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Pop-Top mod pays dividend

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zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1314 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/25/2006 : 16:19:44

We are presently in San Diego at an RV park in Mission Bay, next to Seaworld, enjoying for the first time the new pop-top modification. Tuesday we will move to the Marine village for a launching and splashdown and docking at L dock together with the boys...

As mentioned some time ago we added a second pop=top ss frame forward of the exising frame that came with the boat. The modification allows the hatch to be in a up or in downward position and is lockable while the pop-top remains installed...

Additional benefits are...
1) Gained a great storage area to boot!!
2) The SS frame is stored on its side in the head (a little bit of a nuisance) and as a benefit is used as towel rack...

Pop-top forward frame installed and holding the cover in place... please note the SS frame location between the pop-top windows and supported from the hatch sides allowing free travel of the hatch itself in open or closed position...

With the pop-top installed the hatch can be closed and... locked while the area in between can be used as storage area if required

Henk & Johanna
"Floating", a few off your "barnacles".
"Someday Lady" '95 C250WB #151 ('03 - 2016)
"Sea ya" 30ft Bayliner (04-2018 - 09-2018)
"Mariah" '96 C250WB #191 (05-2019 - 15-05-2023)
"Lady J" '00 C250WK #499 (05-2021 - 09-2022)

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2006 : 16:56:28

Henk, is that your own mod for the sliding cabin top ... The smoked plastic in place of the usual 'roof with a view'?
Looks very neat!

paul

Edited by - britinusa on 11/26/2006 06:34:40

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2006 : 22:08:56

I like it. I like it. Can you get some pictures of the mounting points and the give us the demensions please. Well Done!!!!!

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 11/26/2006 : 11:37:09

Henk, very nice! Does the front tube (that goes forward at an angle) detach from the rest of the tubing? I think that would make for easier storage, in fact you could store it below the cockpit with the regular poptop enclosure support.

Edited by - on

willy
Captain

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USA
422 Posts

Response Posted - 11/26/2006 : 16:11:12

GREAT JOB! And that wisk broom shows all that you keep your boat tidy! HA!

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 11/27/2006 : 14:37:13

The sliding smoked plexiglass hatch came standard with the boat and works/looks great... Thanks for asking

Believe it or not but... the rain has followed us to San Diego... Joe assures us that very soon we will have normal weather again with sun and warm temperatures. We will gladly make pictures and show dimensions once it stops raining

The front tube is detached from the main support and is slides over a 2 inch stub welded onto the main frame. A small hole is drilled to bolt the two together which I think is not required. The two original hatch support legs have been shortened to, I believe, 161/2" but feel that they could be cut down some more since lifting the hatch is still too tight. The reason we left the hatch support legs a liitle long is to maintain maximum head room.

The wisk broom is all for show(glad you noticed... well perhaps maybe I'm ordered every so once in a while to "CLEAN UP FOR PETE SAKE" (just kidding)

It does however provide a great temp storage, and seems to keep the boat a little cooler as well

When we left the boat at the RV park yesterday for a bike ride it sure gave us a good feeling that at minimum "we didn't tempt our weaker brothers" to just walk in...

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 11/27/2006 : 17:39:41

"Believe it or not but... the rain has followed us to San Diego... Joe assures us that very soon we will have normal weather again with sun and warm temperatures."

I think the last time we had measurable precipitation in San Diego was last June! I think Henk left his anchor hanging off the stern, snagged a low flying cumulus nimbus, and hauled this rain down from Northern Calif. Either that or he's upset the gods by keeping his boat out of the water too long. The rain should be gone by tomorrow but it will be windy. Oh that's right, these are sailboats!

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 11/27/2006 : 21:41:45

Eh guys... better wet than under more than a foot of snow, so the kids tell us, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Up North it is even worse with temperatures in mid British Columbia falling below minus 30 degrees (approx minus 22 Fahrenheit) with several feet of snow this early in the winter so... a little rain does nothing to stem us.

But you're right, it's the anchor and for sure this forum, who frown for being too long out of the water. If all goes well be in the slip sometime Wednesday and hope to stay for a while

Hope to see you soon... on dock L

ps spent today, (Monday)in the garage and visitng the unbelievable West Marina main store... Never saw so much boating stuff in my entire life.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 11/28/2006 : 05:54:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">The sliding smoked plexiglass hatch came standard with the boat and works/looks great... Thanks for asking<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ok, I have to ask.... dare you stand on it when wandering about the cabin roof?

Paul.

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 11/28/2006 : 07:14:41

Paul, I too have the smoked glass sliding window. I do walk on it especially when doing mast duty. 200# and really never had a concern it would break, however I do try and stay away from the center and most times it's just one foot on it and not all my weight.......

Edited by - on

Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2006 : 18:23:24

Definetly a cool mod there Henk! I too have the all smoked lexan (I think) hatch and when I am running around the deck I've never felt like it would break. It's much better than falling down the hole.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 11/30/2006 : 21:35:45

Do you guys keep the cabin roof slider closed (so you don't fall down the hole) and secured with anything.. I have had it move on me a few times and wished it were secured in the shut position with a toggle or something.
(Always leary of having it able to be locked from outside but not be unlocked from the inside!!!!)

paul

Edited by - on

Russ.Johnson
Commodore

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USA
855 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2006 : 15:34:19

Paul,
My hatch will slide open too.
There is clear plastic tape on the cabin top to reduce friction.
The dealer said it factory installed because the newer hatch was heavier.
He said some people remove it bacause the hatch opens too easily.
I haven't bother to remove mine yet.
Russ #793

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2006 : 16:37:12

When I bought Knotty Cat, the "Monkey Tape" was peeling off. I bought new and replaced it. I like the hatch to slide easy. I try to avoid the sliding hatch when up top.

Edited by - on

Tradewind
Admiral

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USA
531 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2006 : 14:18:34

Tom, where can I purchase the "Monkey Tape"? Mine has peeled off also.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2006 : 15:29:01

by 'Monkey Tap' I presume you mean that low friction clear tape that is applied to the contact points on either side of the cabin roof where the top slides.

I was looking at putting some kind of 'pin' someplace to hold the lid shut so moving about on top of it doesn't cause any of those little suprises!

paul

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2006 : 16:00:29

Steve,
I the correct name for the stuff I used is [url="http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e2132.asp"]Japanese Glide Tape[/url]. You can get it at Annapolis Performance Sailing.

Edited by - Tom Potter on 12/13/2006 18:33:49

Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2006 : 19:53:41

Thanks for the tip on the tape. Mine peeled off too. I've been using some hard ski wax on the runners but it picks up dirt and has to be cleaned off and re-applied.

Edited by - on

Steve Raffel
Captain

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262 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2006 : 21:06:13

I bought the tape from Catalina a few years ago.

Edited by - on

Tradewind
Admiral

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USA
531 Posts

Response Posted - 12/04/2006 : 12:58:09

Thanks for the tape info.

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2006 : 18:34:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tompotter
 Steve,
I the correct name for the stuff I used is [url="http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e2132.asp"]Japanese Glide Tape[/url]. You can get it at Annapolis Performance Sailing.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Just found the Sliding Hatch Teflon Tape on Catalina Direct, $1.18 per foot.

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2006 : 14:00:21

This week I'll take some more pictures plus measurements of the pop-top mod and post the information...

Edited by - on

frogger
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
184 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2006 : 08:20:36

Do you sail with the pop top in the raised position?

Edited by - on

zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 12/22/2006 : 12:08:07

Has anyone found a way to mount or attach a screen piece to the pop-top? This would be a welcome mod to supplement the clear plastic on hot evenings

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 12/22/2006 : 20:09:07

Jay, maybe it's a new mod, but our pop-top has both the bug screen and the clear plastic (rollups) on both sides.

Paul

Edited by - on

zebra50
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 12/25/2006 : 09:46:21

Paul
any suggestions on how to add this screen to one without? Is it possible to get a photo and maybe I can do my own mod.
thanks

Edited by - on

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