Can a hard top be made that folds down?

[zimm]

I'd love a hard top for my 226 for the shade and I could run a radar to my SIMRAD, and the benefit of a solid hand-hold. But I'm a trailer boater and I keep the thing under a hard top canopy. So I'm either stuck with my soft top, or I wonder if a hard top could be made that folds back into the cockpit while storing the boat?

 

[The_Chain]

I'd love a hard top for my 226 for the shade and I could run a radar to my SIMRAD, and the benefit of a solid hand-hold. But I'm a trailer boater and I keep the thing under a hard top canopy. So I'm either stuck with my soft top, or I wonder if a hard top could be made that folds back into the cockpit while storing the boat?

I think you could but you would probably loose a lot of structural integrity, if you did I bet you'd find out it was loose when pounding, accompanied by lots of rattles. Not to mention it would have to be light to manually fold, forgoing the fiberglass top, radar, etc. Just thinking aloud here. I trailer to the coast when I'm not offshore the boat enjoys the fresh water lake in a wet slip. I have a hardtop, 13.5 feet to the top of the radar, no issues with clearance but I'm always looking for low hanging trees and bridges. As for the storage deal you got there, could you build an extension or some way to get it up a few more feet to clear the hardtop? Growing up on my dads Angler with a soft top, then going to my grady with the hardtop, electronic box, lights etc I could never go back


Id give these guys a hard look and maybe a phone call to discuss what you want, ive seen the name pop up on this site a few times, looks like he does some great work. He's up in my home state of Maine, he definitely knows gradys!

http://www.redmanmarinefabricators.com/index.php

 

[zimm]

Yeah that's what I thought. I'm researching how to raise the 12x31 carport we currently have. I has 8' legs so it'll probably have to go up another 3 feet to clear and hard top and radar. The legs are one piece so I'd have get leg extensions fabbed up. I would also have to convince my parent's to move the 12x21 carport that's in front of the boat to their driveway- not sure if that'll be a popular decision. But I could lower the legs on the small one for just her car and it wouldn't look so huge. hmmmm.....

 

[DennisG01]

If done correctly, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be strong and stable. Think about ski boats - they have folding towers and they take a lot of abuse. Atlantic Towers may be another option. It would probably have to fold backwards otherwise it may not actually save any height. Even going backwards, you'd probably want to do some quick measuring to be sure.

However, unless you can get an "out of the box" folding top, it might be less expensive to just raise your roof. Although, I suppose if you had a good, honest custom builder, then maybe a folding top wouldn't be that much more. After all, it's really just a few different joints that are needed.

 

[magicalbill]

Hi Zimm;
Still enjoying the Seafarer? You guys may or may not have seen the pics of that boat when he bought it. Unbelieveably clean! Very few look that good.

Anyway, it seems to me like the best route is to have a normal, factory-like hardtop professionally installed that is permanent and alter or change your parking structure. That way, the hardtop will be solid & safe and your parking shed can accommadate your next larger boat with a raised roof, or more room.

Oh yeah, your parents. Hmmm.....Maybe tell them you'll start mowing the grass if they let you?

 

[zimm]

Yup, the boat is great. We only had it out 5 times last year due to a new infant. But now he's 18 months and older brother is 3.5 so I hope we'll get more use this season.

My parent's nixxed raising or moving the parking canopies. So I could do a hardtop and keep boat at a marina, or just leave it set up as is. For now I'm going to leave it. Maybe really decide after another season of use. Hardtop would be nice, but I don't have $5,000 sitting around for one just yet. Thanks for the inputs!