building a custom hardtop for a 6.1m hydrofield

[mitch_wahoo]

Hey everyone,

Im in the process of building a custom hardtop for my hydrofield so i thought i'd put up a bit of info about it in the process.

I Brought it a few weeks ago and it has already had the winscreen extended but it is to close to my head when standing up driving and in rough weather could be pretty dangerous.

Im making a mould out of 19mm lamiwood. Its mdf with a shiny painted finish wich i can lay glass up in and pull the lamiwood off after its all glassed up.

Going to be making it out of chopped strand matt and structural foam.

It will have toughened glass windows. Not sure if i will put sliding windown in the sides or not yet.

Anyway heres a few pics of the boat so far.

[tenzing]

Mitch, you are obviously a tall bugger going by the proposed pfofile.
I think it will certainly be a HUGE improvement in the appearance and function of your boat and your ability to stay out of the elements when necessary.
Look forward to seeing haw the job progresses. Keep posting pics.
Brendan

[Gon Fishun]

Should go well when all finished . Out of curiosity which program did you use to draw it up.

[mal555]

I Brought it a few weeks ago and it has already had the winscreen extended but it is to close to my head when standing up driving and in rough weather could be pretty dangerous.

Good luck with the custom HT job mate, give yourself enough head-room as you say, bouncing into a head sea will give you plenty of lift off from the seat from that forward helm position.
It's hard getting the look 'right', especially when converting a soft top production boat (and what everyone perceives as normal), and although the screen angle is pretty upright, you'll need the room around the helm and maximise the cockpit space.

[deckie]

Is this problem endemic to Hydrofields ? Never heard of it before.
Just out of curiosity did the windscreen extension mean you now had the problem with potentially knocking your melon ? Just curious coz maybe you could just get rid of the windscreen extension instead of doing all that work just to potentially create the ugliest boat on earth. Any other option other than this one ?

[ifishcq1]

use Gav's as a model

cheers

[mitch_wahoo]

gon fishun. I used the paint program on my computer.

deckie. No the problem is not with hydrofields at all. The guy i brought the boat off had the winscreen hightened and lengthened and it is way to close to my head. He was a bit shorter than me. I cant just get rid of the extension as it is all glassed together. Not really any other options other than making another winscreen and bimini and having clears that are annoying. Hardtop is the way to go, keeps all the elements out and makes the boat look alot better.

Scotty. Im making it a bit different to the old boys hardtop. His is all alluminium and id rather make mine out of glass because me and chrisso can do all the work. Im not to good at welding alloy.

[deckie]

Hardtop is the way to go, keeps all the elements out and makes the boat look alot better.

Sounds like u have your reasons..good luck with the build. You just lost me a bit with this call.

Always liked the look of hydrofields stock. Great rigs. If u want the protection thats cool..but i'm seriously thinking you've got some sort of beer goggles on. Just trying to be honest. She'll be a great rig regardless tho...luv em and thinking of doing one up as a project.

[Midnight]

Once you have had a hard top and real glass windows, it is really hard to go back to clears.
Nothin beats hiding in there and being warm and dry on a sh1tty day.

Good luck with it Mitch.

Cheers,
Myles

[mitch_wahoo]

Deckie. Have you never seen a hardtop hydrofild before. It will look similar to that. I no its hard to tell with the mock up drawings ive done. It will look better when its all the same colour and it wont be that high either.

The drawings were just mock ups and are not to scale.

Thanks Midnight. I definately agree with you there.

[mal555]

Once you have had a hard top and real glass windows, it is really hard to go back to clears.
Nothin beats hiding in there and being warm and dry on a sh1tty day.

Good luck with it Mitch.

Couldn't agree more!

[wayno60]

Mitch, is this any good to you???

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aluminium-Cabin-Boat-/150632905272?pt=AU_Boats&hash=item23126bba38

[mitch_wahoo]

wayno60. Thanks for the idea but the shape of the outside wouldn't suit the hydrofield.

[business class]

Mitch, Have you ever been in one with a hardtop???.... they have a bad problem with cracking as you cant support the hard top enough when in some rough stuff. The design of the hull actually puts alot of pressure on all joins when coming off waves. A mate had the 6.6 and actually took it back down to Hydrofield and had this removed as it was an issue for him. I went SS and had to get some massive supports done to stop this from moving, and now she is as solid as a rock. I was looking at a hard top design as i would love one but it was near impossible to be able to make it strong enough to not crack when in an ocean, as to add strength we needed to add more weight but more weight up high would make it worse so we rubbed out the idea . Good luck with ur project i hope it works out, and if you havent already gone too far with your project maybe consider doing large pipe in alloy as OPTI did on his 233 as that would be the best way to go. Good luck.

[mitch_wahoo]

Hey Matty, thanks for the info. My dads got a 6.1 that he had a custom aluminum Hard top made for it. Most of it's alluminium angle. Not very thick walled either and it hasn't cracked. It's been on the boat for 10+ years.

Fiberglass should be stronger that alloy if it's done right. I'll be making it out of chopped strand may and woven rovings and also 90lb structural foam will be used in the roof and for braces. There's a few hard top 6.6's around here and I've never heard of them cracking before. Have heard that the windows used to fall out but apparently they fixed this problem.

My mates just had a brand new 6.6 hardtop just built but we haven't had it on the water yet. Just finished fitting it out on the weekend. The top seems pretty solidly built. Will see how flimsy it is wen we take it out for it's first run next weekend.

[business class]

Hey Matty, thanks for the info. My dads got a 6.1 that he had a custom aluminum Hard top made for it. Most of it's alluminium angle. Not very thick walled either and it hasn't cracked. It's been on the boat for 10+ years.

Fiberglass should be stronger that alloy if it's done right. I'll be making it out of chopped strand may and woven rovings and also 90lb structural foam will be used in the roof and for braces. There's a few hard top 6.6's around here and I've never heard of them cracking before. Have heard that the windows used to fall out but apparently they fixed this problem.

My mates just had a brand new 6.6 hardtop just built but we haven't had it on the water yet. Just finished fitting it out on the weekend. The top seems pretty solidly built. Will see how flimsy it is wen we take it out for it's first run next weekend.

Ok cool well hopefully it works out for ya. Will be interesting to see if they fixed the new HT at the factory. Will be interesting to see how you go with it. Where just about to sell our 6.6 Hydro and go a little bigger. Love the boat and everything about it, just want a little more in length as we want to do longer trips away. The weight up top when coming off waves really puts alot of pressure on all joins which only leeds to cracks, hopefully yours and ur mates doesnt tho. There a great fishing platform as are any multi hull.

[mitch_wahoo]

Heres a few progress pics. This is the basic outline of the hardtop mould. It will be a bit lower and the roof will have a curve in it when i put it on.

The glass will be getting laid up inside this. When it has cured i will be able to pull it all apart to get the hard top out if i need to.

I have done a practice lay up with some chop strand to see how the finish comes up and it is pretty good. I should only have to give the top a light sand and paint it to match the boat.

[thylacene]

We have a Caribbean Reef Runner with a glass screen and a fiberglass hardtop. While it is a different shape to your boat, there are a couple of design features that you might consider for incorporation.

The glass windscreen is contained in an alloy frame, with triangular sections at either side and there is a slight angle in the center of the screens. The geometry used provides the strength to be able to mount the fiberglass hardtop and withstand a decent wave coming over the front.

The hardtop has a void moulded in across the front forming a triangular section that provides additional strength across the front and provides lateral support to the windscreens. This also provides a wiring conduit for wipers and there is just enough space to mount radios. I find this makes them much easier to hear when traveling and very convenient, as the mics are mount beside each radio.

There are stainless grab rails bolted on top either side, apart from being handy, they strengthen the hardtop from front to back, acting like a truss. This allows the sides to be unsupported and it has side clears that infill when it is rough and wet. With the clears in we have a dry and comfy ride, and they come out when it is sunny as it gets hot behind the glass.

The rear is supported by a double leg stainless 20mm mount that also provides a triangular shape brace against fore/afft movement.

Across the back, they have moulded a "wing" at the back, providing strength across and this also channels the water out over the side instead of onto the deck. This allows crew to stand under the hardtop while travelling and also stay dry. We fish as a family of four. Grab handles are a good idea at the rear for standing passengers. They have also bolted a set of rocket launchers across the back, with mounts either side and centre, providing bracing to stop any flex.

The fiberglass hardtop is about 9mm thick, and the use of a curved edge provides strength all the way around, avoiding flexing and coping with substantial water coming over the top.

When you are working out your windscreen height, try to ensure that you can see when standing. Ours is a bit low for me when standing, but I usually sit while travelling.

The Caribbean design for a hardtop is structurally quite good, and works well. It might be worth your time to consider each in the context of the job you have in front of you, as the benefits of some of design features you appreciate every time you go out. The moulding across the back that channels the water over the side is an example.

The time you spend in prep and design will pay back forever.

Good luck with it and keep the updates coming.

Cheers

Thy

[thylacene]

some pics here to make my babble understandable

https://picasaweb.google.com/102989844761721690554/CaribbeanReefRunnerJanuary2011?authuser=0&feat=directlink

[mitch_wahoo]

thanks for the ideas thylacene. The top of the hard top will have structural foam glassed in for strength. It will have a hatch in it for air flow on those hot days. Im goint to put a strip of foam in between all the windows for strength as well. Ant the back of the hardtop will have a curved edge on it to help with rigidity.

im still looking into what windows to use. Im thinking of just getting toughened glass cut and sikaflexing it on from the outside. I talked to a local glazier and he said this will work fine. Or if i want to all technical i can make up some recesses for the glass to sit in after the mould is done and the window sizes are cut out.

[mitch_wahoo]

Hey Thy, your picture isnt working mate. Could you try fix it? Im pretty keen to have a look at your rig.

[thylacene]

Hey Thy, your picture isnt working mate. Could you try fix it? Im pretty keen to have a look at your rig.

Sorry Mitch, have updated link with public access. Have another go

[mitch_wahoo]

Nice looking boat you got there Thy. I like the look of that winch on the front. Where did you get it and what sort of dollars was it if you dont mind me asking? PM me if you like.

[thylacene]

pm sent, have a look here http://ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?175518-Caribbean-Reef-Runner-fitout-with-piccies&highlight=reef+runner+fitout for more info, and there is a link to the fit up of the winch in the same post

[business class]

thats a very nice hardtop you have there thylacene, one of the nicest ive seen to be honest. Something like that would look unreal on a Hydrofield tho would rip off in no time. Thats the only downfall in these boats is that when in some rough stuff they dont have no give like a mono they try to stay level which creates a slingshot effect and any weight up high cops a flogging. I really want to see how this one goes for mitch as id love a hard top on mine, but what ive seen em do to a normall top cares me, even more so when surrounded by glass. Its hard to explain but if ya went for a run in one you would see why i say weight up top is a bad move.

[ifishcq1]

Matty, his dad has had an alloy hardtop on his for 10 or 15 years and it has stood up well plus he also has good pedigree in fibreglass so I can't see him having any drama that can't be overcome easily
hurry up Mitch, you and Chrisso might get one or two more to do
cheers

[thylacene]

Hey Matty,

I understand the difference you are talking about, but regardless, if the design incorporates sufficient bracing, unless the hull itself flexes, then the only effect the weight would have is in the handling & windage of the boat.

My post was meant to highlight the use of angles and moulded curves in the design to ensure that the final structure has the rigidity to withstand the beating that an open water vessel cops. We use to scam dollars at the pub years ago when notes were paper, we'd bet we could sit a fiver across a schooner glass and stack $5 worth of 20 cent pieces on it. The trick ot it was to fold the note into a concertina, something akin to corrugated iron, and the paper would support the coins.

Caribbean have to take all the credit for the design, and the hardtop was a major selling point for us, and we really appreciate it off the south coast of NSW, the warm dry ride is great, can even have a smoke on the way, regardless of rain, spray or waves breaking over it.

Cheers,

Thy

[julian1]

i went in a late model 6.6 factory hardtop last year and it did seem to have a lot of flex in the hardtop even thoughit had full glass whereas my NC has no flex what so ever, this was probably the only thing i didn't like about the boat and also it seemed to be slow out of the hole, may the ballast breather wasn't working properly? as it had twin Zuke 140's which should be heaps ?? great boat though it rode well and was easy to drive and very stable

[mitch_wahoo]

I went for a ride in a brand new 6.6 last weekend. The top didn't flex at all that I could notice. Thanks for the info but. The top I'm making will have foam in the roof and in between each window for added strength. Hopefully it won't flex much at all.

[business class]

hopefully urs works perfectly as a hard top would be awesome to have. My T-Top actually doesnt flex no more either (WAS a headache to get to this) does have alot of braceing now tho. I been thinking Alloy T-Top for next time similar to what Opti did to save weight, however if your works and doesnt have no issues then maybe its was just issues from the older factory built ones. Looking forward to seeing the end product.

[mitch_wahoo]

heres a few more pics, this is a female mould so all the glass will be laid up on the inside. The bit in the middle was used to put the curve in the roof.

[mitch_wahoo]

Few more pics. A couple before we started glassing. Then one of the tire layer of glass that went on this morning.

[mitch_wahoo]

Heres a few more pics. Did some more glassing last night and layed the sheet of structural foam in the roof on a bed of talcom powder bog and put some foam strips in between the windows.