C-Dory with extended roof

[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]

2) if Roger (C-Lover) and Robert (Brazo) were going to do it again, would you make any changes to the design?

No design changes on our end - we LOVE the frame/bimini top. After having the frame/bimini top, I won't have a C-Dory without one.

 

[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]

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.

This has worked well for me and would not make any changes. That being said, I'm getting ready to take a little trip for about a month. There is a local guy that can make the top out of fiberglass for about $500. I've seen his work and it looks factory. I'm going to check it out when I get back.

Roger

 

[Capt Harpoon]

Like a Rosborough?!

 

[Doryman]

I would like to have a cockpit top made for our TomCat.

Brent, you are an avid fisherman -- won't a permanent hardtop interfere with your fishing?

Warren

 

[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]

For anyone wanting to see Brazo's extended roof, here it is:



and the frame:


and a link for the WHOLE STORY

Nice job, Robert!

Joe. :teeth :thup

As you can see from the pics, the canopy has NO REAR LEGS to impede fishing. Also the top is at least a foot higher than the cabin top. Roger said that his canopy weight was around 40 lbs. and the canvas weighted more than the frame. I realize that a top for the TomCat would be a foot wider and longer than the CD 22 top, but it might not add that much more weight. Even if it did require another leg, it could be positioned 1/2 way back along the frame. It would still be less to fish around than a standard bimini top, with all the bows.

Brent

 

[thataway]

My major concern with the cantaleavered frame is getting in and out of the boat from a high dock, and getting from the cocpit to the side deck. I am tall, and have some back problems which may color my view about this. Otherwise it is a great design. The fiberglass will weigh more than the Canvas, but not a lot more, if properly done with light weight core material.

 

[BRAZO]

My major concern with the cantaleavered frame is getting in and out of the boat from a high dock, and getting from the cocpit to the side deck.

For the most part, the frame doesn't create any more challenges than what a normal high dock can cause (w/CD22). In some ways it gives you more points of contact (handles, etc) to get yourself in and out of the boat.

But we are still fairly young without issues, so I can't comment on the possible issues with experience.

 

[rogerbum]

Brent, I don't yet have much experience fishing from my tomcat but with the engines on the bracket, I assume that most netting of fish is done by bringing them along the side. Hence, if you do need a second support, I don't think you'd want it too far rearward. Nonetheless, I can see how such a setup would likely be less hassle for fishing than the typical canvas bimini. One thing you might consider if you go with fiberglass is to design it in such a way that the support tubes can also be used as "rain gutters". I saw a boat at the Seattle boat show that had such a design. In brief, the rail supports for 2' extension to the cabin roof were similar to the bent rails supporting Brazo's top. They terminated in the comers of the extended roof as through holes. the lower end went to a drain under the gunwales. The roof had a little lip on it to keep the water from running off the back side and to direct it to the drains. I have some pictures I'll post when I get a chance.

 

[DaveS]

My major concern with the cantaleavered frame is getting in and out of the boat from a high dock, and getting from the cocpit to the side deck.

For the most part, the frame doesn't create any more challenges than what a normal high dock can cause (w/CD22).

Robert, I suspect that what Dr. Bob is referring to (above) by a "high dock" is in areas where "fixed" docks are present and there is a significant fluctuation of water levels due to tidal (or lake level) changes.
Personally, I would not have thought about that as all of the docks that I have frequented in this area have floating docks, so it would be a non-issue. However, this issue could be a real concern since we do trailer our boats and although we may not think it an issue now, we could end up in waters where fixed docks and significant water level changes are present.

 

[Discovery]

Dr. Bob,

I agree that a large tidal flux and fixed docks could be a problem.

This is the dock at Panama City Marina, Florida. The CD 22 is Kurbit.
At times the tide was even lower than this pic shows. We would have to climb on the cabin roof and step over to the dock. I don't think the fixed cockpit canopy would be any harder than negotiating around a bimini top. The hardtop would be easier to hold on to than the flimsy bimini. You could egress from the other side of the boat, go forward and onto the dock from the bow.

Brent

 

[BRAZO]

by a "high dock" is in areas where "fixed" docks are present and there is a significant fluctuation of water levels due to tidal (or lake level) changes.

Not sure why this would be an issue. Many times we are at a dock where the fixed dock is much higher than the boat (without tides) and the frame is not a factor. It's a challenge either way and sometimes the frame helps with a place to grab while boarding.

Thanks.

 

[rogerbum]

Here's a picture of the Ocean Sport 34 fiberglass roof extension. This is the kind of thing I'd want for a TomCat.

The aft support rail serves as a "rain gutter".

 

[Discovery]

Rogerbum,

Thanks for the pic of the Ocean Sport. Interesting idea, not sure if the diameter of the drain tube could keep up with much rain. I want something big enough to act as a camperback top, and a place to store a 8' 6" dingy.

Yes, most fish are netted from the side, and that's why the concept of a cantilevered top, like in the pic's, is appealing. We usually troll with the bimini up, and can deal with the netting issue. I guess bigger Salmon may pose problems tho. Most of our TomCat fishing is for Striped Bass. They wear out fairly fast and come to the boat quietly.

I just wish I could make this fabrication happen, but I am in Texas. The boat in Utah, and the fabrication shops need to take measurements and fit as they work.

Brent

 

[Capt Harpoon]

OK, I have spent days (weeks) staring at Brazo's canvas frame and trying to think of all the pros and cons of such a setup.
Today I had a new (perhaps crazy) idea.
Would it be possible to mount a very short and small removable davit arm to the side of the frame that could be used to raise and lower an outboard on to the transom of a dingy and/or be used as an emergency MOB lifting device to haul someone back aboard (or at least chest clear of cold water)?
I am thinking of a short aluminum arm mounted on a solid rod pin that could be inserted into an aluminum tube welded onto the frame somewhere. It only need clear the gunnel, maybe 12-18" or so? Add a brace in a triangular configuration and insert it in a socket welded on the frame at the side or rear somewhere (maybe multiple sockets).
If the frame is rock solid with 180 lb Roger doing chin-ups, it should be able to do this very easily (at least the outboard part).
Sort of a built in Garhauer davit system!
Would it work? Any design help/hints?

 

[Capt Harpoon]

Well, I joined the ranks of Roger (flrockytop on C-Lover) and Robert (BRAZO) and ordered a canvas frame from Blue Coral. I made a few additions to theirs and am very pleased with the results. Installing it was a bit tricky, but in the end it turned out great!
Like Roger, I can hang from the "monkey bars" (as my wife calls them) no problem (and I weigh more than he does). We added the side rails to the frame for the Thule rack so we can carry bicycles, kayaks, or a roof storage box as needed. We haven't tried that yet, but will in the next week or two. I also had tabs installed for deck lights, speakers, flag staff, and anchor light.
Thank you to Roger (C-Lover) and Robert (BRAZO) for all their help with this project, and to Rowland Stanton at Blue Coral for great service.
The cost of the frame with side rails, rocket launchers and canvas; packed, crated, and delivered to my door by motor freight, was about $2350 (freight from FL to northern NY was less than $150).
I think we will find it far more useful than a conventional bimini top.