Hard Tops for trawler flybridges

Our GB 36 was a rare experiment on the part of American Marine. Knowing full well that the established definition of a motorsailer is a boat that's a poor powerboat and an even poorer sailboat, they set out to debunk the definition. The hull they chose for their grand experiment was #403. It is, in essence, a full-up GB36 with the complete sailing rig from a Newport 30. So it carries a full-size main, a full-size genoa, a full-size spinnaker, and so on. Between the engines there is an enclosure for a large centerboard.

We would have used the sailing rig more often but the currents up here generally cancel out much of one's forward progress under sail, and the winds tend to blow from a different direction every few hundred yards. So unless one simply wants to be out sailing and getting somewhere is not the objective, traveling under sail in these waters is generally pretty unproductive. We have since removed the Newport 30 sailing rig.

Ironically this is a Sea Ranger 48 Sundeck with a brand new custom made hard top. *This is also the boat with the gyro stabilizer thingy in it. *Sorry, this is the only pic I took so all I got for now.

Thanks Baker for the picture of the Sea Ranger 48... if you ever have a chance to snap a few more, I would love to see them. *I wonder who this trawler is and where the top was done. *(By the way, I am also trying to find out more of the history of Sea Rangers - if the owner ever wants to get in touch!)

Marin, of course you are quite right that if the bimini is easily folded, it doesn't matter how tall it is.... *As you mention, up top is a really great place to stretch out and read or have lunch - but without our bimini, it is just too darn hot. *We only drive from up top when the weather is nice; we always use the lower helm station for docking and casting off from our slip. *There is an interior staircase so we can move up and down from the flybridge to our pilothouse really quickly.


C lectric, believe it or not, originally there were 3 sets of spacers.. ..the water pooling is probably worse now by the removal of one set, although this was done before the new cover was made.


Forklift, thanks for the comparison pix of your bimini.... what a difference it makes to have it stretch right to the radar arch. *I really like the change!

DeliaRosa: *I think Woodsong shows a pretty good eye there with the glass hardtop. *Of course, you'd be stuck with the height. *Here's a cleaned-up version of his idea. *Hope you didn't hold a copyright on this photo, Woodsong.

I'll bet it would look even better w no FB at all.

healhustler, great job!

Eric, I personally think the flybridge on a raised pilothouse looks good. With us being down here in the lower 48 we actually see the sun a good bit and it is nice to sit up top on a nice summer day and enjoy the view.

Ha Ha, I thought Healhustler would come out of the woodwork over this one. Nice pic. As you can see, I'm still test-driving forward raked front screens. Delia Rosa, I agree your bimini is built tough, and not intended to be taken down, except in preparation for a hurricane, by the looks. I disagree about it being too far forward. It is in exactly the right place, and as it is still so strongly built, and with canvas in quite good condition, and looks pretty good in my opinion, so unless made of money why do anything. A bit of pooling water on it is nothing. You are not going to be sitting up there if it's dripping, and wind will soon blow-dry it out. Then, when one day it is really past it's best by date, you have the option of the hardtop, which as Windsong and Healhustler have ably demonstrated, would look good. Or...the other option of canvas again, but taken back to join onto the radar arch, which would then provide an excellent strong point for it to fold back to when & if necessary. Just don't turn it into a hothouse with plastic covers all round, is my suggestion. The Clipper 40 in the link below is another good example of how it looks with good bimini back to the targa/radar arch.
http://www.clippermotoryachts.com.au/models/detail/heritage-40/

My husband and I both liked the hard top version best. *With the top kept at 19 feet, we could easily fit under most bridges, and have the advantage of being able to add lighting to the top and even solar panels if we wanted. *Thanks for the mocked up pictures - they really helped us visualize a hard top for Delia Rosa.*(By the way Healhustler - what did you use to clean up Woodsong's version.. it looks very realistic!)

As a secondary option, we also liked the idea of extending the canvas back to the radar arch. *I think that would really improve the look of our canvas bimini. Unfortunately, we haven't found anyone interested in modifying our current frame to flatten and lower it and with the new geometry, we would probably also need to do all new canvas so we are still looking at a fairly expensive option.


We could just leave the bimini as is as Peter B. suggests. *Last summer we went without the bimini and roasted up top... * Maybe this summer we will stay cool with the bimini up, ignore the wind and rain, and just not travel under any fixed bridges! Unless we win a lottery of course.



In the meantime, come on springtime.... I want to get Delia Rosa off the hard and into the water!!!

Had an hour to waste in Starbucks this morning, and I got to playing with DeliaRose again. *Here's some examples of what everyone's been talking about. *All this, of course, done in photoshop...not time to make perfect, but you get the idea.

-- Edited by healhustler on Tuesday 25th of January 2011 01:26:15 PM

You know, this forum is just great! Healhustler, you are to be commended for your efforts and helpfulness! This place rocks!

Personally, I still think the hardtop would look best if it had solid fiberglass supports at the aft corners...kind of like a radar arch and top all built as one. Forgive the lack of correct terminology, but I think it would add an architectural element to it that makes it feel part of the boat vs. just a big flat sheet bolted onto the top.

I still think it looks better with the flybridge! To pull of no flybridge you almost need more downeast style lines, IMHO.

Wow.... thanks for all the versions.... glad that you had time to play around with the design versions... * For me, seeing makes choosing easier then just imagining.

Thanks everyone for all the comments and ideas.


And if any of you are ever anywhere near us (Sunset Bay Marina, Wilson New York) I hope you'll drop by dock #78!


Susan and Dan


-- Edited by Delia Rosa on Tuesday 25th of January 2011 11:48:25 AM

Well if I was me and in Alaska or Washington state I'd go for the last (#6) photo.
But if I was Delia Rosa I'd go for the 2nd or 4th pic.
The hard top looks bad as it is just a flat slab. It actually makes the boat look less attractive than it was. The soft tops don't look good either but they are almost netural.
If it were my boat in sunland I'd sans the FB and but a nice big canvas cover the entire aft deck. What a great place it would be. Oh*** ...I just noticed the Davit and dinghy.
Tony I see your point but I don't think those slab/big flat board supports look good anywhere as they represent too much visual mass. That high up the visual mass is too objectionable. Small dia metal struts look light even if they are not. Another way to make the boat look light high up is to make the canvas the light brown (beige) color.

For mine, I'd go for 3 or 4 as the pick of the bunch. I like shade up top, but minimal windage and weight.