limited headroom, so raise coachroof?

[Seafarer24]

I happen to like almost everything about my boat, with the exception of its limited headroom. Just a few inches more would allow me to walk around without rubbing my head. I've been contemplating cutting off the top of my cabin and raising it for the needed headroom.

Unfortunately, it has a rather complicated cabintop design (sistership photos) :


I could keep the general sloping design of the cabintop, or completely change it to something more classic. I'm not sure which would be more difficult...

...any suggestions?

[the1much]

i would just make me a whole new one,,but you will have to pay close attention to the weight you'll be adding.
or,, if its close to what you want,,just not high ( not from fumes ) enough and you dont mind the width getting smaller as you go "up" ,, you could cut the very top of the "roof" and continue the angles of the salon sides,,and add from there ,,,,, that would be the cheapest, fastest , and easiest way,,,,,i think,,,maybe,,,,,ohhh i dont know,,hehe

[Fanie]

How high are your floorboards ?

[the1much]

reminds me of the song that goes,,,," hows high the water momma?,,, 4 foot high and rising."

[Seafarer24]

There's no room to lower the floors, as they're pretty much in the bilge already...

[Kaptin-Jer]

You will be running into a number of problems. The first is that you have a deck mounted mast. The compression pole can be made longer, but then you have to change all your rigging. also the main bulkhead is in that same general area, that would need to be glassed to the new height. It is no problem to raise the deck behind the mast, but you will still need to duck to get into the v berth. You are better off doing what I did. I traded my 27' for a 38'. Mad wife, happy sailor.

[Pylasteki]

One that I have seen used to give standing headroom, is to raise the height of the companionway's sliding hatch. Doesn't really give walk around height, but at least gives somewhere to put on a pair of pants...

I'm pretty sure male pattern baldness has been linked to short coach roofs...

[fcfc]

Seems that you do not need to raise ALL the coachroof. Which would include structural problems as mast post and so.

On this boat (beneteau 235) http://www.beneteau235.com/images/port_ad1_1000.jpg , just the sliding hatch has been raised (factory design)

On the other (Edel 600), http://users.skynet.be/quovadis/exterieur.htm the sliding hatch is on a raisable top. You get a higher headroom, but only at mooring. It is not intended to sail top roof in up position.

[Seafarer24]

I can already stand up under the sliding hatch, it's everywhere else that bothers me. I could live with only being able to stand up in the main saloon, and stooping to use the head and V-berth.

I like the idea of cutting just the roof off and raising the sides. I could bond 1/4" (?) marine ply to both inner and outer sides of the doghouse. I'd have to remove the interior fiberglass headliner, but that's something of a blessing anyway as it will allow me to put in a stronger bulkhead under the mast.

The wheels are turning...

[Pylasteki]

Got one that might come in handy...

I replaced the lower foot of the studs and sill plate of the house on an old powerboat. I used a 7 inch skill saw (to be deep enough to get through the 2x4's) using a 4x4 laying down on the cabin sole against the inside corner to set the height of the cut to be uniform.

Wonder if you could pick a height lower than all the windows (or glass over the holes...) lay the saw on its side and use a board as a guide... then cut it off so it is the same on all sides. Cut a bunch of blocks out of plywood just a smidge thicker than your fiberglass... and make a sandwich with two other pieces so it looks like an H. Then drop that over the lip, center the top and square it all up using forms from the outside and inside and temporarily tab them together... if the glass is strong enough to stand up on its own.

Tricky part would be making everything stiff enough to not flex while you move it around... and retain its shape... I'm pondering if its too thin if you could just through bolt a bunch of 2x4's to the inside... with cross bracing. Cut through them at the same time as the fiberglass. Sister along side the 2x4's ya cut in half... and drop a spacer in place to keep it all uniform (or change the angle...)

Anyhow, just thought I'd share some ideas... I keep wondering about coring over the top skin of my cabin top, and routing out the original... way to much work for only 3/8ths + the fiberglass thickness though. Or doing a speed bump/sea hood that doesn't follow the original decks lines inside!

Zach