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Estimated cost to add wave shield

textman

textman

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Can anyone give me a ball park for adding the wave shield?  This is on a toon we already have.  Thanks in advance.
 
2 tube boat or tri-toon? Factory parts? Full underskinning or partial?
 
Look in your area and see if there are any "job shop" metal fabrication or machine shops around, or maybe a mechanical contractor.  They would need a shear for cutting and a brake for bending.  If they are already processing sheet metal they have these and a supplier.  See if they would let you haul your boat there to lay it out, get some pics so they can see how it is done by BM.  Also see if they can layout holes for installation, from there, its on you to install with self taps or rivets.  
 
I was having water forced thru holes in the deck at speed (about 24-26 mph on my 90hp propelled 2 tooner.   i was quoted $950 for .050 aluminum sheets attached with SS rivets by a local metal working shop.  I spec'd about 14 feet by 56" wide without bends on a 2013 22 sfx.   6 2-ft sections to cover and 2 partial squares at the stern.  I have not committed to the job.   The dealer was not interested in the job since they don't do that kind of work.   Some of the tooners on this forum have done the skinning themselves and have posted details and photos..   I patched the holes but I am still considering underskinning at a later time.    
 
That seems like a reasonable price. 


Here's one bit of advice. Prior to buttoning up the under deck, run some of that blue flexible conduit (3/4" or 1") with a string left inside. Run it through the deck at the spot where the factory runs the wires through. There is a boot there. Run it to the starboard side of the boat and up above the toon to the spot under the helm where the factory wires/cables are run. There's a boot there, too.


This way, if you ever have a need to run wires from the helm to the battery for an accessory of some sort, it will be easy peasy!
 
Thanks guys.  We have a two toon model and I want to underskin the whole boat.  Factory parts would be ideal, I guess.  Good idea about the conduit, would make adding accessories much easier in the future.
 
textman said:
Thanks guys.  We have a two toon model and I want to underskin the whole boat.  Factory parts would be ideal, I guess.  Good idea about the conduit, would make adding accessories much easier in the future.
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No need for factory parts. Everything you need can be cut from flat sheets and riveted into place.
 
I did this on my previous boat.  It was a tritoon and I just got aluminum sheets (.025   I think).  I got 4 sheets.  One set of 2 for the port side (between the port pontoon and the center pontoon) and one set of 2 for the starboard side.  Each sheet was about 10' long and about 30" wide.  The boat was 22' long.  We used self tapping screws and screwed it all into place.  


The boat was on the trailer when we did this, and it was a tight squeeze under there, but we got it done in a couple hours.  The sheets weren't expensive either.
 
textman said:
But that would mean I would have to know what I'm doing! LOL...  :)
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Take it from another guy that is not handy.  Buy the parts from Bennington.  They come all cut to fit and the side rails [the L shaped bracket that finishes the job along the edge] is included
 
It was a while ago... But somone did an awesome job of documenting Thier wave shield install with great detail and photos. One of the search Gurus can hopefully find it... Update...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Link said:
Take it from another guy that is not handy.  Buy the parts from Bennington.  They come all cut to fit and the side rails [the L shaped bracket that finishes the job along the edge] is included
Click to expand...

Link, if you don't mind me asking, what was the cost for the materials?


Thanks
 
textman said:
Link, if you don't mind me asking, what was the cost for the materials?


Thanks
Click to expand...

I didn't buy the underdeck wave shield alone, I bought the express toon package as I wanted a third toon, the underdeck wave shield was part of that package.  If I remember right I paid about $2300 - $2400 for the package.  I had a friend put it on for me
 
Link said:
I didn't buy the underdeck wave shield alone, I bought the express toon package as I wanted a third toon, the underdeck wave shield was part of that package.  If I remember right I paid about $2300 - $2400 for the package.  I had a friend put it on for me
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thank you
 
Be aware when pricing out parts for this job. The "Wave Tamer" isn't a full under skinning. It's a partial solution.


Full underskinning fully covers all of the underside of a boat. 


Take it from someone who has been down this path, be sure everyone (dealer, parts guy, installer and factory) EXACTLY agree on what you want and will get.
 
I did my first pontoon myself. 2 logs. It was easy. I'll see if I can find my notes and pictures.


Brian
 
goldnrod24 said:
That seems like a reasonable price. 


Here's one bit of advice. Prior to buttoning up the under deck, run some of that blue flexible conduit (3/4" or 1") with a string left inside. Run it through the deck at the spot where the factory runs the wires through. There is a boot there. Run it to the starboard side of the boat and up above the toon to the spot under the helm where the factory wires/cables are run. There's a boot there, too.


This way, if you ever have a need to run wires from the helm to the battery for an accessory of some sort, it will be easy peasy!
Click to expand...

That's great advice Randy! I wish the factory would have done that on ours. One other thing I'd recommend is to make an easily removed access panel where your helm seat bolts to the floor. I'd love to be able to install an adjustable pedestal on mine, but the under skinning/wave shields make that difficult and costly. 
 
Something else I learned from my electrician buddy. If you do pull something through with the string, pull a second string through with the wire. For next time! ;-)
 
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