Hard Top Installation

[Jackman]

Well, I got the call today from Atlantic Towers that my hardtop is ready for installation..since the NYC boat show is over they are done borrowing it.

I have an installation crew coming down to the boat to put it on. I was going to try it myself because it doesn't seem like a hard job but I thought I read somewhere that if I install it myself the warranty isn't as good.

Anyhow next Sat is the day and I was wondering if you guys have any pointers about things to look/watch out for or things to ask for from the installer. Is it too cold to be drilling into the gelcoat...it won't crack because of the cold will it?

Do I need to have the wiring ready for them next weekend or can it easily be added? (I don't have the radar yet...waiting for the AC boat show.)

Thanks in advance!

 

[REBrueckner]

Atlantic Towers has received sometimes mixed reviews in the past but my experience with them was good. I made my own measurements for an arch, they made it the WRONG width, admitted it, then made me another as I had specified, no problems.
I installed it myself. I had mine made to bolt to the roof instead of the flybridge sides as I figured it would be stonger. Then I braced it against the flybridge sides with stanchion fittings.

I hope you asked for a radar platform to mount the radar. At delivery check the contours of the hard top and if at all unsure, ask them how to route wiring. Have them run a stiff wire for you if in doubt to use as a pull. My arch was shaped such that inserting a stiff wire at the top and down a leg was easy. Then I fed a nylon line for actual wiring. I also attached another nylon line each time so I always have another spare inside the tubing.

It's best to polish these once in the spring and once in the fall as the anodizing does not last forever. Also consider grounding yours if lightning is a concern. I added a stainless bolt and wingnut at the base of one leg for attaching a heavy battery cable with a big zinc to drop overboard when things get really dicey.

 

[TomT13]

We did not have a good experience with Atlantic Towers. They are a two person operation who sub out all their work. Shelly is nice on the phone but when something goes wrong she is no help or tries to push the blame off on others. They have no fabrication facility of their own yet it would sound like they are a major in the business. There design office is over an ice cream shop! Regardless they did our top and it is what it is. It's not a $20K dollar hard top it's a skin top. The attachments to your flybridge will be of the pin and swivel type so you can not run wires through the legs unless you come out the bottom of the legs. I ended up fabricating my own electronics box and running the wires through alum. supports. The rear legs of the top were fabricated much wider than the flybridge sides even though they measured several times. They had to put a ratchet strap on both legs and pull them in over 10 inches. I understand that some adjustments are necessary but as far as I am concerned that is way out of tolerance. The installer also had to move the top aft of it's design position which caused the wrong rake on the rear window. After several phone calls and no satisfaction with Shelly we called American Express and disputed the charges. Steve got involved and made it right but again it was because the charges were in limbo. If I had to do it all over again I would not use Atlantic. I can only hope that you have a much better experience then we did.

 

[Jackman]

Geeze...That's comforting news considering I'm about to take delivery! I had all good reviews in the past from them. I hope this experience was an isolated bad one that you had. The top I ordered is a hardtop made of fiberglass....not one of those canvass-stretched tops with a frame. Your frame is different than mine in that I won't have the pivotting fixture. Mine is fixed.

They claim they have the drawings for my boat, which is how thwy made it. They never came to look at my boat and said it was not required. The top is totally paid for....I hope it fits. That would stink...I was thinking of installing it myself instead of paying the $600+ dollars to have someone else do it. Anyone try a hardtop installation themselves? I just feel that if I can handle working on everything else why not this? Any comments?

 

[34Hatt]

Jackman
I did mine with the welder every step but I also made my own mold and roof since Atlantic wanted $7000 for a cored roof with out any wire chase's. It was not that hard many options on how to do it but you are past that point. My friend had a radar arch made by them and also had problems. So I would suggest let them Install it and be there for every step and watch them and speak up when you see something you don't like. After all its YOUR BOAT good luck hope all goes well.

 

[TomT13]

I hope you do have a better experience than we did too. The hard top they insatlled was a fiberglass top it was not canvas at all. Just watch every step as the last post indicated and if you don't like something make them fix it. The installer did a good job but he had to make up for all the mistakes made by the people before him. Good luck with your installation.

 

[TomT13]

One more thing, I paid 700 to install it and that was the "off season" installation price. lol They aslo told me they had the exact drawings of my boat too. The drawing they sent me looked like my boat to a "T" but like I said it was 10" wider than it should have been. The installer made the top work and overcame all the mistakes they made up to that point. And they came and measured twice. Good luck I am interested to find out how it all goes.

 

[Jackman]

Well....

I firmed up a date of Sat Jan 28th if anyone wants to stop by, drink some cold ones (on me) and watch. The guy said it should take about 4 or 5 hrs and $600. Hopefully it goes smooth and hopefully he can use the already existing access holes to do the installation. I'd hate to have to cut another one!

Tom, if you happen to remember the installers name and you're from the east coat region Del, NJ, Md..email me the name. I'd be interested in knowing if I got the same guy you had. He says most of his work is for Atlantic Towers.

I will take pictures of everything.

 

[TomT13]

His name was Tom, sorry can't remember the last name, and he was from the 609 area code. Like I said, he did a good job, he had a helper and they didn't have an easy installation. I don't know how to insert a picture in this post or I would show you what the final product looked like before Goia Sails installed the EZ-2CY enclosure. If you want to email me at TomT13@aol.com I can send them through email.

 

[REBrueckner]

Running wires: The "pin" at the bottom of my arch legs is solid (fits inside the aluminum leg) so wires cannot be run down that way on mine. I just drilled a one inch hole at a convenient height, another thru the outside of the flybridge, maybe five inches away...I drooped the wires down in a loop so water would not run along the wires thru either opening..I then wrapped the wires in white vinyle tape against UV rays.
I covered the flybridge opening with a clamshell vent cover over the wire. I also drilled weep holes in each arch leg just above the solid pin connector to the roof..at a low edge...just in case any water gets in, it runs out and can't freeze and expand. Good luck with your installation....

 

[Jackman]

Thanks for the insight. I will take it all into account when I run my wiring. Right now I'm thinking about what kinda power I need to the top so I can get a spool of wire and do the entire power run on one bundle. Then maybe run my communications lines another route to prevent noise interference from electric.

I'll have at this point two 100watt spots, which need their own dedicated 30amp circuit, radar, depthfinder, SSB radio, GPS, VHF, LED lighting and a red maplight.

What do I need as far as materials for lightning prevention? A plate for the boat and some heavy guage solid copper wire to run straight to the plate. I'm also told that the SSB radio can use the two for a ground plane as well?

 

[whaler23]

A couple years back I had them make an arch for my Silverton 34C. They did a great job, fit perfectly and was installed in less than three hours. I am in MD and I believe the installer was the same as mentioned above. I have seen other work they have done and all in all it looked pretty good to me.

 

[TomT13]

Jack,

I have a 1985 36C and there was an electronics panel under the helm isn't yours the same way? I also fabricated a fiberglass electronics enclosure that is mounted to the underside of the top. I had Pipe Dreams Marine install custom wire chases, 2" pipe, one for power and the other for communications. He was there to install rocket launchers for us and for a few dollars more installed those pipes. I was able to run the power for the spreader lights, the masthead light wires and the spotlight wires up through the pipes and into the top. You may also have a flybridge receptacle connection on the buss bar under the helm, we did, and that is serviced by a 30 am breaker in the DC ship service. Take a look at your wiring diagram. That is where I hooked up a separate Blue Sea Systems fuse block and powered the spreader lights and the spot light. I figured I would not be using them together very much so I could use that service in a dual application.

 

[Jackman]

Tom,

Yeah,

There is a massive and intricately laid out and labeled system under the helm...complete with busses right from the battery. There is plenty of room for growth/addition of circuits. I want to make my power connections somewhat of a quick connect style where I can easily, without damage from repetative contact, unhook and hook up the electric and cables. I forsee at least for this first season that I'll have to slip the hardtop down into the cockpit when I put her on the hard. In my marina we have a group of about 10 guys who contract a guy with a hydraulic trailer and heavy duty truck to pull us out. He blocks us up right in our driveway. (Can work all winter long in comfort.). Only problem is that when he transports me he has to go a total of about 3miles from my marina and eventually go under wires. In the near future things may change as far as where I leave my boat for the winter layup...but for now I will have to dissassemble it as required.

Believe me..I'd rather take the time to dissasseble for the layup because I only get charged $150 to have my boat pulled with a hydraulic trailer and set up in the driveway of my family's summer home..more like a trailer. I can store it and work on it all winter long without hassle and cost...No charge is worth it. Atlantic Towers said all I have to do is remove about eight 1/4 inch bolts and she's off the helm. The mounts that are attached to the boat remain behind. All I have to do to put it back on is replace the eight bolts. Should be a piece of cake with about three guys. I'll have to unhook electric and the radar when I have it. Hopefully I'll only have to do this once or twice at the most. Until then this is how I have to do it.

Thanks for the idea with the spotlights. I'll keep that in mind when I wire things up. I'll probably sit down and diagram everything before I install it. Also add it to my Hatteras wiring diagrams so I don't forget. The Blue Sea idea was brought up by my Dad so we'll probably go in that direction as well.

Also...good news is that I think I have the same installer. He's coming from Cherry Hill, NJ to install it and his name is Tom Lynch. 609 area code as well. Sounds like a good deal. Hopefully an effortless installation. He said he installed tops and arches on Hatteras yachts previously.

I'll take picture and keep you updated as I work through this.

Thanks for the help!

 

[TomT13]

Jack,

That was his name now that I read it. He was from Cherry Hill. He is a good guy.

Tom

 

[Jackman]

The hardtop is on! Looks pretty darn good too. Tom from Cherry Hill did an excellent job and I would recommend him to any of you! Didn't need to change a thing or cut an access hole or anything. With the help of a total of five of us the hardtop was put ontop (the most difficult part.) He had it completely installed in three hours. Really great guy too. Talked my ears off during the installation.

I had some issues with the folks who built it but I am not going to complain because its on and I don't have to deal with them any longer.

Now I have to get estimates for the enclosure so that can be done...hopefully in time for the summer season. I have pictures and will attempt at some time to get the posted somewhere so you all can see them.

The boat looks totally different and the bridge looks bigger than before...just an illusion. I guess I'll be shopping at the AC boatshow this coming weekend to see what I can add!

 

[34Hatt]

Glad to hear it came out good and you are happy its a lot of money not to be will be waiting to see some pictures

 

[Jackman]

Well I just got the news from the guy I am having do my enclosure and I think I am getting a good deal from what you've all been telling me. The guy is going to make a custom enclosure made of stamoid, stratoglass and the gortex like lifetime thread. It will also have several strategically placed zippers, the u-type. The front will be two panels, each with their own zippers, two side curtains and in the rear three panels, one being the door. I will have tracking on both the top and bottom and there will be zippers holding the panels in place from the tracking. This is the guy I dealt with for the estimate on the soft top I was going to get replaced but then had a last minute change of plans and went to the hardtop instead. I promised him the enclosure business and I think because of that he cut me a pretty good deal.

What do you guys think? Anything else that can be added?

 

[REBrueckner]

I would favor lower tracking only without adjacent zippering. That's because you are replacing the fundamental strength of fabric (with,say, turn buttons) with thread and/or zipper teeth along the zipper seams. But I'm sure it will work and the advantage is likely less wind blown rain or snow getting through. And of course the stress should be spread thru much of the zipper seam. Limiting the number of smiley zippers retains strength, durability and improves vision...
I wonder if there is any good way to permit some ventilation to let out hot air on sunny days without letting in rain? My solution is to use the boat full time all summer and just button up the enclosure in rain.

 

[34Hatt]

I also don't understand about the zippers I dont have any on mine and have track top and bottom it just slide's in. Zippers are one more thing to fail.