Cockpit Canopies on Walkaround

[Willallison]

I'm looking for smart ways to enclose the cockpit on a boat with a walkaround cabin - a little like the new Aquador 32 pictured below.
How to effectively keep the cockpit area dry, yet make the covers / canopy simple enough that it is easily removed in good weather....

[yipster]

did you see the linsen variotop?
on sailing channel i saw others doing that with a hardtop but that and this does not look smart yet but you got me thinking...

[Willallison]

I like it!
How about making the harftop double as a boarding platform extension - stands to reason that when you want the lid off, you'll also want a nice big platform to sit and dangle your toes in the water.... love the idea

But that's not really what I was on about. When you have a walkaround cabin, you are faced with the problem of how to erect a set of covers over the cockpit. On boats with normal side-decks, it isn't a problem: the covers simply clip on down the back of the superstructure, then along the outside of the cockpit coaming and finally around the transom.
But with a walkaround, there's a gap between the superstructure and the hull (bulwarks). About the only thing I can come up with is to have a sort of zip-open side door in the covers to give access to the side decks.
I've tried to do a bit of a drawing - it's just a roughy, but it gives you some idea of what I'm getting at.
Any other suggestions most welcome....

[yipster]

yes i knew were you were onto, just took the easy way out. did think it was only the cabin you wanted to cover though. i dont think hardtops do it or it must be a smart mass produced sort of mercedes SL folding roof. as you say a big hardtop can fold open to the transom. for a here and now application i think your drawing is best. a smart folding frame for the softtop and the newish seam in rail rather than pushbutton fixings. some say cotton, i would go for synthetic canvas. what material is best for "plastic" windows?

[Willallison]

Apart from the added weight, I guess you could have a slide out hardtop extension - maybe with a couple of fold down supports at the rear - and roll down 'curtains' on the sides and back. Come to think of it, no reason you couldn't have a slide out soft top that does the same.
It's that area around the side of the cabin that's the problem....
There's thousands of walkarounds out there - someone must have come up with a better solution than mine....after all, I'm not that smart!

However, when we pull into a berth, side by side, I'm thinking people are going to be a whole more impressed by your "Cabrio" folding roof than my roll-up 'canvas'!

Not sure how to spell it, but I think one of the better clear 'plastics' is called Islinglass - good stuff and worth every extra cent, but doesn't like being rolled up all the time....

[mackid068]

Check out the C-Dory website. They have canvas pictures.

[yipster]

"It's that area around the side of the cabin that's the problem"
wouldnt a separate canvas/window zip in there snugly?

isinglass is the name, thanks will
have the patterns of a big summer tent saved and hope you dont mind the sound of the sawing machine...

care: http://www.boatdocs1.com/Clear-Vinyl-Windows.html
picing: http://www.redmanxp.com/ClearVinyl.htm

[Willallison]

wouldnt a separate canvas/window zip in there snugly?

sort of - but unless the coachroof has a big overhang over the side decks, you'd end up with an awkward sort of triangular shaped door to the side decks - as per below.... Also it would mean that the space available in the cockpit with standing headroom would be reduced to the width of the saloon.

Sabreline would have the same problem fitting covers to their new 36. Even the extended coachroof model would have problems as the wider section of roof only covers the aft 2/3's of the cockpit......

Designers of walkarounds - and I like the type for their far better deck access etc - should consider these things.... and who knows, maybe they have - I'd just like to see some examples of succesful cockpit covers on this type of boat....
Then again - maybe I'm the only one who likes to have a dry aft cockpit....

[yipster]

Even the extended coachroof model would have problems as the wider section of roof only covers the aft 2/3's of the cockpit

to my eye that first pic looks pretty much at what you are after..

with the right tubing and canvas it can be done as well but usually its expensive, not very handy extra gear and aftermarked.
found a bunch of good pdf's on all sorts of covers and canvas at http://www.sailrite.com/instructionindex.htm

[yipster]

going deeper into canvas i wonder if anyone tryed http://www.perfix.nl/ fasteners? seems like a good idea to me
ai, at 3.50 euro thats how many fasteners do i want to change....

[Willallison]

Anything that improves upon yhe old snap-buttons is good as far as I'm concerned. Having said that, I'm not too sure about the idea of replacing them with little plastic clips that require moving parts to operate.... I'd wonder about their longevity. It'd also be inetresting to know how easy they are to operate when the covers are under tension...
What you really need is a simple to operate catch that allows you to put the covers up and then tension them afterwards - there's nothing more frustratiing than trying to tension the covers with one hand, do up the snap-fitting with another, and hold on as you lean over the side to do it all with your 3rd hand!

ps - apologies Yipster - I just realised I never got back to you about that model that you sent me - I'll take a look as soon as I can.......

[Rindert]

Originally Posted by yipster

going deeper into canvas i wonder if anyone tryed http://www.perfix.nl/ fasteners? seems like a good idea to me
ai, at 3.50 euro thats how many fasteners do i want to change....

Hi Yipster,

Did you manage to find out more about Perfix at that time? or did you decide to go with another fastener?

I'm curious!
R.

[yipster]

Hi Rindert, unfortunatly no, sold the twin engined sundancer that was becoming to expensive
and the guy that bought it placed new canvas for €3500.- with conventional snaps
before that i also had a tonneau cover made in cannes france, nicely covering the windscreen
but with standing pins in the foredeck you easely hurt yourself barefooted
so yes i do remember your not supposed to wash sunbrella couse it shrinks and it becomes a pain to close
few weeks back i saw your snappers on the counter at rikkers zijlmakerij in werkendam

[Willallison]

I have used Perfix fasteners and have been VERY disappointed with them. They were expensive to buy, difficult to install in some places (like where the covers are more than one layer thick). They're difficult to do up and undo, particularly if the cover is under tension and will break, rather than coming apart if someone does something they shouldn't, like leaning heavily on the cover.
All round....? Thumbs Down....

I did see another new fastener advertised in a trade mag the other day...can't recall the name of it now... I'll have a hunt....

[Typhoon]

Anything can be done, you need to talk to a marine cover specialist in your area. I've done plenty of boats with similar problems to that one.

Regards, Andrew.