Why does a hardtop mean no more dealing with canvas?

M

mrsrobinson

Well-Known Member
Mar 9, 2006
7,704
Virginia
Boat Info
2001 380DA
Engines
Caterpillar 3126
In all the articles I read about newer cruisers with hard tops there is always a comment about not having to deal with the canvas anymore.

The hard top cruisers I have seen still have canvas on the back and side and front. So what am I missing here? On our 330 we leave the canvas "brows" attached to the arch on at all times. I do not see what difference a hard top would make. You still have to zip in/snap in the surrounding isinglass/canvas...right?
 
The writers are stupid.
 
I think they really mean not having to deal with canvas as far as every year taking it up and down and dealing with leaks, replacement of the bimini, constant waterproofing, the rattles, etc.

Also depending on which boat you are looking at there may not be any eisenglass at all, which in my book is a beautiful thing!
 
While you do have some canvas, it takes only 4 or 5 minutes to install a drop or aft curtain on a boat with a hardtop. Leaks are pretty much non-existant. We spent Friday and Saturday on the hook in complete comfort in spite of receiving Ike's 6" of rain. We probably would have stayed home had we had a canvas top because of the associated mist that blows through the Sunbrella in poor weather.
 
sbw1 said:
While you do have some canvas, it takes only 4 or 5 minutes to install a drop or aft curtain on a boat with a hardtop. Leaks are pretty much non-existant. We spent Friday and Saturday on the hook in complete comfort in spite of receiving Ike's 6" of rain. We probably would have stayed home had we had a canvas top because of the associated mist that blows through the Sunbrella in poor weather.
Click to expand...

Good point, I did not think of that.
 
SW1's right on... The Hardtop will give you the ability to stay on your boat even when it's pouring out and still watch the Flat-Screen that's in your cockpit, that's what we did most of this last weekend as LOT's of RAIN. We find that we don't take down the side or front Straglass Panels on our hard-top boat, with an aft-drop back curtain, I can "open up" the boat in a few short minutes.
 
We were aboard a 390DA this weekend and the owner had the eisenglass windows (I'd guess 18") from the Windshield to the Hardtop. I really liked the hardtop but would have to say, even for as much rain as we can get here, I'd rather have the ability to remove the eisenglass windows and allow the wind to roll through while under way.

Yesterday on the way home it was a beautiful day and we ran will all the canvas down, and the biminis' back in the boots.

That 390DA really seemed nice because of the advantages of the hard top, but the flexibilty with the eisenglass to be deployed or stowed. It still looked like it would feel like you're boating. The rear Canvas was down so, I'm not too sure about that set up. but a camper set up would be nice for around here, something like Frank's custom set-up would be in order.
 
I think the hardtop is easier. We have some friends with a 390DA...and he always leaves his front eisenglass up...but he did have the "eyebrows" cut in the eisenglass(like the bridge boats have), which allows him to roll it up if he wants airflow. So when he leaves the boat, all he has to put aft canvas on....takes him about 3-4 minutes. Plus...I really like the looks of the hardtops.
 
On our 08 310 Dancer, we have a "small hardtop" coupled with a canvas extension that is attached to the hardtop. The side canvas comes down in 3 or 4 minutes, the rear canvas comes down in 2 minutes. They go back up in the same amount of time.

On the front eisenglass, it all comes down in 4 minutes and takes about 10 minutes to put back up. If we just roll up the center piece, it is very fast and allows for good airflow through the cockpit.

The 08 310 Dancer has a walkthru windshield so we don't have to mess around on a 4" ledge going from the cockpit to the bow.

The Admiral and I are going to National Harbor tomorrow to celebrate our birthdays. The trip wouldn't be near as much fun if we had to drive there.
 
Another advantage of hardtops: Much cooler in hot climates than canvas. Even if the helm is not a/c'd the temps are 10 degree cooler than being in the sun. The canvas on our last boat radiated so much heat into the cockpit that we had to go below during the heat of the day. With a hardtop, the cockpit becomes another great room to chill in.
 
It is not "no more dealing with canvas". It is dealing with less canvas. I have to agree Saint Max is cooler with the hardtop.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,208
Messages
1,428,584
Members
61,109
Latest member
Minnervos
Back
Top