Adding a hardtop

[foggysail]

I put a 8'x14.5' aluminum hardtop on my 40' trawler. Total weight of roof and supporting structure is about 400lbs (1/8" Al sheets and 2" squarex1/4" thick supports). On top of that I added 600 watts of my semi-flexible solar panels (about 5lbs each).
I haven't worked out the solution for the glass walls. Had the roof manufactured in Gananoque, ON by Tennant's Welding

That is heavy. The Atlantic Tower's hardtops on my boat were easily handled with 2 guys. Sure the support piping added additional weight but not much. The last top I had installed was 109" X 128'' if I remember correctly. I doubt the top by itself weighed over 125#s

 

[Mrwesson]

We replaced our canvas on the fly bridge of our trawler with a Hardtotop, custom made top. Home | Hard To Top We loved the top for sun protection and no leaks in the highest winds and rains, 80kts + during Irma. No problems, We installed our self and added three 245 watt panels on top of the hardtotop.

How much did it cost?

 

[Comodave]

I have put hardtotop hardtops on 2 boats. The first one was around $800 but it was not their premium version and it was much smaller than the current one on my 41’ President. The one on the President is much larger and is the premium version. It cost about $2200.

 

[Seevee]

Thanks for all the comments. With the above info, I'm sure I can come up with a good light weight solution that beat the heck out of canvas.

Just shopping for a look a like glass product that will hold up and stay clear. Wont do isinglass.

 

[ranger58sb]

I don't think isenglass (the brand) has been made in years, decades maybe.

Might be good to find out what you have in your original. Wouldn't surprise me if it's Stratoglass, and wouldn't surprise me if your original bimini/enclosure was made by Gioia Sails, in their St. Augustine facility. If so, they'd have records or materials, if that helps.

Stratoglass has a decent rep, though they did have a bad batch or two sometime way back when. Don't know details. But assuming you might have that, and assuming you didn't have part of any bad batch... mostly the product is known for being killed by cleaning with the wrong stuff, scraping off the protective coating. If yours is Startglass, Imar 301/302 is all they recommend.

FWIW, I looked up our sheet vinyl; ours is .040 gauge Ultralite/Regalite. Seems to have held up fairly well, over these last 9 years. Same cleaning products; only Imar 301/302.

But it's still still "roll-able" sheet vinyl, not at all like the clarity of semi-rigid polycarbonate (Makrolon, EZ2CY, etc.). There are likely several other decent brands of sheet vinyl.

-Chris

 

[BandB]

There are several good top manufacturers. Someone listed Atlantic Towers earlier. Bausch American is also good. If you want the best, you can't beat Pipewelders but they are also more expensive.

 

[ralphcramden]

have you been in heavy seas after adding hardtop. how has it affected stability?

 

[Choices]

I watched a father and son make one in Ruston, roughly 12'x12'. Used a flexible foam sandwich and vacuum bagged it. Very light, but was large enough they used a crane. Reinforced to allow radar, antennas, etc.

Fit like a glove, smooth as glass, beautiful. $10k

Problem is hurricanes, they will tear it an probably cabin roof off.

 

[foggysail]

I have two hard tops, one over the helm and the other over the rear deck plus a radar arch. The way they were installed, I think they would go down with the rest of the boat in a hurricane.

I had two reasons for adding the second over the helm. The fist was I was fed up with canvas developing mold and leaks over the years. The second that provided the greatest driving force was to add more solar. I have four 290 watt panels with two mounted on each hardtop. It was a decision I happily made.

 

[sunchaser]

have you been in heavy seas after adding hardtop. how has it affected stability?

That is an excellent question. I'd guess the answer to be "not yet".

 

[foggysail]

My rough water was limited to Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay. Beyond those experiences, I would never want to be in anything worse. It is common to take water over the hard tops.....NOT WAVES plowing ahead around 12 knots. Boat shows no performance differences with the hardtops

 

[BandB]

With modern materials and methods, hardtops don't weigh all that much more than canvas with frames. We never saw any difference in stability or performance in switching. Now, the caveat is lightweight hardtop. As to hurricanes, I've not observed any additional damage to hardtops over any other aspect of boats. Again, far less than canvas and while canvas should always be removed, it often isn't. Certainly the quality of the hardtop installation plays a role. The occasion in which I've seen badly damaged hardtops was flying or falling debris landing on one and it actually saved the flybridge from more extensive damage.

 

[ralphcramden]

67

 

[Ken E.]

Those Atlantic Tower hard tops look good. Anyone have one built and shipped to CA? Work out ok?

I had Atlantic Towers build one for my present boat in 2013 and ship it to Bellingham WA. No problems getting it here via truck and it fit perfectly. Great at keeping both sun and rain off, and as a base for solar panels. No noticeable effect on CG.

 

[Comodave]

I have put hardtotop.com hardtops on 2 boats now. They are lightweight and able to be shipped by truck. No affiliation. Just like their hardtops. You use the bimini frame to put them on. My current boat top is very large so I had to upgrade the bimini bows to 1.25”. The install of the hardtop is DIY. Took us a day to install it. The company isn’t the most responsive but keep calling if you are interested. I had 1.25” bows made for mine and it cost about $800 for 4 bows but I had some of the parts already. Mine is at least 10’ wide, don’t remember exactly.

 

[Turner]

Turner: Before making a decision, I’d call Marine Liquidators in Ft. Pierce, FL. My last trip over there, they had dozens of clean take-offs and factory close-outs in lots of colors. Your size is not that rare.

Will do, thanks

 

[JoeyAboard]

Have any of you had any serious damage on the roof from weather conditions ?

 

[Comodave]

No damage ever but I have not had it in a hurricane.

 

[Seevee]

Following with interest. On the lighter weight solutions (like hardtotop, for example) has anyone seen these mounted in such a way where one could lower them a couple of feet for bridge clearance? I love hard tops, but as an aspiring looper, I worry about clearance on some boats we have seen if we added a hard top.
Seevee, since you asked about ideas/designs I hope this is not too much of a thread drift.

AZ,

Air height for the loop is as follows:

1. Chicago River ... downtown route the air draft is 17 ft.
2. Calumet Sag Sanitation Canal ... 19 ft. 7 inch (new charts)
3. Erie Canal from Albany to Oswego ... 20 ft.
4. Western half of Erie Canal ... 15 ft. 5 inches OR less
(with high pool levels after heavy rains as little as 15.0 ft.)
5. Lake Champlain Route & Richelieu River ... 17 ft.
6. Rideau Waterway ... 22 ft.
7. Trent-Severn Waterway ... 22 ft.

As an absolute minimum you need the 19ft 7 in to get thru Chicago as there is no other way around that.

 

[Seevee]

Lots of great idea, need to go to work.

I sure like the concept of the HardToTop units, looks like an easy install, light weight, reasonable and easy options. Great product but I don't like translucent panels and poor service, poor service being the killer.

Need to make some calls to the others....

 

[BandB]

AZ,

Air height for the loop is as follows:

1. Chicago River ... downtown route the air draft is 17 ft.
2. Calumet Sag Sanitation Canal ... 19 ft. 7 inch (new charts)
3. Erie Canal from Albany to Oswego ... 20 ft.
4. Western half of Erie Canal ... 15 ft. 5 inches OR less
(with high pool levels after heavy rains as little as 15.0 ft.)
5. Lake Champlain Route & Richelieu River ... 17 ft.
6. Rideau Waterway ... 22 ft.
7. Trent-Severn Waterway ... 22 ft.

As an absolute minimum you need the 19ft 7 in to get thru Chicago as there is no other way around that.

Note that while there are new charts on Calumet Sag, the bridge hasn't gotten any taller, just the estimation of normal pool. Therefore, I'd keep in mind the old numbers of 19'1" and 19'2" as well, especially in the spring. Often times the clearance is 20' or more but it may also be as low as the 19'2" on occasion. However, if you can clear 19'7" in normal circumstances, you can probably load enough to gain the extra 5". Note also these clearances are in calm pool. Yes, when that close, it makes a difference.

 

[Comodave]

I like the translucent panels on our hardtotop hardtop. It keeps the bridge well lit withour direct sun. As to service, I have had good service from them, what service I needed was nothing to speak of. They are sometimes hard to get in contact with but they are a small business. Overall I really like mine which is the second one from them. It is really nice not to have leaks like we had with the bimini top and with the essentially straight top fabricating the side panels for the enclosure is simple.

 

[Seevee]

I like the translucent panels on our hardtotop hardtop. It keeps the bridge well lit withour direct sun. As to service, I have had good service from them, what service I needed was nothing to speak of. They are sometimes hard to get in contact with but they are a small business. Overall I really like mine which is the second one from them. It is really nice not to have leaks like we had with the bimini top and with the essentially straight top fabricating the side panels for the enclosure is simple.

Thx for the comments. I'm going to call them again. I really like their product for the most part.

But small business is not a good reason to not communicate.

 

[NancieLafferty]

I have just joined this forum because I am looking to replace the canvas on our 35' PT Sundeck with some kind of hard top and need to get my ducks in a row to present to my husband. Your boats both look beautiful and I wonder if you have been pleased with the performance of your replacement biminis in the long run and if the cost and labor worked out well. I have copied your photos. Thanks, Nancie Lafferty

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. We are very happy with our hardtotop hardtop. It is basically a DIY install so the cost is minimal other than the cost of the hardtop. It also make fabricating side curtains simple because you can install aluminum keder strips under the hardtop. They will bend the keder strips to the same curve as the hardtop.

 

[FF]

Size the hardtop by the goodies you will put there .

BIG Solar , radar, sat tv dome?

 

[Seevee]

Thought I'd resurrect this thread one more time to see if there's any other good tops folks have put on their boat?

 

[lipets]

making my own out of fiberglass

 

[mvweebles]

As part of a larger refit, have one under construction at a yard in Ensenada, MX (70 nms south of San Diego) as we speak. 7.5' x 11.0'. Fiberglass over 1/2" Divinylcell foam. Attached are a couple dry-fit pics prior to finish work and painting (note - pic was taken in panorama and has a slight wave to it). Separately, bench seats are also new (old seat was a thwart bench), and old mahogany caprail has been encapsulated.

 

[Seevee]

Can you comment about the weight of the Fiberglass over 1/2" Divinylcell foam? And, how rigid is it .... will it hold itself up without supports? Thx.