Canvas camper back

I just finished installing a full camper back canvas on my new 23 venture,[whale watcher] and it was not hard to complete! Dave of King Marine Canvas walked me through the job. It did take me two days but i
was not in a big hurry. The cost was $1700 and $50 for shipping!
 
I have the King Marine on my 22 and I like the design, durability, and ease of putting it up/taking it down. It's 5 years old and still going strong.
 
I can't fault King Marine for the quality but I wasn't real happy with the installation. They are really good quality but next time I will find someone local and do a custom fit.
 
If you are going to have canvas made, you might want to spend some time going through the albums and get some ideas of what you can do with custom canvas, typically for only a little more than the standard design. For instance, on Valkyrie our canvas goes all the way to the stern of the boat, which gives MUCH better protection from both sun and rain. Also, we have extra height due to my being 6'3", but the one feature that we like most is the fact that ours is free-standing, allowing us to disconnect it from the cabin top and still get good air flow in addition to sun protection while running or at anchor. (Pics in our album)

Good luck in your search

Nick
"Valkyrie"
 
Perry,

I had mine made by Bentley in Portland. Good quality, but I did not get exactly what I wanted. I am not sure if I couldn't explain, or if they couldn't hear, but I did not get the top zipper that opens up the top so that you can step down into the boat when at a dock. I have to undo a couple of snaps, which is inconvenient, but not impossible. No complaints otherwise.

Another couple of things to consider before going for it are whether or not you want to get to the battery/live-wells from inside the camper back, plus whether or not you will want a cooler rack over the splash well. It can be handy to get to your batteries without having to unzip a back panel. The cooler rack sticks quite a ways back, so you need a back panel that fits around it. I think that Tim Welborn on True Story has his boat set up like that.


The best canvas work I have seen was by a couple of guys up on Whidbey Island doing business (as I remember) as Canvas Makers. I think they have split up and are doing business independently, with one guy now in Mt Vernon. My suspicion is that Les Lampman or one of the folks in that area could point you to them.

Steve
 
We got ours from Randy's Boat Tops in Olympia. He works out of his home. It was about $1,400, including stainless parts.
 
We just had one completed last month by Greg's in Gig Harbor. We got some good ideas from Shiroz up in AK and started tweaking the design from there. I will warn you that Greg's is not very fast and our boat spent a month at his dock. He builds just what you can imagine and uses good hardware and softgoods only. We paid just over 3k total but it's a big camperback in sunbrella to match the interior and all 1inch stainless hardware with quick connections. I posted some pics in our album. The curtain behind the twins zips on at the top/short angled sides only and is simply weighted at the bottom edge and lays in the splashwell to keep out splashes and wind for cockpit lounging.

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en ... 0780235517
 
Nick, on "Valkyrie", has some very good inclusions on his top & cover - full length, full head room & able to open the front for ventilation. All good considerations.
 
Be sure to think about any special considerations that you may want...doors, screens, privacy curtains, room for accessories like downriggers, grill, etc. We did a lot of looking through albums here and asking questions before we made the final design decisions for ours. I wanted it to be tall enough for me (I'm 6' 2") and wanted full length of the cockpit. If you're gonna do it, get what you want.

We have a camper canvas album in out projects album. Have a peek and see what you think.

Rick
 
I am also looking for a source of camper backs for a 22 in the Tampa/Sarasota
area. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. Thanks
Terry
 
The Boat Top Shop in Tacoma, on Marine View Drive.

Consider having a window sewn in on the front panel of the roof. It lets in some light and gives the whole thing a more airy feeling when you're all buttoned up.
 
I know it is a short 2287+ mile trip for you...but, 416rigby had his canvas job done at Joe's shop which has done many, many one piece at a time canvas jobs for our family and several C-Brats now. You make an appointment with your boat at his yard. Then, you talk, measure, re-measure, take pictures to show him other jobs you like, ya talk about options, he gives you a price (has always been on the mark or less than he quoted me)...he tells you when to bring the boat back when all supplies are on hand at the shop. Then, once back at the yard for the work, he tells you when to come back and get it... and BINGO... great job, right on the schedule talked about...or worked around. Some have done the measure job, enjoyed the Cumberland River/Nashville area a bit, then... brought their boats back for the canvas job... Wonderful family owned small shop that has been in business for years.

Others make many great points... and do think about getting into/out of your boat in the water and/or on the trailer.... Many options and not many of them met by "template" canvas jobs. It is the small things that make a big difference.

canvas_8.jpg
 
It's too bad the two partners of the Canvas Riggers in Oak Harbor split up because they did great work on our canvas and many others. They were a bit pricey but top quality craftsmanship.

Maybe someone knows if either one of them is back in business. Les might know.
 
When the 2 partners split up one of them was supposed to not do canvas any more. He did my canvas through EQ on the QT (at least as far as his ex-partner was concerned.) I later found the ex-partner on the hill above Twin Bridges and the 2nd time I went back to see him he was closing his doors permanently, an early victim of the recession.

I think David McKibben has found someone else in Anacortes but I don't know if he was happy with their work.

Warren
 
I had a small Alaska curtain made for my 16. It was done by Churchill Bros on 'T' Street. Did a nice job using Sunbrella and 40# window material. $450. I had talked to Tradewinds which is next to WM in Anacortes and they wanted $950 and were going to use #30.
 
After having one place come out and price a camper back for my TC255 (they gave me a quote of $5800+), I have decided to take matters into my own hands. Found a place on line, Marinepartdepot.com that's currently having a very good sale plus free shipping for the fittings needed. (Prices/free shipping good through today) Ordered all the fittings I needed (for 1" stainless tubing) for less than $200 and now will research 1" SS tubing for the frame. I'll get the bends done locally.

I intend to use my Taylor Bimini for a pattern and actually reuse that canvas for the first year of use. I'll use ideas I've found on the Brats site, primarily from Dr. John as I make the new top after next season.

I lost the bimini cover (zippered on, evidently not very securely) on the way down to the CBGT in Oriental last month. Will order a new one from Taylor to take me through next season. Any hints on design or construction would be appreciated..

Charlie
 
In poking around to find a new zipper cover, I went to iboats.com. They have a closeout on "bimini skins", just the fabric part for 32.99 each! They had Pacific Blue, which is what my Taylor cover is and I bought two of them as replacements. Since I'm building new frames, I can make them to fit these new covers and have a replacement for the future.

Not sure how long the sale lasts but the shipping was free too

I bought the 84-91" wide, 54" high and 8' long. This deal is perfect for someone that wants to make his own bimini/camperback. They say it's only for "Westland 4893 frames" but since I'm making a new frame out of 1" SS, I'll make the frame fit the top!

Charlie
 
Captains Cat":15oym1nb said:
After having one place come out and price a camper back for my TC255 (they gave me a quote of $5800+)
Click to expand...

I think you should keep looking -- I had the camperback made for my TC, with 2 sets of zip-in curtains (eisenglas and screen) for ~$3200, and that was in a much more robust economy, about 2008.

Warren
 
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