AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Posts about mechanical systems on a Telstar, including the outboard engine.
Gene
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Location: "Tri Again" Plash Island, AL
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AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by Gene »

One of my side skirts has started to rub the ama top, severely impacting my ability to fully fold the ama as well as damaging its gell coat. Any suggestions for an easy fix other than grinding off a bit of the side skirt? Its at the middle of the skirt... perhaps it has "bent" downward in the middle between its hinges...
#318
Plash Island, AL
USA
wooden
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by wooden »

Gene,

I had the same problem, and it was becoming more difficult to bring the amas in. I pulled the skirt off and inspected the skirt hinge skin. What I found was that there was insufficient support for the skirt hinges and they were sagging. There was no backing plate on the hinge, so I put a backing plate and new bolts on. The amas run much more smoothly. It was a simple fix and I would recommend that everyone inspect your hinges to make sure they are properly supported, and if not they should be fixed before significant damage occurs.

Steve Wooden
Steve & Mittie Wooden
Bayou Vista TX (Galveston)
"Gnarly's Poop Deck" Hull #340
Gene
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Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:54 am
Location: "Tri Again" Plash Island, AL
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by Gene »

Thanks Steve, and yes, I think "sag" is the best description. I know at least once or twice my trailer straps have gone over the skirts by an over zealous helper and I'm sure that hasn't helped!
#318
Plash Island, AL
USA
ggreen
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by ggreen »

I'm not sure whether this is the place to post this inquiry but has anyone ever opened their amas on a T28 while it was on the trailer. I need to do some rework and remove any water still in the amas while it is on the trailer.

Thanks for any suggestions.

gary g
wooden
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by wooden »

Gary,

I opened both, one at a time, to fix my ama hinges. There are two things you want to make sure you have in place. The first one is to make sure you have the bow trailer supports on. Those are the long square tube supports (very heavy) that extend from the trailer to both sides of the bow. I understand that some trailers did not come with these supports. I take mine off to launch the boat because they are in the way. Having them on while transporting the boat long distances, or opening the ama while on the trailer is an important support mechanism. The second thing that is important is to support the open ama with a jack or sawhorse. Don't let it just dangle out on its own.

I really had no problems, and did not ever feel unstable. I was very careful however, because I could see how difficult it would be to pick the boat off of its side if it fell off the trailer. It might even hurt a bit if it landed on you ;)
Steve & Mittie Wooden
Bayou Vista TX (Galveston)
"Gnarly's Poop Deck" Hull #340
Gene
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:54 am
Location: "Tri Again" Plash Island, AL
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by Gene »

I've unfolded mine with no side supports whatsoever, but I do strap the hull down to the trailer. I have the 50 on mine and there's no way its rolling in the opposite direction ;-)...
#318
Plash Island, AL
USA
ggreen
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Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2012 3:24 pm
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by ggreen »

Thank you all for your quick responses and recommendations. I now have a good guideline to go by.

Thansk much,

gary g.
Mangodoc
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by Mangodoc »

OK. Big problem. A couple of weeks ago I got caught out in 20-25 knot winds, and on coming in had big problems retracting the amas. Since I bought Trinity this summer, the amas have become increasingly difficult to retract, and I believe now that it’s due to the side skirts causing friction over the top of the link boxes. At any rate, on that day, in the big wind and waves, I applied enough force that the hinge bolts that secure the side skirt to the forward starboard link box ripped through the glass of the link box, allowing the forward point of the side skirt to dangle free.

Last week I went back to fix it. I repaired the glass on the inner skin of the link box and planned to put larger stainless washers on to reinforce the hinge plate (and plan to do this to all the link boxes as well) but the vertical pin of the hinge is no longer vertical so now the bolt holes don’t line up and I can’t figure out why. The link box doesn’t appear to be at an angle. The stainless hinge isn’t bent and looks like the others. I don’t think I should drill new bolt holes because I’m sure it would bind during extension and retraction. Anyone have any suggestions as to why the hinge no longer lines up and what I can do about it?
Mangodoc
s.v. Trinity
#342
ggreen
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by ggreen »

The same thing happened to me but I was at dock trying to bring the port ama in when the skirt ripped from the box on the bow side. There should hardly be any friction between the skirt and boxes as it is designed just to keep the folding system moving together. I reinforced the box with not only new fiberglass (with West system epoxy) but fabricated quarter inch starboard material to fit on both the inside and outside to strengthen the joint (I will do the same thing on the starboard side next spring). I also used large stainless steel washers and lock washers and longer bolts to accommodate the starboard. I did have to do a little gymnastics to line up the skirt hinges because the boxes wanted to move independently from one another but using some clamps and lines was able to line everything up. I'm surprised your pin bent. After unbending everything should line up as mine did.

gary g.
Mangodoc
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Re: AMA FOLDING /SIDE SKIRT RUBBING

Post by Mangodoc »

Gary,

Thanks for replying. The pin didn’t bend, at least not that I can tell. But it doesn’t hang straight down like the hinge pins on the other side skirts, it angles forward at about 20 degrees. But pointing out that the boxes tend to rotate independently makes me wonder if the affected box isn’t preventing the forward part of the side skirt from angling the way it’s supposed to at a given point of rotation of the link box. I’ll have to try rotating the box and dropping the skirt to see if the pin lines up with the hinge plate.
Mangodoc
s.v. Trinity
#342
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