# Cost of a radar arch



## Newport41 (Jun 30, 2006)

I know this is a vague question but I'm trying to get a ballpark figure for an arch for a 40ft sailboat. I was thinking of supporting two eighty watt solar panels on top with the radar slung below, and a post off to the side for an airx. I have always been thinking in terms of stainless but could aluminium be used or would the welds just crack and fail? I'd call a fabricator but I'm away from the boat and out of town for a few months. Just trying to think if it should be on the "to buy" list or the "wish" list. If anyone had designs they could post I'd appreciate it.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

For your sized boat think something in the range of $6,000 (USD) for a minimalist arch to $12,000 for all the bells and whistles.

FWIW...


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

Cripes, I hope not. I'm getting a combo galvanized pipe/SS arch built in the next few weeks to support four solar panels on a forty one foot steel cutter.

I'll let you know what I end up paying!


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

FYI see Kato Marine - Sailboat Arches - Arch Prices . This vendor just quoted some friends of ours with the same Beneteau 42 as we for an arch that would support 2 solar panels, a wind generator and a radar dome plus the usual list of antennas et al. The quote came in at over $12,000 USD without the dinghy lifts. Two other vendors provided similar quotes.

Good luck!


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## ArgleBargle (Jan 8, 2007)

Just asked for an estimate (not a formal quote) for an arch on a 37 foot boat "around $10 -12 000" ( $ Canadian) similar to previous posts.


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## scottyt (Jul 19, 2008)

wow i think i just found a new business, now i just need a boat that will hold my tig welder, a large tube bender and hundreds of pounds of stock.

in all seriousness i could make an arch out of galvanized for about 100 bucks in material and probably one day labor. i checked my local metal supply last week, 20 feet of 1 inch stainless is 50 bucks. i dont know the price for say about 2 inch, but it should not be over 100 bucks for 20 feet. 

i need to find out more info, because i could make tons of money even at 5 k each


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

Maybe this info will help...

Well, mine will require a camber that matches the deck and will be in SS and will more or less sit in 24 inch deep galvanized pipe "holders" that are welded to the steel toerails...a bit like the things that hold fishing rods, only welded, not clamped. The stainless steel will be clevis pinned in or thru-bolted (with bushings) at two point (eight in total) to make it semi-permanent. It will not be required to fold down. This is probably a cost-savings, as it's a bending job, essentially.

The "arch" will be two C-shaped lengths of SS tubing, probably 1 1/2" and 60-62 inches off deck. This is considerably lower than most, because the arches are over a "sailing helm/foot well" sunk 14 inches into the deck.

The price of not having weight aloft on deck any higher and not making an already tall "poop deck" even higher is thus a bit of stooping. Keeping the height low also keeps the airflow to the windvane less disturbed.

The arch is meant to hold 4 135W solar panels that are about 60 x 27 inches each and weigh 26 pounds each. Therefore, the arch has to support at least 110 lbs. aloft securely in all conditions and will likely also have tether clip-on points and the ability to hang coiled line. I am also considering putting in the ability to hold a reel of 300 feet of polypropylene line for extra stern line to shore in narrow anchorages.

This would necessitate a total of seven clamped cross-bars: two each on the vertical part of the two "main arches" and three across the top.

The panels themselves will provide much of the shade needed, as four of them effectively span the deck. Snap-on canvas awnings will provide the rest. My boat is a pilothouse and consequently we don't require a full canvas enclosure. Also, being at my chin level, the panels are easy to clean and maintain.

The prices quoted above sound ridiculous to me. I salvaged a bimini from a C&C 35 for my Viking 33 and apart from some canvas repair done by me, it served me well for years. I can't see that something salvaged from a power boat couldn't work on a sailboat, even if it involved cutting and welding in inserts.


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

The biggest thing your paying for on the arches pictured is the finish work










Kato Marine

EVERY weld is ground/polished and then then the final product is electropolished which adds a good 30 to 40 hours of labor


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

Uh-oh...that's pretty similar to what I want, only somewhat wider between the uprights and not canted very much, if at all. Basically, a sort of "lid" effect, but curved across the breadth.


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## groundhog (Jun 27, 2006)

Just a note here.
If any of you guys in Chessie region haven't cut your giant checks yet, I may be developing a bead on a cheaper source here. I am also getting an arch on my sailboat. 

email me if interested... groundhogyh... at.... yahoo


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## bilb2 (Sep 25, 2020)

scottyt said:


> wow i think i just found a new business, now i just need a boat that will hold my tig welder, a large tube bender and hundreds of pounds of stock.
> 
> in all seriousness i could make an arch out of galvanized for about 100 bucks in material and probably one day labor. i checked my local metal supply last week, 20 feet of 1 inch stainless is 50 bucks. i dont know the price for say about 2 inch, but it should not be over 100 bucks for 20 feet.
> 
> i need to find out more info, because i could make tons of money even at 5 k each


That was my reaction too. I'm in the process of designing mine for our 45' Southerly now, and if it costs me more than Euro 3000 I'll be very distressed. You don't actually need to own the machinery to roll and bend the tubing, there are plenty of people with that equipment. You only need a place to lay out the pieces for trimming, welding and polishing. Oh,.. and the knowledge. You don't even need to own a CAD package as there are a number of good free Apps to do that with. What I am designing has compound curves in multiple directions, is designed to take 4 solar panels, a D400, aerials and I'm including slide out tubes the length of the solar panels to serve as dinghy hoist, but park out of sight under the panels when not in use. The outer panels can angle down (or up) to 45 deg for a narrower profile and to collect more sun, but also at 20deg up act as water collectors. At least that is the plan.


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