Re: Taking the cap off
My Capri has rivets, so if yours has screws you are all the better off. On with the list:
- Use a large flat blade screwdriver or chisel to pry out the rub rail from the housing. Do it a few inches at a time, as they are quite pricey to buy new, so you don't want to ruin it. Heating it up beforehand will made it more pliable. If you have a helper, use a heat gun a few inches ahead of the "pry man" as you work your way around.
- Using a drill, you will need to remove the crazy amount of rivets used to hold the housing in place. Be sure to use a drill bit as small as possible so you aren't enlarging the original hole. You simply plunge the bit through the rivet head and the head will stay on the drill bit and the rivet body will drop inside the boat. You need not remove the rivet heads from the bit until it becomes too clogged to use (this way saves time).
- Capris have a support in the back which go from the lower transom vertically to the swim deck. You will need to remove the stainless bolts where these verticals meet, as the upper portion is part of the cap. You Capri may be different, but be sure to check or your cap won't be going anywhere without damage.
- Using a razor blade, run along the length of the cap in order to cut the rubbery bead between the cap and hull. Your Capri may not have this, but probably will.
- It is easiest to lift the cap using some rope thrown over a branch or a rafter and tied to a cleat, as the cleats have pretty even balancing. If you don't have a rafter to help your lifting, just give the cap a strong heave ho upwards and it should break free from the hull.
IMPORTANT: When the cap breaks free from the hull, the hull will quickly spread much wider. This is normal and is not dangerous to the hull, but be sure you are ready for it, as it is not something you can just hold in place with one hand.
Feel free to check out my resto thread for a few images of how I lifted mine.
Hope that helps.
