Northsea34
Member
I joined the forum back in the fall of '23 just before purchasing our '78 North Sea (CHB) tri-cabin, and have been gleaning great advice since. North Sea (also her name, given by the PO) has been under cover in Seattle most of her life, so is in remarkably good condition for an old gal.
I'll skip right to my question/idea, then fill in some details for anyone who wants to keep reading. While many of these boats have flybridge biminis, I've yet to see a picture of one with a cover over the aft cabin, either integrated or separate from the flybridge bimini. A friend made an aft cover that basically lays flat and hangs over the sides (with clear plastic windows) that can be walked on. But I'm envisioning a bimini top over the aft cabin that mounts to the side rails, the width of the boat over the side decks, tall enough to walk under between ladders, but maybe foldable/collapsible while underway. It would also be nice to have removeable sides and back for off-season protection. Has anyone seen anything like this or made something that provides some protection from the elements for the aft cabin and decks?
The forward and side decks, and both upper decks are in great shape, no leaking thanks to all those decades in covered slips which isn't an option in our Hadlock or Port Townsend marinas. The aft deck has some buckling, but not bad enough to rip out and replace (yet). There is a good cover for the flybridge that is quick and easy to put on and take off. I copied my friend's aft cabin cover with just a poly tarp (lots of holes and slits around the uprights) reinforced with Zip tape, an effective but short term winter solution. I plan to do the same thing with some better material at some point. We also made a "tent" out of good material that uses the lowered mast as a ridge pole (see picture attached). This worked great for a winter cover, but it is a bit of a hassle to take off and put on when we want to head out on day trips.
My wife and I are less than a month away from retirement and looking forward to cruising the Salish Sea and beyond. We hired our friend, Cody Patterson, to upgrade our entire electrical system this past winter, and he's currently installing a new windlass for us. I highly recommend him for any marine systems upgrades in the Port Townsend region. soundmaintenanceinc.com
This is a friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful community, and I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas and input.
Dave & Michele
I'll skip right to my question/idea, then fill in some details for anyone who wants to keep reading. While many of these boats have flybridge biminis, I've yet to see a picture of one with a cover over the aft cabin, either integrated or separate from the flybridge bimini. A friend made an aft cover that basically lays flat and hangs over the sides (with clear plastic windows) that can be walked on. But I'm envisioning a bimini top over the aft cabin that mounts to the side rails, the width of the boat over the side decks, tall enough to walk under between ladders, but maybe foldable/collapsible while underway. It would also be nice to have removeable sides and back for off-season protection. Has anyone seen anything like this or made something that provides some protection from the elements for the aft cabin and decks?
The forward and side decks, and both upper decks are in great shape, no leaking thanks to all those decades in covered slips which isn't an option in our Hadlock or Port Townsend marinas. The aft deck has some buckling, but not bad enough to rip out and replace (yet). There is a good cover for the flybridge that is quick and easy to put on and take off. I copied my friend's aft cabin cover with just a poly tarp (lots of holes and slits around the uprights) reinforced with Zip tape, an effective but short term winter solution. I plan to do the same thing with some better material at some point. We also made a "tent" out of good material that uses the lowered mast as a ridge pole (see picture attached). This worked great for a winter cover, but it is a bit of a hassle to take off and put on when we want to head out on day trips.
My wife and I are less than a month away from retirement and looking forward to cruising the Salish Sea and beyond. We hired our friend, Cody Patterson, to upgrade our entire electrical system this past winter, and he's currently installing a new windlass for us. I highly recommend him for any marine systems upgrades in the Port Townsend region. soundmaintenanceinc.com
This is a friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful community, and I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas and input.
Dave & Michele