Removing bridge to move Mark 1

[Doodie99]

So my plan is to move my 79 Mark to my house so I can work on it a few hours a day. Transportation is not super expensive but its 13'6" keel to highest point. The riggers need 12-14" so the bridge needs to go. It looks fairly easy to unbolt but any tips before I start?

 

[boomerang]

I don't recall any big issues when we removed ours. The railing was awkward & required my wife & myself to handle it so as to not bend it but ours, at least, is in 2 parts with the splice being in the middle tee fitting.
I secured the port & starboard bridge wings with a 2x4 to maintain the shape plus stabilize the whole thing while lifting. I also removed the engine panel & controls so nothing would be damaged and the hole gave us a lifting point in the front. The rear lifting points were the side grab railings.

 

[boomerang]

Here's a couple of pics.
I'll attach the link my wife started on our boat work. It's a pain to navigate but it might be interesting and helpful to someone like yourself with the same style boat.

Boating With Shawn and Liz

 

[rwidman]

You will have the steering hoses, engine and transmission controls, gauges and electrical system to deal with.

 

[Doodie99]

Any idea on weight?

 

[boomerang]

Any idea on weight?

If I were to guess, I'd say around 300 pounds. Ours has the molded-in seating which added a little to the total. It's really too awkward to be handled easily by 2 people. We were lucky to have a travel lift at our disposal. Balance is the key to an easy on/off, not so much the weight.

 

[Doodie99]

Mine does not have molded seats so likely a bit lighter. I hope to move it on the bow to transport. But I think I may need to make something to support it.

 

[Doodie99]

I think the controls and hoses should be fairly easy to deal with.

 

[Comodave]

Label everything you disconnect and take lots of photos. You may think that you will remember how it was connected or that it will be obvious how to reconnect everything but memories fade and then you are left with a PITA trying to figure it all out. You will likely have to make a custom bracing system to hold the bridge in shape while you lift it and then to keep it in place for the move. Good luck.

 

[Doodie99]

So the bridge was very easy to move. Fiberglass was about 250#+-. I recruited 3 others and it's now ready for transition