calling Bob Lico

Russ Pagels · Post by **Russ Pagels** » Mar 16th, '11, 11:21

Bob could you post some pictures of your fly bridge top. I need ideas for mine.. thanks Russ

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 16th, '11, 12:56

I ask myself what i really wanted then went about observing likes and dislikes on a couple of hundred existing boats. 1) the radar arch must have a inner rail around the entire radius for me to use as a grab handle either accenting to the bridge or handing a rod down to the mate below. 2)the radar arch must be built super strong with three attach points (one for wireway) to install a open array radar. 3) no attach points in front of bridge for typical alluminum vertical bar (wishbone).4) for cruising in bays and rivers or nearshore i want to be able to a,remove front curtain b,remove side curtain c, fold back top to radar arch or any combination of the above.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 16th, '11, 13:04

top material is stamoid with gore tex thread . front & side curtains are EZ2CY . don`t drive the canvas guy crazy making him line up the cross bars on the radar arch with stanmoid to give effect when viewed from port or starboard ; he thinks i am anal!

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Mar 16th, '11, 13:11

Bob has a Bimini that folds back with removable supports running forward to aft. Seems to be very stable and the bridge can be open for cruising. Not sure if you can pick that up in the picture.

Like everything else really well thought out by bob.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 16th, '11, 14:57

thank you peter . you can make out the fore to aft surport in second photo. russ just pull ss pins and surport drops in your hand. also have aft stamoid cover to totally enclose bridge with heat coming from below so we operation going to offshore wreck in january at 10 degrees and all off in august with 100degree heat index. and option to leave top on with a/c thru vents .

Russ Pagels · Post by **Russ Pagels** » Mar 16th, '11, 15:01

Thanks Bob that is one nice top.the grab rail around the top is important....Russ

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 16th, '11, 15:14

built into underneath of radar arch is overhead red led for night running.fore to aft supports act as grab rail for third person sometimes three heads are better then one looking for those bluefin.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 16th, '11, 20:32

russ there is a 1" foam rubber strip that follows the front canvas all the way around that foams a seal between fiberglass of boat and canvas. waves in excess of 10' will break on front brow and follow curveture of boat some water come in bridge without seal depending on speed.

Brewster Minton · Post by **Brewster Minton** » Mar 16th, '11, 20:58

In big waves canvas can't cut it. I spent 18 hours going 72 miles. I had to go in to Montauk. I had aready been up for 40 hours.

mike ohlstein · Post by **mike ohlstein** » Mar 16th, '11, 21:44

Brewster Minton wrote:In big waves canvas can't cut it. I spent 18 hours going 72 miles. I had to go in to Montauk. I had aready been up for 40 hours.

Man, do I know that story.

And you wonder why it's hard to find crew......

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 17th, '11, 05:15

my boat rides quite differantly . very bow proud in rough water after backing off . the seal prevents the water that rides up the front of bridge from coming in between canvas and fiberglass is is not going to stop a wave going directly into it but then again to hit a wave like that would mean i was going way to fast. patient; stay in that perfect angle and go over the wave not thru it . cannot blame the boat for" pilots error".

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 17th, '11, 05:22

piloted a 48' egg harbor with no sweet spot . in 6 to 8 footers the waves would ride up the bridge right into the dashboard , took out gps half way home from canyon.water all over driving station .

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 17th, '11, 07:26

mike look at 1st picture chine is in water with no fuel in boat . with fuel chime is 2" under water at stern . i would venture to say there is a differance of 1000 lbs in weight shift differance between yours and mine .starting with engines,gears,gen,holding tank, anchor,28' of heavy chain all siting in cockpit with no tabs pushing up at all times, she lays into the big waves at 15knt.

JP Dalik · Post by **JP Dalik** » Mar 17th, '11, 08:06

Russ,

A suggestion use full zipper off track on the bottom of the enclosure- it can be bent with a heat gun to conform to the boats contours (the way your bridge has been modified the angles are even less severe), no buttons no silly foam pads- no bullet holes in the enclosure. Every button in an enclosure will allow some salt water into the layup, after a hard rain you will see more noticable black streaking from these metal connections as they age.

Be cautious about putting buttons and snaps in the aluminum, if you don't exercise the connnections every month they will seize up, try and use zippers for as many of your connection points as you can(yes its more work for the canvas guy) the zippers should be maintenanced every month as well there is a specific cleaner and lube for the zippers but the product name slips my mind right now.

Remember stainless and chrome over brass buttons, murphy snaps and lift-a-dot connections will only add another corrosion point to your aluminun frame the less canvas you wrap around the frames the longer the finish will stay on the aluminum.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 17th, '11, 08:10

mike i know you don`t have tabs but perhaps a live well at the transum might help . you could empty it and just use it when weather turns bad. this year when those big bluefin tuna come in for the annual migration of "white snakes" both you and brewster will come aboard because normally the the waves and weather are bad during first week of november you pilot and see for yourself. brewster will teach us how to nail the most elusive fish i have ever seen during this time of year.i hear nj has the same seen at the sea girt bluefin with lockjaw.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 17th, '11, 08:18

jp this boat has never been waxed in 11 years. and wash with soap only a dozen times a year there has never been a streak were the rubber (like window channel rubber ) meets the hull. i only get steaks were the outrigger bracket is attached to the side of bridge.

Russ Pagels · Post by **Russ Pagels** » Mar 17th, '11, 08:29

thanks for all the input guys.JP I was looking for pictures of your boat whch I did not find, for a closer look at your top.If you could post them, I would appreciate it.thanks Russ

JP Dalik · Post by **JP Dalik** » Mar 17th, '11, 09:32

Here's a few Russ, the original guy that did our top is back in business (not his son) but you'd be best if the boat were back up this way if you wanted to go that route.

The first shot is the inside finish with a zipper off track bottom

This shot will show you the outside finish with the zipper off top and bottom

This is a decent shot of the top and the lighting layout flushed into hardtop

This shot is a decent profile, you can see the advantage to zipper off track in how clean the top and bottom of the enclosure lay (no bullet holes)- pay attention to how the outriggers follow tops piping, notice that the break arm follows the same angle as the riggers, most people have a tenadancy to skip this step either because they don't know or don't care. The enclosure should follow the angles of the top as well (you can see that the side curtain follows the back leg. If you can get away with it has the canvas company sew the clear to itself instead of adding a piece of stamoid to the seam- its just cleaner, this enclosure is acutually 3 pieces of strataglass sewn together just no stamoid seems.

If your going to use a center rigger the best results are achieved by pointing it up in the air, if it comes off the top close to a horizontal angle it will be no higher than a rod fished out of the launcher on the bridge (notice the spinning rod tip). The top your looking at is as low as we could go without hitting our heads, the effect is a little better proportion.

Russ Pagels · Post by **Russ Pagels** » Mar 17th, '11, 10:03

Thanks JP, those were the ones I was looking for,he did a nice job on her.One question how do you get to the F/B?.. thanks Russ

JP Dalik · Post by **JP Dalik** » Mar 17th, '11, 10:17

There are two non skid pads on the outboard side of the flybridge. We just jump up either side and slide in between the aft leg and the enclosure. Even the older guys (mid to late 60's) have no problem getting up and down, when its shitty just go under the rail.

No ladder gives us 2 big beds for those long rides and instant access to the engines for periodic checks during the fishing day. Its not for everyone but you get used to it.

Anybody can build one of these things but its all about the details that make them truly special. There are allot of beautiful B31's with really ugly aluminum and enclosure work, just make sure you take the time to get her the way you want her. Good Luck.

Craig Mac · Post by **Craig Mac** » Mar 17th, '11, 15:09

I don't have the bridge ladder as well---- i did install a pair of side steps from an older model----and have a non-skid area on the flybridge as well.

There is no walk thru on my bridge rail, but it is low enough to step over.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Mar 18th, '11, 13:17

JP great job thinking that out. Looks awesome.

mike ohlstein · Post by **mike ohlstein** » Mar 18th, '11, 14:10

Look Ma, no ladder.....

http://www.ohlstein.us/pages/ginpolepage.htm

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 18th, '11, 16:22

mike that is so smart you allways have the gin pole to hang on as you accend to the bridge and swing out off way for access to engine . some dat you may hook up 400 lbs tuna and block and tackle into boat----hopefully!

randall · Post by **randall** » Mar 18th, '11, 17:52

mike ohlstein wrote: Man, do I know that story.

And you wonder why it's hard to find crew......

um.....open bridge...thats what we like. "marshal you're 25 degrees off...wipe off your glasses"!!, repeat as necessary.

you know the drill....if you'll go .....i'll go.

randall · Post by **randall** » Mar 18th, '11, 17:54

bob...it actually works great. even in sporty conditions. extremely clever.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 18th, '11, 20:35

jp we both have that zipper half circle facing bow. i hate that feature in november/december striper run you get to boat in dark and all cover in dew . go to roll up and stiff as a board . would like to somehow have that everglades windshield material almost the feel of lexan so you can pull up in one piece like window and faster to the bottom off hard top in your case or soft top in my case. i like the plastic slide that is how the soft top is attached to the radar arch . if i use your method of slide on bottom i guess it means i cannot remove the entire front section in summer and leave side curtains. am i right?

JP Dalik · Post by **JP Dalik** » Mar 19th, '11, 07:37

If your enclosure is 3 pieces- 1 front and 2 sides then all you are doing is replacing one fastening method with another. The material attached to the track is done with zippers look at the interior shot I posted again and you'll see the attachment. You could take off whatever pieces you wanted whenever you feel like it.

The hard glass is ever than regular 40 ga. sheet glass so if you were to fold it up onto a soft top you'd have to sew in some support fabric so you wouldn't get a tear at the attachment point.

The hard glass lasts about seven years you can get the same out of soft with extra care. The weak links is still the thread, maybe I'll try powerpro this time instead of gore tex.

Eddy G · Post by **Eddy G** » Mar 21st, '11, 08:07

I rigged mine to hang under the bimini top. No more scratches from rolling it up and no more fighting it when it is cold and stiff.

Eddy G.

[img][img]http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee10 ... C00031.jpg[/img][/img]

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 21st, '11, 08:10

thank you eddy that is perfect . i forgot to mention scratches from rolling it up when stiff . like a new one every two years!

bertram31.com

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