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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Pop-top Cover/Curtain

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knightwind
Navigator

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Canada
114 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/02/2008 : 22:07:00

Can you buy a pop-up cover/curtain anywhere?
I notice the snaps are installed for it.

-Pete

Peter Keddie
Turkey Point, ON
79 Catalina 25 Fixed Keel #1050

Edited by - on

Even Chance
Captain

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USA
393 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 06:28:46

Catalina Direct

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 07:17:40

As Brooke pointed out, Catalina Direct sells them for $530-550.00.

When I first purchased my C25, I thought my pop-top cover would see a ton of use, but it hasn't been out of the basement closet in over 5-6 years and before that, I think I'll only broke it out twice. And from the looks of it (28 years old and still looks like new), the previous owners didn't use it either.

Moral of the story: If you are going to spend 5-6 boat units on a pop-top cover, make sure you are actually going to use it.

Edited by - on

quilombo
Captain

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USA
301 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 08:06:42

I have one in like new condition, send me an email

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 09:05:38

I also thought that this was a great piece of hardware and would get lots of use but so far .................. not!

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 09:11:06

I've never raised the pop top on my boat. But in all fairness, I live in a place where it never gets really warm. 68 degrees is a hot summer day here.

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Renzo
Admiral

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USA
621 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 10:53:41

I use my pop top and cover at least 2 or 3 times a year. Usually when we are away on a club cruise. It not only provides head room but it frees up living space in the main salon and rear quarter birth by allowing for lots of temporary storage of items like duffel bags etc. around the edges of the cabin top below the raised portion of the pop-top, especially forward, near the mast. I don't live in a warm climate but I do live where rain can be expected at any time and it sure is a lot more roomy and comfortable with the top up if you have to spend an afternoon below because of bad weather. Also the cover provides more light and a better view because of the vinyl windows incorporated into the cover.

Edited by - on

knightwind
Navigator

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Canada
114 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 17:37:20

So I'm raising the mast today...see the raising the mast post...
And the girlfriend's going through the cabin while I work on the rigging...and she says "hey,is this a cabin cover?" and sure enough it was! Great surprise so here it is.

As you can see it was raining all day...I'm 6'5" so having the poptop up with this baby on is wonderful.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 17:46:32

Cool...

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Cbucki1
1st Mate

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USA
47 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 21:14:33

I use mine almost every time we stay on the boat.

Adds TONS of extra headroom while "camping" at the moorning.

CB

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1520 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2008 : 22:38:58

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by knightwind
 So I'm raising the mast today...see the raising the mast post...
And the girlfriend's going through the cabin while I work on the rigging...and she says "hey,is this a cabin cover?" and sure enough it was! Great surprise so here it is.

As you can see it was raining all day...I'm 6'5" so having the poptop up with this baby on is wonderful.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Peter,
You have now set the record for Most Frequent Use of a Pop-top Cover in C-25 History! I have used mine once in 3 years. Congratulations and happy sailing.

All stand and cheer!!!

Edited by - on

crcalhoon
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2008 : 16:57:43

Since you are a stranger to the pop-top, let me be the first to remind you--and all the rest of us--to tie up a safety line or something on that pop top. The little sliding latch cannot be trusted and that hatch is very heavy. I rarely use my pop top, but when I do, I just tie a short piece of line to one of the forward legs and loop it around the mast. Seems to work fine.

And welcome to the forum. It's a great place to be.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2008 : 16:59:08

I love my pop top cover. If I have a party dockside, I use it. If I anchor, I use it. When I do overnights, I use it. Its simple to install and take down.
Steve A

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2008 : 18:35:55

I am not sure if you are aware, but you can also buy a set of gas struts to help lift the top from Catalina Direct. Mine came in the mail last week. I'll let you know if they are worth buying once I put them on. Cost is around $125, so I figured they're worth the gamble.

According to the product literature, they reduce the force needed to lift the top from about 70 lbs to about 20.

Another worthwhile endeavour with regards to the poptop is to buy a couple pieces of velcro from fabricland. Put one piece on the ceiling of the poptop next to the knob, and wrap the other around the knob. Now the knob will stay attached to the ceiling when you lift the top, so that it doesn't have to be worried about falling and getting in the way when you either raise or lower the top.

Use the leftover pieces and get some of those "dot-it" LED lights from Giant Tiger (I think they have a Giant Tiger in Turkey point...) anyway, Giant Tiger has the lights for $6 for 3 of them. Stick a piece of velcro to the cieling, and another on the sticky part of the light. The LED's take 3 AAA batteries. If you use rechargables, you can take them home with you to recharge, saves your on-board batteries for getting th eengine to run. Plus because you used the velcro, you can move the lights around, or put something else there if you don't like them.

Edited by - on

Deric
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2008 : 19:54:58

Indeed, the pop-top can be a hard landing if not secured.

The wife of the previous owner of my boat told me the pop-top came down on her son's head, age of 11, and knocked him silly to the floor. Certainly the event gave her a scare.

I suspect the boat worried her to the point that she convinced her husband to sell the boat. I always have a line wrapped around the legs of the pop top and around the mast, or mast plate.

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2008 : 00:22:12

I find that the poptop cover does a gerat job of making the pop top much more secure too. I love it and whenever we og on an over night it comes out too.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.