rob,

do you have any pictures of the finished setup?

I currently have a soft top on my flybridge, farily recent, but in So Fl
after 3 or 4 years they start falling apart.  when that happened on my
previous boat, a 37' express, i decided to make a new top using starboard.
it came out pretty nice, the edges where bent down along the frame just like
a soft bimini. I was able to inlcude built in lights in the midle. I also
reused the exisitng stainless steel frame and screwed the edge to the arch.

side curtains were replaced by lexan, which so far have aged much better
than the soft variety.

when the flybridge bimini on my current boat needs replacement, I'm probably
going to go that route again...

pascal
miami, fl
1970 hatteras 53 MY

I've gotten several requests about my flybridge (fiberglass over plywood)
hardtop mentioned in my recent post on  "04 Cruising Notes".

I posted the full story last fall on T & T....I finally found it in the 10/93
postings..Here is a copy of the story:

Last winter I posted a request for comments on a hardtop for my flybridge.
Since my old soft top was about worn out, I am just completing a new hardtop
and
will rent a truck Thursday to get it to the boat. Here is the story.

I spent about two days planning and measuring, a day or two purchasing
material, and nine days in fabrication in my basement garage. Another day is
required for trucking and installation at the boat. About two weeks total.
More time
overall than I realized.

Briefly, I made the 9ft x 9ft top by epoxying together two thicknesses of 4ft
x 10 ft x 1/4" plywood. I would have preferred thicker plywood, like 5/16" or
3/8" but none was available in oversize sheets. And a single layer of half
inch or thicker 4ft x 8ft would have a weakspot at the seam.  I also made two
hatch
openings each 2ft square. I angled the forward roof edge for looks and
rounded  many
corners  with a router for a softer profile.

A few weeks ago I installed plexiglass windows on the sides of my bridge deck
(aft lounge area) to replace some old soft covers. While at the plexiglass
place it occurred to me I could also buy 3/8" thick 2ft square plexiglass and
make my own opening hatches...they were $17 each, plus a few dollars for
glue..
I used a one inch wide strip from leftover window scrap for the edges of the
hatches. These were edge glued to the flat surface.

I had almost not installed hatches at all because they cost about $250 or
$300 each for marine hatches, (with aluminum frames) almost as much as all
the other material combined....But with hardware, I made them for under $50
each....I looked at camper hatches but they looked cheesey...

The four edges of the plywood hardtop were reinforced with 1 x 3 against the
underside of the plywood, (where slotted aluminum will be screw fastened to
accept
softcover sides)  with another piece vertically as a rain/drip edge.
Everything
is epoxied and screwed. The roof extends a few inches beyond the softcover
fastening all around. The outer top was glassed with Dynel fabric and two
coats of
polyester, the underside (interior) just coated with two layers of polyester
resin... I fixed up imperfections with autobody putty and then painted with
one part polyurethane.

My wife and I can just about maneuver it around ourselves, so I would guess
total weight at about 100 to 120 lbs.

I am mounting the hardtop  with stainless steel straps to the existing
softcover frame (1 inch stainless) and bolting the two aft corners of the
hardtop to
an existing radar arch. I  am adding diagonal braces across the front of the
flybridge (awthwartships) to brace the frame from the forward corners to the
flybridge and prevent any side to side movement.  Existing braces prevent
bow/stern movement.

The existing enclosure made it through 90mph squalls two years ago, so with
the reinforcements described, I am comfortable it will hold up. Most support
structures seem heavy enough to practically lift the entire boat...And two
inch
thick aluminum supports which seem standatd, just look awkward to me....

Total cost was about $800. A local guy would have made a softcover top for
about $600, a top flight shop quoted me $1100...Atlantic Towers quoted me
something like $5000 last winter for an aluminum frame top with stretched
weblon
fabric....You can draw you own conclusions about the cost/benefits, but I
have
exactly want I wanted...

(NEW) Notes: Upon reflection and subsequent observation, I would recommend
1/2" thick plexiglass for the hatches and 1" x 4" wood for the edging, the
former for additional rigidity, the latter as I would like the look of the wider
edging....This installation easily made it through 75 mph winds this fall at Sag
Harbor,  (NY) with the soft side enclosure in place. The (reused) softtop
frame rattled a bit, but there was no damage. The typical 1.5" aluminum frame
often used for such a top look a bit top heavy to me and most seem to be
overbuilt, but in hurricane territory may be desirable.

Rob Brueckner
Hatteras 48 Yachtfish