Wood inside bow pulpit

[Macho]

Does anyone know if there is plywood inside the Parker pulpits & how thick it is?

Mine is flexing too much with my Minn Kota & am trying to figure out a way to make it sturdier.

 

[Antidote]

There is plywood. I'm not sure how thick it is. For ideas on how to strengthen it walk around a marina and look at sail boat pulpits and how they use turn buckles and cables.

 

[Macho]

Great idea. I was thinking more like replacing the plywood with something stronger like aluminum.

 

[GoodChance]

There is plywood in the pulpit. It's 2 layers of 3/4" plywood

 

[Macho]

Thank you that is exactly what I needed.

 

[GoodChance]

Great idea. I was thinking more like replacing the plywood with something stronger like aluminum.

FYI - I have seen these pulpits break from rot and attempting to free a stuck anchor

 

[Macho]

I wonder if anyone still sells them? Mine is a 94 2320 SC.

 

[A^4]

I got a new one about 4 years ago from Parker in the old gelcoat. I remember being told it was the last, or close to the last one they'd ever be making.

 

[FishHeadGreg]

not going to be easy to get a new one from the factory. maybe I'm wrong but I tried to get a new one through my local dealer and was told no go. I buckled mine and It turned into a PITA project. I've got my Tm mounted with an offset plate and couldn't be happier.

 

[Macho]

Mine is mounted with an offset plate too but the combined weight of the plate, TM & anchor is causing too much flex & stress cracks on the sides of the pulpit where it connects with the bow. Will probably have to remove pulpit, cut out old wood from below & replace with something sturdier.

 

[FishHeadGreg]

Mine is mounted with an offset plate too but the combined weight of the plate, TM & anchor is causing too much flex & stress cracks on the sides of the pulpit where it connects with the bow. Will probably have to remove pulpit, cut out old wood from below & replace with something sturdier.

Removing the pulpit will not be easy. I had to remove mine. It will turn into a large fiberglass job. I would mount the TM with an offset mount off the bow quarter (behind navigation lights) in a location where the motor lays parallel with the boat laying up along the side inside of the bow rail. That is the way I did mine and suggest all of my customers too. I sell a lot of trolling motors and always frown upon the pulpit style mounts for a number of reasons.

 

[Macho]

Removing the pulpit will not be easy. I had to remove mine. It will turn into a large fiberglass job. I would mount the TM with an offset mount off the bow quarter (behind navigation lights) in a location where the motor lays parallel with the boat laying up along the side inside of the bow rail. That is the way I did mine and suggest all of my customers too. I sell a lot of trolling motors and always frown upon the pulpit style mounts for a number of reasons.

Thanks! Mine is a 94 is yours newer? It sure looks like only screws holding it in place. Where did you run into the fiberglass problems?

 

[FishHeadGreg]

I have a 2006 2520 with a 96". My boat had the pulpit held one with...
4 large lags from the inside going up but not through.
2 through bolted into rail stations
8 through bolted for cleats
Once all were out the pulpit was still mounted like a rock. Either epoxied or 5200/similar adhesive.

I also made my anchor locker hatch/door larger to help me get in and do the work. It was a game changer.

I spent a couple hours using knives of all different widths, flat bars and larger crow bars. It was no joke and I had to go slow with care. Hope these photos shed some light on the topics...

 

[Macho]

Oh man this is so helpful. Thanks! So you did not put a new one back on?

 

[FishHeadGreg]

Hope these photo help. The last one is from a week or two ago showing my bow.

You can see how I mounted by TM using u-channel which is super super strong and was $100. I have friends with plates that flex and I didn't want to get into that. I know many who use different custom plate with great results. I sell some really nice powder coated 1/2 plates but they are $3-400.

I cut my bow rail in the location I did because the one stantion in that location was bent by the previous owner hitting something(maybe dock). It was getting rusted and there was minor fiberglass cracks. So I cut at the stantion on either side. I used the one stantion bolt hole as a starting point to template out the top side and underside to determine exactly what was and was not doable. I still have the bow rail and my original plan was to make a large gate however I never got around to it. On the list for this winter.

For sure the ugliest 2520 bow rail but I really doesn't bother me now like it did when I first made the decisions. As far as the bow, the event happend in the begging the of the season one year and with charters on the calendar I had little to no time to pay someone so I did my best and got it done in two days. I did reach out to two Parker dealers and the factory and couldn't get a factory pulpit.

I still have by damaged one which I planned on grinding out and rebuilding to possible put back on or sell. Just haven't had the time.

 

[FishHeadGreg]

close up side view when done with pulpit project, before I did the TM and bow nav lights
PS the larger anchor hatch door is highly advised if you ever need to do work in/up there.

I still have to put on bow cleats back on. I'm surprised I've made it a whole year almost without them

 

[FishHeadGreg]

Can you share a photo of your bow/issue? Maybe you can add a metal support under or on top? Maybe the u channel idea works, maybe it doesn't.

just a heads up due to time I didn't sent out to powder coat. I wipe it with T-9 boeshield often. It's part of my maintenance schedule. Every time I rain-x my windows I wipe it down. No pitting or corrosion yet.

 

[tomc585]

I wonder if a fabricated gusset of stainless would work attaching it from the forward portion of the pulpit down to the bow eyelet, maybe not that far down.

 

[Chilli]

My 2120 sc does not have the pulpit. There were two of these at the dealer.
I almost never anchor. When in the back waters, I can just stop. With my earlier boats, a tree limb was just fine, if overnighting was in my forecast .

Point here is, I see a great job & pix helped much.

Well done ''FishHeadGreg".

Your naked metal work, is a work of beauty.

 

[Macho]

Hey Fishheadgreg. Two last questions. Do you happen to have a photo of your bow after you removed the pulpit but before you started glassing?

Also, how far do you think the wood runs in that pulpit? I'm trying to figure out of there is wood in the fatter part at the base. Thank you so much for all of your help!