210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
Thebug
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:49 pm

210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Postby Thebug » Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:58 pm

Just bought 2014 210 Montauk with a Boston-Whaler-supplied T-Top. Is the T-Top made of aluminum or stainless steel?

JRP
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 9:35 pm
Location: Chesapeake

Re: 210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Postby JRP » Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:48 pm

For the price that Boston Whaler charges for that option ($5,237.00), it had better be stainless!!

Congratulations on your new Montauk!

jimh
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Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: 210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Postby jimh » Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:52 pm

I think the structural tubing is aluminum in the typical Boston Whaler T-Top. Why not call Boston Whaler customer service and ask them--you'll get the real answer.

fno
Posts: 170
Joined: Thu Oct 15, 2015 10:01 pm

Re: 210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Postby fno » Sun Jan 17, 2016 12:01 pm

Most if not all T-tops on newer Whalers are going to be made from aluminum. There is a ton of info on the subject of aluminum vs. stainless for structures like a T-top. Most all describe stainless steel as the lesser of the two in terms of durability. It seems that stainless steel does not react well to the stresses placed on a T-top frame.

Jefecinco
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Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:35 pm
Location: Gulf Shores, AL

Re: 210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Postby Jefecinco » Sun Jan 17, 2016 6:46 pm

I believe the primary reason most people avoid stainless steel T-top frames is the much higher cost than aluminum. For some small boats the higher weight of steel is also an impediment. On somewhat larger boats with elaborate T-tops and incorporated towers more weight above the decks can be another reason not to choose stainless steel.

As fno says, stainless steel frames have some durability problems. I believe a good bit of that stems from fabricators using thinner wall tubing to reduce cost and weight at the expense of strength. Not every good aluminum welder is proficient at welding stainless steel.
Butch

Rinoue
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 9:57 pm

Re: 210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Postby Rinoue » Sun Jan 17, 2016 8:40 pm

On my 2013 210 Montauk the T-Top and tow arch are aluminum. The bow and stern rails and other hardware are stainless steel.

Whalerdog
Posts: 123
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:08 pm

Re: 210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Postby Whalerdog » Mon Jan 25, 2016 10:55 am

Aluminum less weight and lower CG for boat.

jimh
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Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: 210 MONTAUK: T-Top Construction

Postby jimh » Mon Jan 25, 2016 12:06 pm

Boston Whaler boats with factory-installed T-Tops on boats in the last decade or so have had the design of the T-Top analyzed with modern computational methods so that the flexibility and give of the T-Top support structure at the points of attachment to the Boston Whaler boat hull are coordinated with the anticipated flexing in the hull. Several years ago the head of Boston Whaler engineering, Ron Berman, explained to me the importance of this detail in design while showing me the new hard-top support structure on a new model boat, the 235 CONQUEST. The need for this care in design come about like this: if the hull and T-Top do not have similar flexibility, and, for example, the T-Top frame was made much stiffer than the hull, the flexing of the hull would result in the points of attachment of the T-Top cracking or fracturing or otherwise working and weakening. By making the welded aluminum frame be able to flex at the same sort of force as the hull exerts on it when the hull flexes, the two structures remain very well connected at the attachment points. Also, the weldments don't crack, a defect often seen in T-Top or other hard top support structures not as well engineered as those used by Boston Whaler.

To perform this sort of structural analysis, Boston Whaler hired an engineer-designer with experience and skill in this discipline. This is the type of attention to detail and excellent design that goes into the modern Boston Whaler boat.