310 sundancer 2000 add camper back canvas and h/w

[DeanO2]

Checked with several sources. My boat never had a camper back (just a slant canvas), so I cant just order a camper back over the net. Have issues with my dock as they wont allow "non-approved" tradesman to work on my boat if I want to have someone custom-make a camper back for me and install it. If I use one of their "approved-tradesmen", the cost is well over double what my preferred vendor is. A bit of a gamble I suppose, but does anyone know of a canvas business, that would send me all the h/w and canvas to add a camper back to my boat sight unseen, or just based on pics? The other option I may have is just dock my boat somewhere else for a week and consider the extra docking charges as part of the project cost. any ideas? thx

 

[wyrman]

I want to get one for my boat also. My dilemma is, the canvas guys insurance won't let him go to the marina to do work anymore.
If I were you, I would dock it somewhere else for the time needed.
They must have a kickback kind of deal with the "approved" vendors at your marina.

 

[DeanO2]

yup that is probably it. may have to dock at a public marina for a while to get it done. I'm ok with paying a little more but not double for the same work total ripoff. thx

 

[JimT]

why not have your preferred vendor measure the boat and make the pieces then install yourself?

 

[Quint4]

Many marinas charge 10-20% for vendors to work there.

 

[dvx216]

Hats off to Herl's Harbor at Catawba Island Oh. for not being so greedy that they charge Vendor's to work on their customers boats. Zack our resident Canvas man and owner of a 58' Hatteras has been all over all the boats in our marina makes it vary convenient. DeanO2 my camper top rear harp forward support arm comes down to the boat at a 45 degree angle which makes it hard to get on the boat from the side. I have seen some 310's that the froward support arm comes out with a 90 degree curve and comes straight down which makes for easy entrance. Keep that in mind when you do have you top made.

 

[Golfman25]

yup that is probably it. may have to dock at a public marina for a while to get it done. I'm ok with paying a little more but not double for the same work total ripoff. thx

I think you only may need to move it for a few hours. Once to measure and once to install. What body of water are you on?

 

[JimT]

My marina does not charge outside vendors. This is likely because they don't offer any significant boat services and the need to have boats serviced is recognized.

 

[WV 320 Dancer]

I have had my boat in Atlanta now for 7 weeks waiting to get on the schedule. I now have $700.00 in temporary mooring. We are pulling the boat out next week and taking it to the shop. Well wort the cost to get camper canvas. Had it added to our last two boats as well.

 

[Bugsy22]

Fyi, my wife and I have the same boat. We have both an aft curtain(for storage only) and camperback. Having new canvas done in spring by friends of ours who own a canvas shop. $2200 if we just have the front done and $5800 if we do the whole thing including new custom rear frame. The OEM camperback looks terrible imo because of the way the frame is shaped. We got the friend deal which was about a $1200 dollar savings.
We were originally going to split it up. (Front this year, camper next year) but decided to tighten the belts and get it all done. Good luck.

 

[WV 320 Dancer]

BTW we are going The have the aft sun shade reshaped (lowered) so that the camper canvas looks correct to the boat ($400.)

 

[DeanO2]

thanks for all the responses here as well as the good ideas. rather than allow my marina to slap an up charge on my preferred canvas vendor i am most likely going to dock the boat at another marina nearby for a week and have the work done there i hate doing that as that also adds cost to the project. what water body am I on was asked. I am on the wisconsin side of Lake Michigan. still frozen out yet but wont be long. I just hate playing these games with the marina owner. I will figure out something. thanks again for the help

 

[yobub]

I am having custom canvas done right now by Fairwinds canvas in Racine. They are a fabricator, but also a training and certification facility. They are down in Racine, so a bit south of you, but I know they have a slip where they can do the work right on your boat. They aren't cheap, but given how expensive canvas is, and how the previous owner of my boat paid a bunch of money for canvas that was leaking after 3 years, I decided to spend the money on (hopefully) quality.

I should have my new canvas in a couple weeks. I'll let you know how it goes.