Canvas or solid enclosure?

I am dealing with the issue of how to enclose the forward portion of a large cockpit. This portion of the cockpit includes two motor boxes the tops to be used as day beds or sofas. The area has a overhanging roof. At this point my thoughts include rolldown canvas with soft windows all around. The other option I am thinking of is light weight foam filled panels with fixed windows-rear door all bolted down and soft sealed(not 5200) so as to be removable if motors ever have to come out. I have a slightly open mind and would consider any other reasonable ideas. I include two renderings. What are your opinions canvas or solid?

 

Why not exercise both options? The Chevrolet Corvette came with a hard top but a ragtop also. When planning a long or extended trip with possibility of bad or cold weather, use the hard shell. For short trips with foreseeable forecasts use the canvas.

 

I have considered solid sections that would fold up under roof but that gets complicated. It would however be an interresting design touch.

 

Seeing as you are in my general area,I assume you're going to Alaska and points in between.

In my area it can be a quite hot day,yet when a wind blows down off the glaciers or off the cold water in the evening it can get quite chilly.
It's nice to have options

 

WVH Yes my wife has a very delicate internal thermostate. If the ambient temps are not just right I get complaints like its my fault. That does put a little more weight toward solid panels. Fortunately hot days up north are not all that common and she tolerates cool better than hot. That I have to weigh against the asthetics. I don't mind the look of the solid panel that much. I was curious to see what others might think eventhough that would not be a decider. I include one rendering without curtains or panels.

 

I have an Albin 25 I stretched to 30 by adding a canoe stern. At present, there is an aluminum foil covered foam "hardtop" over the center cockpit.
i'm looking at something more permanent. Here is a photo of an an Albin 25 with a near perfect solution. IMO

 

A hard wall addition would be a wise choice, considering your intended use of the spaces after the conversion. Foam core panels are the first thing that come to mind, as they're light, offer some insulation properties and if cleverly arranged, could be removed and stowed for an open air feel. I'd work hard to maintain the look of the rest of the cabin sides. There's nothing worse that an upgrade like this that appears cobbled together styling wise.

Plywood is my first choice if the structure is to remain fixed. Simple cleats along the sole, erect some "studs", a header and roof beams, skinned with 1/4" plywood and sheathed. Inside the walls can be wired, plumbed and properly framed for ports and lights, insulated (foam), then skinned with an interior material, such as bead board, MDO, maybe faux raised panels, etc.

If going with the foam core option, erect some poles to hang the panels from, so they can be removed or treat them the same as a plywood build, just using foam sandwich methods.

 

A Italian motor yacht recently hauled at the shipyard had a well thought out soft enclosure system. The yacht had a hardtop overhanging the cockpit.

The side canvas walls were mounted on a roller embedded flush into the aft cabin house. You pulled the side curtain out of its roller..fed the side curtains top edge into a luff tape track on the hardtop then once fully extended, thumb screwed the bottom edge every 300mm into the teak cockpit sole. Elegant solution. I did not observe how the rear end and doorway functioned. This yacht was 20 or so meters long

 

So if you made solid panels,they'd be maybe an inch thick?

Would it be possible to hinge them at the top,and they swing inside to be fastened to the ceiling of your overhang?
And they could be fastened to the deck with the sliding locks and slots into the deck.

If you lost maybe 2.5" of head room would it be too much?

 

WVH That is what I have been toying with. When the roof is finished I will have to make some critcal measurements. Since the panels would probably overlap The head room loss may be as much as 4- 5inches. This may still be doable. It will be a few months before roof goes on or longer if motor install is a slow go.

 

Thoughts-

Could they step the roof up a few inches???

Did you want it on the stern side as well?

Could mount the seals onto the panels.