10' 11" RIB Tiller to center console conversion. For a Yacht tender.

[Sieben]

I was following your build, and it looks great. good job!
if someone is considering a similar conversion, I found this DIY central console, which seems like an easy and light build.

View attachment 118890

I was following your build, and it looks great. good job!
if someone is considering a similar conversion, I found this DIY central console, which seems like an easy and light build.

View attachment 118890

Would work. Much simpler. Easier many ways to skin a project.

 

[Crazyboat]

Any chance you dogs could puncture the tubes? (Nice work by the way!)

 

[Sieben]

Any chance you dogs could puncture the tubes? (Nice work by the way!)

Nope. Have had labs on inflatables 25 years. No punctures from dogs.

 

[Sieben]

Hello there. So the test run revealed that the 3/16” aluminum floor is not rigid enough. The console flexes the aluminum floor left to right. Or up and down. Especially towards the middle. The floor does not have bracing under it. I was going to unbolt the console from the floor. Cut a 2” w x 4” l slot across the bottom of the console.

Then bolt the console back down over the top of the aluminum tubing on top of a 2” x 4” x 36” long, the width of the floor aluminum 1/4” wall beam or tubing. This would stop just 2” inside the port and stb rigid flooring close to where the tube is. This will form a triangle with the rigid v- hull. The aluminum beam and the console will be bolted down to the floor with SS riv nuts with 1/4” bolts.

The outer edges of the 2” x4” x 1/4 wall tube will have the top ends cut back about a 30 degree angle such that the tubes don’t chafe. Ground and polished smooth.

If it tests ok, then I would likely glue the brace also with 4200 to the floor as well as the bolts. This would ensure strength and rigidity.

Any other suggestions you all might have? I have a lot into this but did not account for the floor to flex up or down which it does.


Thanks in advance. John

So regarding the console. I put down a 1/4” 2’ x 2’ aluminum plate. Thru bolted with 20 1/4 x 20 thread Allen button head SS screws. They thru bolt into blind SS riv nuts. Also glued it with 4200. Solved the stability issue with the console. Rock solid now. Added the whale tail to the 20 hp.