Hard Top for 43 DC

[mswinea]

Our bimini is shot and I can't seem to get any of the canvas shops to come and make us a new one. Has anyone ever installed a fiberglass hardtop on their boat? Know where to have one made?

[Freebird]

Our bimini is shot and I can't seem to get any of the canvas shops to come and make us a new one. Has anyone ever installed a fiberglass hardtop on their boat? Know where to have one made?

I've got a full hard enclosure on my 41DC, but it was that way when I bought it. I think there was a factory option for a hartop on your boat as I ran into a guy in Chattanooga who had one. I would call Steve at Sam's first. If he can't sell you one, he can usually point you in the right direction.

If that doesn't work, contact Hatteras directly. They should be able to help as well. Good luck on your search, and keep cool!

[Pascal]

real hard tops are nice but expensive...

a few years back, I needed to replace the bimini on an express and didn't feel like paying thousands of $ for a piece of fabric. I used starboard instead which was fully waterproof, no seams to restich every 3 years...

starboard can be bent to shape, along the bows and you can reuse the same SS bow. It also looks like a bimini, whereas hardtop sometimes look like they dont' belong there...

[Capt K]

Depending upon where you are, there are many shops around that will make a thin fiberglass top that that fastens to an aluminum frame. It is almost like the pipewelders frame with material over it but it is fiberglass. I've seen some really nice ones. Many times these companies are at the boat shows.

Other real tops can be adapted. Before I bought my 50' motoryacht, Tom Slane had taken a Hatteras hardtop from a 48' bridge and extended it to fit. Can't tell it wasn't made for the boat and is an awsome equipment mounting and it makes a great space for cruising!

K

[TedZ]

Atlantic Towers in Florida makes them for our boats. If you have trouble finding them i'll get their info to you when i get home.


Ted

[mstailey]

Mswinea,
If you are located in the Detroit area PM me for the name of a top rate shop that just did a bimini for me using Stamoid.

IMHO you do not want to put a hard top on a 43 DC bridge. The weight that high will cause your boat to handle very poorly not to mention making everyone uncomfortable in any type of beam sea. That includes just normal wakes from passing boats.

I thought of adding an arch from Atlantic and when I talked with Hatteras they suggested against it unless I ran stabilizers and even then keep the weight down to a minimum.

[TedZ]

Hi,

I'm not selling anything but the arch is one piece of equipment and the hardtop is another. Supposedly it weighs 150 pounds according to Atlantic. That doesn't mean there is no sail area of course.

If the 43 MY can handle what i consider a HUGE flybridge up high, i would think that the 43 DC would not be hampered by a 150 pound hardtop. Who knows, maybe logic fails and there is some other issue but i can't think of any offhand.

Ted