I am sure I have bounced this off the forum in the past? Does anyone else have problem with the
hardtop shake/bounce/wobble in less than smooth seas. In the past I have had to go in and stiffen up the hardtop bracing where it mates to the top of the windshield. I have experienced weld cracking and bolts that tend to shear off due to hard top wobble. Stiffening it up just sends the shear forces to the next weakest point (i.e. fasteners). Seems the weight and mass of the hard top is a bit much for the attaching points. If my 38 had a weak point this would be it, other than that it is a battle ship. This Fall I may have to go out in front of the windshield and weld in some K or X bracing to stabilize the hardtop, all at the risk of esthetics.
just picked up our new to us 2002 38. Have not been in real heavy weather, but top seems to rock solid otherwise. For my information....what engines do you have, and what speed do you cruise at. I have the 6cta's 450hp and at about 2100 I'm doing about 22knots. How about you?
The cruise top sits on an aluminum arch (double tube - skinned over in aluminum and painted white) and is rock solid. I have run my friends 38 with cruise top in 8' seas with no issues.
The TTS Top however is of a different design. I know that Tiara had to redesign the forward center support (this is the support that stops the side to side motion) due to cracking and failure issues (I believe the 36 Open TTS had the same issues). If you have the original center support, I would try and source the new support from Tiara. If they no longer produce it, you can have any good Top/Tower manufacturer make you a new stronger center support.
Make sure once the new support is installed that all supports are level and tight. The top should sit on all the supports level with all of the fasteners loose. If you have any gaps, cranking the fasteners tight to reduce these gaps is going to put undo stress on the fasteners and cause a failure. If you have to fill any gaps, use shims. If there is any cracking in any of the supports and welds, make sure you repair all before final assembly. As you mentioned, one week link leads to additional stress at the other supports.
I have a 2001 3800 and I have some slight movement at the base of the center supports on the windshield. I also get intrusion of water through the slight hair line crack at this base point and yes this only happens in a very heavy sea.
I do not know where to start to repair this but it sounds like this is a major task. Let me know what you had to do to repair properly. If you look at this entire structure it appears that Tiara supported this properly and may have created this issue by having to tight of tolerances and could have allowed for movement being absorbed by a 1/2 to 1 inch rubber pad to have these center support pieces stand on top of the windshield. :flag:
Do you have the Cruise Top or the TTS? Due to the age of your boat, I'm going to guess you have the Cruise Top.
In order to repair the hair line cracks in the supports, you have to support the top with some type of a ceiling jack. If you don't have access, you can build one using wood planks (2x4s), just make sure they are sturdy and won't come crashing down. Then remove the broken support. Take it to a competent welder (preferably someone that specializes in welding aluminum and preferably someone that specializes in boat hardtops and towers to repair. Once repaired and painted, reinstall and remove the brace.
If you are not mechanically inclined, I would leave this job up to a professional. Hire a hardtop or tower welding company to make the complete repair including removal and reinstallation.
I hate the idea of adding exterior X or K bracing. I personally would rebuild the interior bracing using heavier aluminum before I resorted to X or K bracing. Do you have access to a Hard Top or Tower manufacturer? They should be able to build you heavier interior braces that resemble the original factory bracing. X or K bracing in my opinion will lower the value of the boat and will be astatically ugly. It will also interfere with your visibility from the helm and at the very least will add a distraction to your vision. Just my $.02.
Mine is the TTS top and it has always been problematic, it is a massive top. I am currently having built a more robust windshield center support bracket and will weld it back in place this week. Like I said I prefer not to hang any more metal on the super structure. With that being said I will have to operate the boat with a little more tenderness in big seas. With regard to performance> I am running the Cummins QSC 8.3 and cruise in mild chop at 25knts@2150 rpm. When the boat is lite on fuel (1/2 or less)and I wish to stretch her legs for a short she is a 2500maxrpm@32knts when trimmed just right.
I know this is old post but I just discovered the same problem on my 2006 38 TTS. First a bolt from the hardtop bracket to the windshield snapped, then the welds in the cross brace cracked. Now the entire top has dropped about 3/8” so the bracket holes don’t line up with the windshield.
Tiara says they are a not aware of any issues with this design. They suggested that I shore up the top, remove the center support bracket, have the cross brace welded and reinstall. What they claim they didn’t realize is that the center support bracket is welded to the super structure above the windshield. I don’t want to cut out the center bracket. I also agree that X bracing would be a detractor.
I was trying to figure out a way to add lateral bracing in the form of aluminum plates on top of the hardtop. Attaching them by lenghting the bolts that attaché the hardtop to the super structure.
Has Tiara offered anyone a recommendation for this obvious design flaw?
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