Hard top with soft sides

[Portage_Bay]

Has anyone done a hard top with soft sides? Hard top prevent damage from snow and rain as well as to provide a mounting surface for solar panels. Soft sides to easily remove on nice summer days or roll up for easier comms when docking.

We had some snow followed by rain while out of town. When we got back I found the top badly damaged. Puddled and stretched down over two feet. The seams are all leaking. The pockets that hold the intermediate bows are stretched beyond use. The sides bulged out. The main braces (don't know the correct term) are bent. Looks like a total loss. It was a nearly new stamoid full flybridge enclsoure.

 

[rslifkin]

I've seen it done on many boats. It's pretty common in my experience on boats with a hard top to have the sides be made of canvas and isinglass.

 

[Comodave]

I have done that on several boats and loved it. I got the top from hardtotop.com, but I think they are out of business now. Then I made the sides out of Sunbrella and Strataglass. One of them I made the patterns for the front panels and had a fabricator make the panels out of EZ2CY. I would hinge them up against the bottom of the hardtop when I wanted them open.

 

[Bacchus]

I haven't done any but see them frequently and like the look.
Side panels typically attached to a "C" track using kidder welt (slides into the track). Some are made w a short canvas piece & zip for EZ removal/reinstall. If not zip usually the hinge up and fasten under the hardtop w snaps or common sense fasteners.

If doing it your self the C track requires special small screws and a hex drive but smaller than generally available in stores & sets... order a couple when ordering track & screws

 

[Bmarler]

With a hard top you should consider the extra weight up high. The top itself, plus the framing can add up. Might not be an issue with your boat, but should be considered.
You might be able to salvage your top. New stainless straight sections are easy to replace, the bows are a little tougher, but sometimes can be straightened in place. I have a couple of jigs made up for exactly that purpose.
It will never be quite the same as when new, but might be serviceable while you plan a hard top. Just remember to brace it or take it down during snow season.

 

[Portage_Bay]

Thanks to all for the replies.

Bmarler yes I'm aware of the stability issues with weight up high and will carefully evaluate. Taking it down in snow conditions is not realistic. Too much up there that needs to be kept out of the weather.

 

[Bmarler]

Thanks to all for the replies.

Bmarler yes I'm aware of the stability issues with weight up high and will carefully evaluate. Taking it down in snow conditions is not realistic. Too much up there that needs to be kept out of the weather.

I get it that there are sensitive items to protect. With the big spans the soft tops have, the tubing size can be upsized the 1-1/4 or 1-1/2. Lots of fittings available for 1-1/4, but less for 1-1/2. A temporary brace made of wood can be put up for the snow season to hold up the middle of the top. I’ve done this before with good result. Anyway, sorry to hear of the damage, and best of luck with your situation.

 

[Portage_Bay]

If I don't go hard top temp bracing is the way I'll go. I've already got it built because the top is so stretched in now collects every drop of rain.

I get it that there are sensitive items to protect. With the big spans the soft tops have, the tubing size can be upsized the 1-1/4 or 1-1/2. Lots of fittings available for 1-1/4, but less for 1-1/2. A temporary brace made of wood can be put up for the snow season to hold up the middle of the top. I’ve done this before with good result. Anyway, sorry to hear of the damage, and best of luck with your situation.

 

[Portage_Bay]

Reopening this thread I started. I finally got the insurance settlement and can begin the process of hiring contractors to do the work. I have a canvas shop lined up. Now looking for a shop to do the hard top. Everyone seems to be booked out into the summer.

Our location is Western Washington.

Any suggestions on shops very welcome

Thank you.

 

[GMS]

Fraser Fiberglass in Vancouver, BC was suggested on a different forum. While Fraser appears to built excellent hardtops, the budgetary pricing provided by them seemed expensive (but I have nothing to compare it with at this point).

Budgetary pricing for a ~60ft boat was around $100k USD...

Very interested in whether anyone has had a custom hardtop built and would share ballpark pricing.

 

[sunchaser]

Our Stamoid top on a SS frame with Lexan side panels worked great. For winter there were 3 2x4 vertical supports. Before Stamoid it was a Sunbrella top. No issues with either in Sidney BC outdoors.

 

[Bmarler]

Reopening this thread I started. I finally got the insurance settlement and can begin the process of hiring contractors to do the work. I have a canvas shop lined up. Now looking for a shop to do the hard top. Everyone seems to be booked out into the summer.

Our location is Western Washington.

Any suggestions on shops very welcome

Thank you.

Try nordlunds yard in Tacoma. They have talented fiberglass people there. Not inexpensive though.

 

[Goody]

Reopening this thread I started. I finally got the insurance settlement and can begin the process of hiring contractors to do the work. I have a canvas shop lined up. Now looking for a shop to do the hard top. Everyone seems to be booked out into the summer.

Our location is Western Washington.

Any suggestions on shops very welcome

Thank you.

You might try OceanAire out of Bellingham (which is where I think the hardtop on our boat was made/installed). We bought our Tolly with this already installed. Thus far it has been wonderful. There is C channel that the Eisenglass panels hang from during the colder days. Has recessed puck LED lights installed in it as well. Plan to install flexible solar panels up there later this year. We are in Oak Harbor if we want to have a look at the top.

Kevin

 

[Portage_Bay]

Thanks all for recommendations. We may have to forget about a hard top due to shops being booked out too far. We'd miss too much of the season. The canvas shop has convinced me they can fabricate a soft top that won't collapse under snow. And I can add my own bracing during the riskier months.

 

[LIS Mainship]

We have a trawler, fiberglass hardtop on 1 1/4 stainless bimini-style frame with sunbrella - isinglass sides. We do love the hardtop & will never go back to canvas...put it on yiur list for later if you can...good luck.

 

[Snapdragon III]

Not sure if it would work on your boat, but I am working on replacing a soft top with a combination of hard solar panels, and Stamoid around the edges. The hard panels will be the top in the sections they are in. I plan to seal the joints between the panels to make them watertight. the plan (I have not tried this part yet) is to mechanically clamp the stamoid to the to the frame and edge of the panels with some butyl tape to make that joint watertight, then lace the outboard edge to the frame like a normal soft top. If the layout would work, the advantage to this approach would be that it's much lighter, and much cheaper. I have long post about the project going on here.

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/solar-bimini-project-71329.html