Hardtop

['84Offshore]

I have posted in the ForSale forum with no results.

Does anyone know of a used hardtop for sale that would fit a '84 241 Offshore?

Or any marine salvage yards on Long Island?

 

[Timotheius]

I went through this same dilemma about a year and a half ago. I desperately wanted a hard top for my 228 seafarer. I looked high and low to find a used one that I could transfer to my boat. Bottom line is that used ones are almost impossible to find. No one ever separates a hard top from a working boat. Everyone loves hard tops, and for good reason. The only way a used one comes up every now and then is if a boat is hurricane or flood damaged and the hull is shot. Even then, the used top is snatched up right away. They don't stay unsold for long. Also, finding a perfect match is difficult. If your boat is an 84 offshore, and you find one from say a 96 offshore, chances are the boat design will be different and the measurements and angles could be off by just a little bit...which will lead to major damage to your boat from the pounding of the seas.

My advice...do what I ended up doing. Have an experienced welder build and mount one on your boat. It will cost around $3,000 but you will NOT regret it. It is the single best feature I have added to my boat. I am glad I didn't go cheap and try to jerry-rig something that wasn't an exact fit.

 

['84Offshore]

Thanks for the advice............u fortunately I am coming to the same conslusion. just didn't want to spend that kind of $$$. Did your $3K include an enclosure?

 

[Timotheius]

No, I had to buy my enclosure separately. That too, was well worth the money. Call around to several different top makers, some of them will give you a package deal doing the top and canvas as well. Look for top makers at the boat shows this winter, maybe you can get a boat show special. Since the economy is bad and these guys are short on work, you may be able to get a good deal right now.

The cheapest you will find a hard top for is around $2,500. I think that is a one size fits all top from atlantic towers. Search the treads and there are lots of arguments on whether or not atlantic towers suck. Some people are really satisfied with them, others have horror stories. I still think it is best to go with a custom top from a good welder that you have done your homework on.

I had a local auto upholsterer do my 3 sided enclosure. I pretty much told him what materials I wanted to use...only stainelss steel, sunbrella canvas, and strata glass. He did great sewing work. I got a great deal...materials and labor only cost me $600.