C-Dory with extended roof

[Sea Wolf]

How far was the frame shipped for the $150?

It would be great to have someone like Bluye Coral build it, as they already have the plans, measurements, templates, etc.

What would it cost to send it across from the East Coast to the West Coast, and would it stand much of a chance arriving intact? (Not bent up!)

We could do no better than about a 50% average in getting a sailboat mast from San Diego or Los Angles to the Bay Area, so we started bring them up ourselves during trips for regattas. Seems the forklift operators liked to run over them, even though we wrapped the outside paper tubes with spiral red tape, etc!

I really like these shade covers without the support arms that are typically found on most Bimini tops that interfere with fishing and getting into and out of the boat.

I need to stay out of the sun as much as possible, after 33 years of racing sailboats. Dr.'s Orders!!!

Don't need side coverings here on Lake Shasta. I have them on my SeaRay, but leave them rolled up most all year long. No no-see-ems, almost no mosquitoes, and the cabin of both boats is plenty adequate in size without a second enclosed area, plus both boats are in covered moorage.

Joe.

[BRAZO]

Hi Joe,

I'm not exactly sure on the $150 - but very close to that number. Blue Coral www.bluecoraltowers.com is in Pensacola, Florida and we are in Madison, WI -- about 1000 miles.

They packaged the frame very carefully and we had no dents/scratches/etc. They made a minor modification to the frame that allowed it to be shipped easier (the support arms are hinged).

They did an awesome job on our canvas frame - very professionally done - not just straight work, it actually has a nice style to it. I worked with Roland from Blue Coral - I'm guessing that he is the owner(850-453-0330). Roland followed up with me a few times to see how the install went - he was first reluctant to do the frame without the boat, but after e-mailing them a number of times they agreed to do it. His concern was how close the fit on the boat would be when I installed it -- it was basically perfect fit.

[Sea Wolf]

[flrockytop]

[quote="Sea Wolf"]

[Capt Harpoon]

I thought I would resurrect this 18-month old thread to ask:
1) has anyone else done a top like this?
2) if Roger (C-Lover) and Robert (Brazo) were going to do it again, would you make any changes to the design?
3) Would any design difference be necessary to fit our 2006 (with low roof) instead of your 2007 and 2008 (with high roof)?
We originally thought a conventional bimini top was best for us, but after going through a couple design options we are looking at your canvas frames again as a real possibility for us.
Thanks.

[Discovery]

I would like to have a cockpit top made for our TomCat. Like the ones pictured here. I am in Texas ( Rockport ) and our boat is in Utah. I have talked to fabricators here in Texas, but no one is willing to make a top without having the TomCat in their shop. I want a cockpit cover strong enough to carry an 8' 6" inflatable dingy. I also want a full camperback for use in British Columbia and Alaska. I guess i understand the fabricators requirement to have the boat on site. Any other TomCat owners interested in a cockpit hardtop? The coastal states have many fabricators, Utah not so many, or maybe none at all.

Brent

[rogerbum]

Brent, I've thought about it but it would add a lot of weight (several hundred pounds) to the TomCat to fully cover the cockpit with a hardtop. Also, it does require permanent supports in the read corners which will inhibit fishing. What I'd like is a 2' extension of the cabin roof into the cockpit.

[BRAZO]

[Capt Harpoon]

Thank you, Robert, that is what I wanted to know!
I emailed Blue Coral Towers this morning and hope to hear back from them soon.

[flrockytop]

[Capt Harpoon]

Like a Rosborough?!

[Doryman]

[mmitchell]

There is a couple that we meet in Homer in 91-92 that had the factory add storage compartments on the roof above the door. They also had a fiberglass hard lid incorporated above the back deck. Very useable space as we all know is a premium.

[thataway]

A couple of thoughts: You may want to have a "hump" up to bring the height in the cockpit higher than the actual top of the back of the cabin. The center of the roof crown in my TC 255 is 74" and at the edges seems to be about 1.5" less. My Bimini has another 10" above the cabin roof, and a sloping panel to the cabin top. You could do a solid top, and then a canvas panel? You want ventillation in the heat of the day, especially at Powell under the Bimini or top: it gets pretty hot under there. I probably would duplicate the crown of the roof, put in some ventillation (clear hatches do work as solar collectors, even in dark shades). I had a hard top over a flying bridge--about 11 x 12 feet. It was made out of patio roof material--2" styrofoam with aluminum skins and then one layer of glass cloth over the top, with it draped over the edges (epoxy), to give finished edges. This was then painted with Awlgrip. It was strong enough to walk on. But it was flat--that is why I recommend some crown.

Also think about entrance into the aft cockpit from a higher dock. Occasionally it is easier for us to unzip the forward pannel (zippers fore and aft on the pannel for side access.

Wow--$500 is a fantastic price--but my guess is that it would be considerably more with a crown, hump, finished sides and insullation for a Tom Cat. There are top makers who will take your dimensions and make what you want. A mold is not that hard to make (Formica waxed)

As for the back, with fiberglass you can canteleaver the back with supports further forward. We did this with the large top over the flying bridge on the Symbol we owned. A couple of feet of cantelevering is strong and easy to do. But also remember that you want access to this top--and probably want it no further out than the gunnels or cocpit combing?

[Discovery]