Hard Top

came to me with a fiberglass hard top that was constructed by the original owners (I am the second owner). I do not know many details of the construction of the top, so what I share here is more what I can see on the boat, and what I have added to it. The top is very strong. We have had up to 4 or 5 adults on it at one time with no feeling of flexing. As I received the boat the Lexan windshield had yellowed, making it un-useable. As I recall, having new 1/4" thick pieces made was less than $200.

This is a front view which clearly shows the curve built into the top. In order to protect the Lexan windshield, I made a snap on cover of Sunbrella® - this cover also adds some privacy to the cockpit.

The Lexan windshield is made up of 5 fixed panels and 3 hinged panels. The hinged panels are mounted with piano hinges and swing up. Also partly visible on the left is the clear plastic windows I made to totally enclose the cockpit.

From inside you can see one of the two laminated teak support beams that run from side to side. Also visible are my overhead mounted instruments and cockpit speaker for the stereo. Wires for the instruments run up the 1" stainless steel pole which is enclosed by teak at the end of the support beam.

A close up of one of the side support poles. The 4 side poles pass through the fiberglass and are supported below, as will be shown in further pictures. The pole is surrounded by two pieces of teak that are screwed together.

Another view of the same pole. Here you can see the heads of the wood screws clamping the two pieces of teak together. Also, you can see two of the 1/4-20 bolts that fasten the Lexan to the support.

Yet another view of the same pole. Here you see one of the bolt heads that fasten the Lexan to the support. The outside teak frame has small wood screws passing through the Lexan and into the teak to fasten it together.

An inside view of the port opening in the windshield.

A full view of the windshield.

Close up of a forward support. There are four of these that do not pass through the fiberglass deck. You can also see a couple of the small screws fastening the Lexan to the outside frame.

Inside looking down the passage to the aft cabin, there are two access ports that have been added.

Ok I know it is out of focus - I will get a better picture soon. This is the termination for one of the port side poles. The flange is mounted to a piece of teak that is bolted through the outside fiberglass. The white wires are the speaker wires for the cockpit speakers. This is the same mounting arrangement for both port side poles.

This is the aft starboard pole. It is resting on a large block of teak sitting on the fuel tank.

And this is the forward starboard pole. It also is resting on a large block of teak sitting, which you can not see.

I sewed together an enclosure 6 large (and two small) panels of clear plastic. Each side of a panel has a zipper that connects it to the adjacent panel. The panels are hung by twist fasteners on a 1" square teak rail under the hard top. This has been a blessing in keeping us absolutely dry in rain driven by 40 mph winds, and warm on cold days - especially if the sun is shining. In the summer, we roll the panels up and they are held by the hanging straps.

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