft that some of the buildings could not accommodate us without lowering the arch. This one was fully hydraulic converted by Marquipt.

I have also raised and lowered the arch on the 1981 56 that NYCAP mentioned a few times with only a little help from my mate. His padded supports worked very well.

How doing my friend. It's been awhile. Gee that boat looks familiar. lol. Great pics, and showing the supports in use. I think the biggest problem with hinging the arch is that it's a very expensive job, especially if you go hydraulic, More suitable if you plan to be dropping it at least once or twice each year. It would also present another problem. The 2nd and 3rd pics illustrate well the problem the OP faces with the part of his mast facing forward and holding his radar. Once down it would be sticking up. See the height of the arch relative to the top of the windscreen. Critical measurements needed there unless he can angle the arch down on one side to lower the high point.

I wouldn't count on it.

A picture's worth a thousand words. You have a big issue David. That arch is different from the type we've been discussing. Yours is shoehorned into that space between that raised section behind and the windscreen forward, then attached to the windscreen, windscreen rail and aft rail. Sure wish it was cut at that weld line about the access hole. Looks to me like you will need a crane to very gingerly slide it out to the side then rotate it onto your deck, then somehow angle it onto your deck so that radar arm of the mast doesn't stick up. Then you'll somehow want to secure that windscreen. You may even end up removing the windscreen to keep it from breaking, and storing the arch on the foredeck. I'd recommend getting someone on scene to look that situation closely.

Mine was the same way as yours, but the hinge is along that crease where above the S/S hand rails and lowered fine and we had plenty of air draft with it down...….you could also hinge the radar too to lower it...….but does look like you have a little more work than the ones I've seen...…

Honestly, it might be just as easy to cut the arch along those lines, have a hinge welded in and leave the bottom part attached...…..the way mine was hinged is it had a hinge pin in the front and a hinge pin in the back. You could pull 1 pin on 1 side to fold it back, 1 on the other side instead to fold it forward, or both and the arch slides right off completely.

Do you want me to dig up pictures of the one I ran so you can get an idea, and lowered everything on?

All we can do is be optimistic . i have told my owner we will stay on the east coast till August and then bring her to the Midwest .He is hopeful he can travel in here in July and do some cruising

These photos are from a 54 motor yacht you can expand the pics to get a closer look. Hope that helps.

That's the same way the 75' I did the Loop on was set up.

This is a great thread , pictures and those who posted solved the OPs problem making it a DIY project without him spending a small fortune !!!!!

If you remove the windscreen it will bring you back to a fairly easy job, but doing that (and storing it) without breakage may get tricky and still not get you where you need to be unless you can get past that arm the radar rests on. I think that's going to be your high point.

Why would the windscreen have to come off? The lowest bridge is 19'2 just South of Chicago and that's at maximum pool level. The lowest bridge on the Erie Canal is 20'2 (unless you go the Buffalo route, which you'll never get your Hatteras low enough for). I did it with a 75' Hatteras at 18'6 to the top of the windscreen and had a foot to spare everywhere.