building own hardtop for small v hall boat

[Ric66]

I wanted to throw out a question to see what people thought. I am toying with the idea of making my own hardtop to replace my bimini. I would only be using it as shade, not for anything more strenuous. Basically I'm tired of putting up the top and snapping all the buttons. Weight is the biggest consideration as I know something top heavy could mean disaster. It would measure something like 4 foot by 6. I'd use aluminum tubing for the skeleton. My boat is 16.6 feet long, beam is 82 inches, and weight is a little below 1000lbs.  I always wondered if they could make a canvas top for a car that can go 70 mph, why can't they have something like that for a boat? Well, I did see something like that on youtube- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAzpizN1YvQ

 

I would love something like that without the mechanical part of it. No snaps, just lock it in place.

Thoughts?

[Seabass73]

I too was thinking about making a hard top for my 19 footer to get rid of the Bimini mostly for cold rainy days, I was looking at extending off the existing walk thru windshield at the same angle with 80/20 and then going horizontal to the mid of the boat and then down to the gunwale.  80/20 is great to work with it is extruded aluminum with a lot of bolt on fittings/angle brackets, and you can insert Lexan in the center channel.  Just never bit the bullet and attempted to make the top. The only down side it is a little pricey.

[Sk8man]

Bob - One of my friends owns an older 17 ft Montauk Whaler and decided to put a T top on it which he did and it fit properly  and looked great etc. He is mainly a perch and crappie fisherman and fishes Caanandaigua and Cranberry Lake  and smaller lakes. He now regrets doing it because when it is windy the boat is almost uncontrollable when anchored (even double anchored) because the weight distribution of the boat has changed, the center of gravity is higher and the wind gets under the T and lifts and pushes the boat around. His trolling speed is also more difficult to control when there is any wind whatsoever. I believe he is now considering taking it off. Just something to think over before actually implementing something I know what you seem to be considering is different (e.g. full hardtop) but .....sometimes changes to the boat structure can end up with unintended consequences.

Edited June 26, 2018 by Sk8man

[Ric66]

20 hours ago, Seabass73 said:

I too was thinking about making a hard top for my 19 footer to get rid of the Bimini mostly for cold rainy days, I was looking at extending off the existing walk thru windshield at the same angle with 80/20 and then going horizontal to the mid of the boat and then down to the gunwale.  80/20 is great to work with it is extruded aluminum with a lot of bolt on fittings/angle brackets, and you can insert Lexan in the center channel.  Just never bit the bullet and attempted to make the top. The only down side it is a little pricey.

Very similar with what I was thinking. Yes, it can get pricey when you factor all the fittings.

[Ric66]

19 hours ago, Sk8man said:

Bob - One of my friends owns an older 17 ft Montauk Whaler and decided to put a T top on it which he did and it fit properly  and looked great etc. He is mainly a perch and crappie fisherman and fishes Caanandaigua and Cranberry Lake  and smaller lakes. He now regrets doing it because when it is windy the boat is almost uncontrollable when anchored (even double anchored) because the weight distribution of the boat has changed, the center of gravity is higher and the wind gets under the T and lifts and pushes the boat around. His trolling speed is also more difficult to control when there is any wind whatsoever. I believe he is now considering taking it off. Just something to think over before actually implementing something I know what you seem to be considering is different (e.g. full hardtop) but .....sometimes changes to the boat structure can end up with unintended consequences.

Les- that is a bit surprising since it's not enclosed. I wouldn't think the wind would have that much effect. My current top is a stand up and I've noticed this catches the wind more than my old canvas top. About how high did he have the T top? I think T tops tend to be higher than bimini tops? Not sure if that's true or not. If I were to build a hard top it would definitely be lower than a stand up top. My other lower top kept more of the sun off me and as I said before, the wind didn't catch it as much. I don't even think an engineer could help with this problem unless they had experience with boats. I wonder if there is anyone in this area that builds hard tops for boats. Actually, it's not necessarily a hard top that I'm looking for. I'd settle for a canvas cover if I could trailer it to and from the lake. I did that with my old boat because I knew I wouldn't be keeping the boat too long so if the canvas ripped, not a big deal. And it was ugly as sin🤢. Anyway, thanks for giving me something to think about.

Bob

[Sk8man]

Just a thought but you may want to talk with John Mann at Sodus Bay canvas if you deccide on that approach He is a true wizard with the canvas and has made about every possible canvas option both on salt water in Florida and back home here in Sodus Point.  He could probably suggest something that may work as well or better than the xomplexities of doing a hard top installation. Worth condsidering along with the other possibilities anyway. Either way good luck with it Bob  Les

Here is his number:

315 871 6400

[Ric66]

19 hours ago, Sk8man said:

Just a thought but you may want to talk with John Mann at Sodus Bay canvas if you deccide on that approach He is a true wizard with the canvas and has made about every possible canvas option both on salt water in Florida and back home here in Sodus Point.  He could probably suggest something that may work as well or better than the xomplexities of doing a hard top installation. Worth condsidering along with the other possibilities anyway. Either way good luck with it Bob  Les

Here is his number:

315 871 6400

Thanks Les. I'm going to look into this. I've been meaning to look into some side curtains anyway.

[J.D.]

Fishmaster.com makes folding  T tops..... 

[dawg]

I have a Fishmaster folding ttop with electronics box and 2 windows for sale pm me if interested


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Ric66]

Not looking for a Ttop but more of a hardtop replacement for a convertible top.