Hard top full length of the flybridge

[NWpilot]

Xlantic​

I've used Eterna bond on my RV roof for about8 years and the stuff is good. It sticks to almost anything and it's almost impossible to remove. Because of this there is a bit of a learning curve in cutting it and applying. It comes in widths from 1-1/2" to 12".

 

[Takoradi]

This is what we had constructed. Stainless Steel with a Starboard top.




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Beautiful. What was the cost if you don’t mind sharing?

 

[paulpoz]

This is what we had constructed. Stainless Steel with a Starboard top.




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That is gorgeous. Nice job.

 

[paulpoz]

When the time came to replace my Bimini top five years ago I realised that solar panels were cheaper than Sunbrella so I designed and had fabricated a "solar hardtop" for the flybridge.

The original Bimini top was quite small and only covered the back-to-back bench seating at the very front of the flybridge:
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The new solar hardtop was longer, reaching all the way to the mast and covering about a third of the large fly-bridge:
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The aluminum structure supporting the solar panels is attached to the railing around the fly-bridge, and to the mast at the back:View attachment 163526

The front of the superstructure in Grand Banks is quite angular, reflecting their wooden heritage. The front and the back of the new solar hardtop intends to echo that shape. And this angularity facilitated the fabrication as the hardtop is welded aluminum rectangular tubes and bent welded sheet for the front and back.

Acid etching the aluminum frame before painting. (If I were to do it again I would probably leave the aluminum bare. It just doesn't like to be painted.):
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Primed and ready for two-part polyurethane paint:
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Very nice!!

 

[clburti]

We are looking at all options. Ideal is a hard top with interior lighting

We have a stainless tubing frame incorporated with our radar arch, covered in Stamoid material. Very stiff, durable and much lighter than rigid materials. I believe it was installed when our 1993 GB 49 CL was commissioned.
Have drop side curtains for the front half, but haven't used them, they install in a track on top and snaps at the bottom.

 

[ValhowellPower]

We have a stainless tubing frame incorporated with our radar arch, covered in Stamoid material. Very stiff, durable and much lighter than rigid materials. I believe it was installed when our 1993 GB 49 CL was commissioned.
Have drop side curtains for the front half, but haven't used them, they install in a track on top and snaps at the bottom.

We have a 91 with the same SS arch. Do you have photos of the internal frame and showing how the vertical panels attach? Thanks

 

[clburti]

These show the frame fairly well, but don't show how the panels are attached very clearly. The panels have a cord sewn into the top hem that slides into and along a slotted tube mounted at the top of the frame with Ideal lift-the-dot snaps at the bottom. Fairly traditional attachment, m

uch like old school sports car convertible tops.

 

[ksanders]

Beautiful. What was the cost if you don’t mind sharing?

Thanks!!!

Here is how the costs broke down...

Stainless steel framework $9,000 USD. This also included a set of railing behind the aft settee forming the aft part of the canvass.

Starboard 1/2" 2 pcs $900 approx.

Canvass enclosure labor $4,000 USD
Canvass enclosure materials $1300 USD.

All total... $15,200. This was US prices for the materials. I did not include Mexicos import fees or high cost of shipping to get the materials to La Paz BCS Mexico.

 

[redline]

We have a stainless tubing frame incorporated with our radar arch, covered in Stamoid material. Very stiff, durable and much lighter than rigid materials. I believe it was installed when our 1993 GB 49 CL was commissioned.
Have drop side curtains for the front half, but haven't used them, they install in a track on top and snaps at the bottom.

Probably the only good looking hard top on a GB I have ever seen. Most totally ruin the profile of the boat, and are top heavy in appearance.

 

[SIBERNUT]

The track and insert is probably Kedertrack/Kederwelt

 

[Dbnunn]

We are thinking of putting a hard top the full length of the fly bridge on a 49. We would like to drop side curtains for a complete entertaining enclosure. That’s 11.5 ft wide and about 21’ long. I’m wondering if others have done anything near this ambitious. Would love to hear about others and see photos. Thanks.

We are thinking of putting a hard top the full length of the fly bridge on a 49. We would like to drop side curtains for a complete entertaining enclosure. That’s 11.5 ft wide and about 21’ long. I’m wondering if others have done anything near this ambitious. Would love to hear about others and see photos. Thanks.

 

[Dbnunn]

We are thinking of putting a hard top the full length of the fly bridge on a 49. We would like to drop side curtains for a complete entertaining enclosure. That’s 11.5 ft wide and about 21’ long. I’m wondering if others have done anything near this ambitious. Would love to hear about others and see photos. Thanks.

 

[Dbnunn]

Hi not the same boat but on our Nimus 38 Commander we carried out a major DIY project and added a hard top. This year we will install Solor panels see https://nimbusowners.co.uk/files/newsletters/2024/aug/Summer 2022.pdf

 

[mcarthur]

Up and away:
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Thin panels hide the cabling. I added strips of LED lighting inside the lower lips of the solar panels for lighting the seating area:
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Extending the roof further back facilitated enlarging the sitting and entertaining area of the fly-bridge. I removed the faux chimney and added a table and a third bench seat. Eight can dine confortably up there now, and ten at a pinch.

Of course, the six solar panels with a combined nominal capacity of 2 kW is a huge additional benefit. And cheaper than fitted Sunbrella.

Great to see. What dimensions aluminium square/rectangular did you use?
It looks like about 40x20mm for the middle and wider (60x20mm?) for the edges? 2mm thick?

Also have you had any trouble having the windage and weight attached through what looks like bimini uprights and fittings? Any strong wind problems?

 

[Xlantic]

I believe the aluminum structure was built with tubes of 40x30x4mm and 40x20x2mm.

I did use Bimini uprights and fittings. The tubes were SS 25mm (1") diameter. I replaced the set screws in the fittings with a SS rivets, after drilling a hole in the tubes. The fittings are attached to the aluminum structure with SS bolts and Nylock nuts.

Weight is not a big issue. Each panel weighs 22 kg. (50#) so 132 kg. (290#) for the six. I don't know what the aluminum structure weighs but I remember two of us could easily carry it. Say 30-40 kg. (80#). So around 170 kg. (370#) in total.

No problems with strong winds. The profile is quite shallow. And the panel structure is supported by a total of ten uprights, in addition to being attached to the mast by a SS band.

The uprights are angled in a way that gives the structure great rigidity, which in strong winds is as important as strength (remember the Tacoma Narrows bridge incident).

The boat is based in Menorca where we have a strong northern wind called the Tramontana. It can blow for two or three days at time and, in winter, it often gusts in excess 50 knots. But the panels have stayed in place over these last five years.