# Home made hardtop



## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

In about 2-3 months things will start getting cooler down here in FL.
Right now I am starting the design phase of my hard top build.
My soft top has been degrading slowly since I got the boat. Plastic windows are all old, and the cockpit is only half covered now. Impractical for sailing, and looks bad. I was going to re-do the canvas and windows, but why bother, in 5-6 more years, it will need to be done again. So I want to make a fiberglass hardtop. 
I was going to do stainless steel covered in starboard, but I think this will look nicer.
Here is what I have now...










So I have a great bit to work from.
Step one is to construct the sides. This is the part I will be starting in the next few weeks. I will be cutting foam to size, 
Core-Cell A500 Plain Foam Sheets
Then I will grind the gelcoat from the fiberglass uprights, and attach the foam. I will then cover the new foam with fiberglass cloth and extend it over the old area for rigidity and strength. The shape will be something like this...










Step two will be to construct a wood frame with the slight grade I wish the top to have. I will place the foam over that, and fiberglass the foam to the uprights. I will cover the top and edges of the foam with fiberglass, and remove the wood supports. I will then cover the bottom of the foam with fiberglass after I install wires in the foam.
Then I will create two rear stainless struts to install in the rear portion for support. Their will still be some areas that will need canvas, but not much. A front facing hatch will be cut out, and the entire thing will be shot with gelcoat. I hope it looks slick when done, but the best part is, if it looks bad one jigsaw and its off in 15min, a bit of sanding and it will be back to factory.

See any issues with my plans?


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

However your decide to proceed, make a template first out of some thin material, maybe door skin...1mm or so thick. Many hard dodgers look like an outhouse stuck on a nice sailboat...


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

The prototype will be foam from hobby lobby


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

This is a top from one of our sisterships, 








another way I could do it.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)




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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

For those exterior curves and to give a nice rounded appearance you can glass in pvc pipe, cut to fit and then glassed over. I'd skip the gelcoat, interthane 990 can be rolled and tipped to give a good appearance.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

A guy that I met in Marathon, Florida designed and built this hard top in the shop at the marina. It took him about a week to make it, the top is made of sheets of fiberglass that he purchased at Home Depot, he made the uprights from aluminum tube he purchased there as well, then reinforced it with fiberglass. He did a fantastic job, it holds the solar panel(s) and the attached davits support his 200-pound dinghy quite well.










All the best,

Gary :


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

aeventyr60 said:


> For those exterior curves and to give a nice rounded appearance you can glass in pvc pipe, cut to fit and then glassed over. I'd skip the gelcoat, interthane 990 can be rolled and tipped to give a good appearance.


do you have photos of such an operation?


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

^No. The idea is to cut the pipe in half or quarters length wise according to your needed shape or curve. The thin wall pvc will then bend around the corners. You may have to use several different size pipes.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

I do not grasp how I would make that look good.


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

It is part of the overall structure, mostly on the those hard edges , just gives shape, light glass and epoxy, fill, fair and paint.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

I need some fiberglass sheet 8 x 4 ft ideally 5/32 but 1/8th or 3/16th will do. My current Bimini is vinyl and about 8 x 8. It is attached to a dodger which has a hard top about 5/32th thick. I want to replace the vinyl with a hard top. 

I can not find any listed in Home Depot. Mr Google can only find some that is thinner than 1/8th and described as suitable for indoor use only.

Life is complicated for me as I am in Grenada in the Eastern Carib and can not go and look at samples. 

Can anyone help with a supplier?


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

TQA, my friend used 1/8, then coated it with some roving and matting to make it just over 1;/4-inch thick, which only took a day's work. I'm not sure that you will find sheets thicker than 1/8th inch anywhere. The nice part about this is he used the finished part of the sheet as the top, therefore, the underside was just coated with some two-part epoxy paint for the finish. Made a real good job as you can see by the photo.

Good luck,

Gary


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

Do you think I could use the PVC pipe to make the entire edge, cutting a big enough channel into it to hold the foam. Then fiberglass over the lot of it?


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

You most likely could, but there is a distinct advantage to using aluminum tube - it's stronger, you can bend it and it holds it's shape, and once covered in fiberglass, no corrosion, at least that I know of. That was the reasoning behind my friend's hard top. The ball is now in your court.

Good luck,

Gary


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## n4qij (Oct 26, 2014)

Union Pacific build frame out of PVC slit the pipe and insert the foam sheet in pipe epoxy and fiberglass the entire frame.
Built a dink last year and used 2 1/2" Dia. PVC for the gunnels was able to get it over 3/4" closed cell foam. See photo below. Light weight fiberglass cloth wraps very well around the PVC pipe


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

travlineasy said:


> TQA, my friend used 1/8, then coated it with some roving and matting to make it just over 1;/4-inch thick, which only took a day's work. I'm not sure that you will find sheets thicker than 1/8th inch anywhere. The nice part about this is he used the finished part of the sheet as the top, therefore, the underside was just coated with some two-part epoxy paint for the finish. Made a real good job as you can see by the photo.
> 
> Good luck,
> 
> Gary


OK Can anyone give me a link to a supplier of 1/8th thick 8 ft x 4 ft sheet suitable for exterior use and preferably in Miami.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Home Depot has it, nubby finish on one side, smooth on the other side. You will find it in the paneling/wallboard section and it's about $33 a sheet.

Gary


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

Guys,

Unless you are doing something really oddly shaped just buy 1/4" fg-foam-Fg sanwhiches. It's a whole lot easier than trying to build them yourselves. At least unless you have a large vaccume table and an infusion rig.


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Stumble said:


> Guys,
> 
> Unless you are doing something really oddly shaped just buy 1/4" fg-foam-Fg sanwhiches. It's a whole lot easier than trying to build them yourselves. At least unless you have a large vaccume table and an infusion rig.


8 x 4 sheets of 1/8th foam sandwich are 450 $ US :eek

8 x 4 sheets of FG wallboard from home depot are 33 $ US :wink


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Providing the OP does not mind the hijack

Gary is it this 4 ft. x 8 ft. White .090 FRP Wall Board-MFTF12IXA480009600 - The Home Depot

It is described as interior use only. Why do you think this is?

Also it is only 90 thou thick. Do you think that is enough.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

It is if you back it with some matting and roving, then hit it with a chopper gun and thicken it to 1/4 to 3/8-inch thick. It provides a good, solid, nicely finished foundation to get the project underway.

And, if you want, you could use the sheets on both sides and create a very strong sandwich with them.


All the best,

Gary


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

I still like the idea of fiberglass covered foam. Stiff, light, and strong. 
Adding pipe is a good idea, but with the shapes I want, fiberglass panels are out. 
I want protection from the elements when hunkered down up there. So if the ice ever melts in the arctic again we can do the passage.


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

travlineasy said:


> It is if you back it with some matting and roving, then hit it with a chopper gun and thicken it to 1/4 to 3/8-inch thick. It provides a good, solid, nicely finished foundation to get the project underway.
> 
> And, if you want, you could use the sheets on both sides and create a very strong sandwich with them.
> 
> ...


Or as I mentioned you just use the right product in the first place. A large sheet of foam sandwiched fiberglass board. But trying to build anything for a boat out of dry wall is a sure way to end up with an overweight mess of soggy drywall.

If you want to make the board yourself, figure 
$20 in fiberglass (50"x5yd 1.4oz). 
$70 for 1/4-4x8 divinycell foam core
$50 epoxy - give or take
$50 random consumables.

Add in a few days work and it may be cheaper to build it. Unless you care about your time.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I've never worked with foam core and know nothing about it's structural integrity. My current Sunbrella Bimini top measures 7 X 9 feet so a single 4 X 8 sheet wouldn't make it using either material. I really do like the idea of a hard-top Bimini, though, but at this stage of life, I'm finished with the construction aspects of my boat. Just want to cruise and enjoy the boat for the little time I have left above ground.

All the best,

Gary


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

3/8 end grain balsa core draped over amock up shape .Glass webbing at the edge of each narrow panel . Z .place next panel into wet webbing and carry on. More rigid and temperature resistant. Solid blocks for thru fasteners. Glass and finish to taste. Flip over and do the under side.


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## CHIPPIEGIRL (Jul 18, 2014)

WOW that looks great. I am inspired to make a dodger for my C&C 30.


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## n4qij (Oct 26, 2014)

Union Pacific,
I am located in the central Florida area if you need technical data or assistance call me at three 8 six 4two three 1seven 11 any time before 11: pm or e-mail n4qij at yahoo n4qij


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

UnionPacific said:


> I still like the idea of fiberglass covered foam. Stiff, light, and strong.
> Adding pipe is a good idea, but with the shapes I want, fiberglass panels are out.
> I want protection from the elements when hunkered down up there. So if the ice ever melts in the arctic again we can do the passage.


What kind of foam are you going to use? Styrofoam and insulation board will not add any strength. Dvinyl cell or others like it are going to be expensive. You might look at the Polypropylene core, I believe Caleb has used it on his Tartan for core on the deck and said it compares to marine grade ply in cost. 
Polypropylene core ? 48 x 96 Inches | Express Composites, Inc.


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