Converting hardtop to be 'foldable'

[skifalls]

Hi Guys,

Have had the current boat for just on three years now whilst it serves me well and there is nothing wrong with it, being 5.0 mtrs limits my fishing days.

I'm currently building a house and we had originally planned to have 9x2.7 reserved next to the house so I could reverse the boat straight into the house. No 90 degree turns up hills and no more use of an electric dolly!

Well that was until our plans got stuck in planning with the plans looking like being rejected because we are unable to remove a tree. Anyway that's a long story....

The reason for my post is we have an alternate set of plans that proposes a 9L X 2.7H X standard dbl width.

I have always been keen on getting a cat as our next boat, spent many weeks in Malaysia as a kid in one and loved it, have a mate who has a 2400 Kevlacat and liked everything about it

We have started to look at a Noosacat 2400 Walkabout, BUT with a hardtop they are over 2.7 and there lies my dilemma.

I've seen a Vic boat manufacturer that has a 6 mtr boat with folding hardtop, has anyone had any experience converting a hardtop to fold down to the height of the windscreen?

I'm sure there would be challenges around weight and wiring but my main concern would be strength.

Keen to get people's thoughts and if anyone has actually done this

Cheers,
Mat


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[ovakil]

Just go & chop tree down,then say it fell down.
Your property.

[skifalls]

Long story but that's not an option, our council is not called the Green Wedge for a reason.


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[Noelm]

There is ways around council and removing trees, but that's a whole other story, I can't see any reason a hard top can't be made folding, one thing to look at is the actual length of the top, because when folded down, it will then be vertical, and can only fold as far as the deck, if you get what I mean, and might not be any lower, unless you can find a way to sort of telescope it, so it just lowers straight down.

[skifalls]

Thanks Noelm. I know what you mean, depending how high up the 'break' is and the length forward and rear of where the mount points are.


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[Chris Tucker]

There is no reason you can't have all the supports parallel and the hinges aligned which will mean the roof will stay flat as it drops. If you have a pinned support at the front which is on a different angle and length then it will lock it all in position.

[Out-Station]

I'm guessing you are meaning 2.7 roller door clearance so approx. 3.1 or so gutters, if its 2.7 gutters you will only get 2.3 or so under the door, probably less. Looking at pic's of those noosa's and KC's they are pretty high in the helm/screen and I recon it would be touch and go as to if they would fit without the hard top under the type of clearance you are thinking (serious research needed). My the screen and hard top lifts right of my riptide CC so I can fit it. Top of console, (roof of) comes in at about 2m and its a baby compared to those cats. Go higher (4.2 gutters) if you can. I recon the engineering around a folding top on a rig that big (heavy and big roof) will start to beat you on cost, not as simple as on a smaller scale like mine. Did you talk to council about planting a few other trees as an offset to the problematic one. I'd go all out to do the storage right or it will forever be a pain in the arse!!
Scott

[skifalls]

Hi Scott, have been down every possible avenue except VCaT. Had a local landscape designer do a 100% native design, added four canopy tree, even had aborist report supporting removal but useless council still undecided and leaning towards refusal. Can't keep paying interest and just want to move on and get the house built, BUT then don't want to limit any future purchase in the back of my mind.

Clearance will be 2.7, have triple checked and have in writing and stated clearly on plans. Haven't asked for an extra 10 or so centermeters as I think you then go into custom sized doors which a larger price.

I have no problem spending a few K to get that dream boat customized but there is obviously a limit.

Definitely agree that I need to get this right, have got a few days to get feedback before updated plans come back

Cheers,
Mat


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[scottar]

Check with a different shed builder. When I put up my Totalspan kit, the height of the door was basically dependent on the required room for the thing to roll up. I had asked for as tall a door as possible within the 2.7 metre wall. When you look at one in a standard shed there may be a full wrap of door left on the assembly when the door is down - mine only had about half a wrap where I installed it. My shed is 5 metres wide with access through a central door in the middle - it is only used for the boat. Eventually I got sick of folding the stainless work and made a set of barn doors (not ridiculously hard if you have a welder and some basic skills - cost about a grand in parts) , pulled the roller door and sheeting above it out and now have access to the full height of the shed frame and don't have to fold anything apart from antennas and the anchor light to get in and out. This does rely on being able to store the boat in the middle and choosing a shed design with no horizontal beams at wall height.

As for the folding hard top. IMO the movement induced by having it hinged may well be it's undoing on a trailer boat. Even with a fixed frame they apparently make a bit of a habit of self destructing unless sufficient bracing is fitted to prevent movement. I have recently been talking to glassers and stainless guys with the thoughts of getting one for the Victory. Having bracing through my line of vision is a pet hate but both trades indicated that without it the thing will destroy the stainless work.

[outta line]

Hi Scott, have been down every possible avenue except VCaT. Had a local landscape designer do a 100% native design, added four canopy tree, even had aborist report supporting removal but useless council still undecided and leaning towards refusal. Can't keep paying interest and just want to move on and get the house built, BUT then don't want to limit any future purchase in the back of my mind.

Clearance will be 2.7, have triple checked and have in writing and stated clearly on plans. Haven't asked for an extra 10 or so centermeters as I think you then go into custom sized doors which a larger price.

I have no problem spending a few K to get that dream boat customized but there is obviously a limit.

Definitely agree that I need to get this right, have got a few days to get feedback before updated plans come back

Cheers,
Mat


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Matt where are are you located mate? I have a 23" walkabout with fold down targa and can give you hight / length measurements A bit later today if you like but I can tell you it's higher than 2.7 screen hight on a Noosa cat trailer with 13' 195/50%profile tyres ... I just changed my wheel and tyres from 9' rims as the first owner had the smaller rims for shed hight clearance the new rim/tyres are the same diameter 520mm as the smaller rims/Tyers were you should come in under 9m long with motors down .. Pm me your number if you like mate
cheers Mick

[outta line]

Length is 8.8m with 175 verados trimmed down ( 150/115hp motors will be shorter)
Hight with a Level trailer unhitched from tow car is 2.85m with 195/50r/13' tyres on Noosa cat Tri axel trailer
my shed hight is 3m and almost level reversing under roof hight would be higher attached to tow car also if the ground wasn't level
with the targa up would be 3.1-3.2m without the radar included ...it just fits under the 1770servo top of radar and that 3.8high I think from memory
Hope that helps
cheers Mick

[outta line]

112951Pm me your number and I can send you pictures of the hinged targa if you like... You can see the old rim/ tyres on the draw bar

[ozynorts]

The Kevlacat 5.2's had a folding fibreglass arch that allowed you to secure rod holders, aerials and a targa top to it. It was hinged so the it could fold back onto the gunnels and because it was only a targa top the max height was the front screen.
Perhaps an option like this as a compromise between a hard top and bimini would work?

[Noelm]

A folding Bimini is a breeze to buy/make, and it will fold completely to gunnel level, BUT, even the best Bimini is not a hard top! The early Archer boats (that became the Stacer and Quintrex) had a very good folding top, and worked a treat, a mate of mine has one, but it's not hard, it's just a custom Bimini.

[Dignity]

I have a SS taiga top which weight wise is similar to a hard top, it hinges and will go back behind the windscreen but the issue was that restricted access into the boat once down. I now hinge it forward and made a frame out of PVC for it to rest on, works well but have forgotten to remove it twice, once got to mates place and still intact, second time fell off the side of the road and missus spotted pieces, I went back , found it and put it back together. I had been thinking of making another frame which will sit in the rod holders so I can hinge it backwards and keep it at windscreen height as it is definitely easier to go backwards than forward.
To fold it requires removal of 6 bolts, the nuts are welded onto the frame. I keep a cheap little socket set in the glove box for this purpose, the frame is solid as but a bit heavy on my own and have been thinking of changing it around by changing the pivot points whereby I don't need to remove the bolts and only loosen them and then pull it back into the cockpit.. The other thing that will impact on you is the rocket launchers and the mast head light, this one is easy as plenty of fold down ones on the market, the rocket launchers however will mean that the rear of the hard top will need to be lower than the front when folded down.. Wiring is fairly straight forward with a little planning, I added an extension speaker for the VHF which makes it so much easier to hear. I live at Golden Beach so you're welcome to have a look if your in the neighbour hood, I will try and get some photos later today for you.

[Dignity]

Oops, just realized you are in Victoria, pleasant drive up here though, and bring some sunshine please, it's been a bit miserable this last week.

[skifalls]

112951Pm me your number and I can send you pictures of the hinged targa if you like... You can see the old rim/ tyres on the draw bar

Pm sent mate, thanks!

[Dignity]

Mate here are a couple of pics, the hinged area at the rear needs to be raised higher, probably just above the crossmember so that it comes back easily without having to undo the bolts fully.

[Chimo]

Skifalls

I had a similar height clearance issue once and it was dealt with by using a bobcat.

If you cannot lift the shed to get clearance lower the floor and get what you want that way. All you need to add is some appropriate drainage and fall to the drain inlets.

There was a boat builder on the Gold Coast who built a vessel with a hard top that lowered flat on top of the hull electrically. Not sure if he is still around or not

Cheers
Chimo

[Dignity]

Also drop the floor if possible, I managed to get it 270 mm lower than the plan, good bobcat operator.

[Chimo]

Or just get one of these. http://www.boatpoint.com.au/content/boat-news/2015/amazing-australian-sports-limo-48708

[Cat Man]

112959We did this on a flybridge H'top with actuators and folding fwd supports. Could be done quite easily though on a simple the V625 H'top.112960

[skifalls]

Thanks everyone for the great information to date, going through the process of adjusting floor plans for a bigger garage and will see how we go


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[skifalls]

Thanks to all for the replies, we have had to modify the garage due to feedback from council and the costs mounting up with retaining walls.

We have ended up with a garage size of 8.75 deep with an opening of 2.7.

Have now ruled out a Noosacat 2350 due to the height, is anyone able to confirm some details on the Kevlacat 2100 or Noosacat 1850. I've seen some 1850's that are 6.2 and some 6.5, the 6.5 seems to be the later model. In saying this they look identical in shape around rear?

Would either of the 1850 or 2100 fit under a 2.7 opening, also if anything has any feedback on either model would be great to hear your thoughts. (I've read some previous posts suggesting the Noosacats are not as flighty due to wider sponsons

Cheers,
Mat


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[fisho64]

not being smart, but have you checked what is the penalty for the tree meeting a sticky end?

[skifalls]

Yes, we have explored removing the trees both ways. In hindsight there are some things we would have done different had we have known it would cause some many issues. In any case we have some plans now that should be approved this week so onwards we go.


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[inveratta]

try using some copper nails down low..should work well on the boat.