Hardtop (CD's) vs. Soft-top boats

W

Wood Zeppelin

New member
I'm curious about the pro's and con's of hard vs convertible tops.

My only experience on bigger water is with a hard top (C-dory!). But when I'm out in my little 14' river Dory (driftboat) I also enjoy being completely out in the open air! (Until it gets too cold or windy or rainy of course). But when I see boats out on the bigger water with convertible tops, I wonder.. are they getting the best of both worlds?

Without any experience with a soft-tops, here are the drawbacks that come up for me:

(1) Are the plastic windows going to hurt visibility? They will never be as good as perfectly flat glass, right? They get dull with time? How long will they last?

(2) Noise at speed? Do they flap around at 25mph?

(3) without a roof rack, is less storage an issue? Can I still throw an inflatable dinghy on the roof?

(4) Is putting the top up and pulling it down easy enough to do regularly as conditions change, or would I tend to get lazy and just leave it up all the time, thereby negating it's benefits and wishing I just had a hardtop after all!?

(5) anything I'm not thinking of?

Now with that said, I do love the idea of a convertible! And I don't know how much the hard-top weights, but less weight is always good since I don't have a ton of towing capacity. So I'd love to hear both PRO's and Cons from other people's experiences...

Thanks!
 
There are many world cruising boats with soft "Dodgers"--having both tops which can be taken down and some form of clear plastic windows (Vinyl to polycarbonate).

For the open boats, or even a walk around, I consider the Bimini top and canvas something which can be easily removed--as is the camper back side curtains, and Bimini on a C Dory (16 thru 255).

There are differences in the hard top and soft tops--I would not trailer most boats with canvas up. There are some soft tops, which have substantial frames, and have solar panels and even dinghies placed on them. If you leave the canvas on, it is not that big a job to take most soft tops down. Putting the canvas back on the frame on some boats it makes it a considerably more complex job.

With some exceptions, soft windows are inferior to glass or hard windows (I have had both acrylic and polycarbonate windows on fixed pilot house boats, as well as glass windows.)

At boat speeds, the canvas Bimini and surround are fine, if properly made. They can range from several hundred dollars thru a catalogue or internet, to five or more Thousand dollars and a SS frame which is almost "fixed".
 
Before I got my CD22 I had a large RIB. This had an open helm console. When I first got the CD22 there was some adjustment to being in an enclosed helm position. Being able to see all around (especially up) was nice. However, now I don't give it a second thought (having an enclosed helm).
 
I live in SoCal where it gets quite hot in the summer and I've wondered why people have soft tops and (mostly) leave them down. When you're out in the direct sun, it's a bear: sun stroke, sunburn, dehydration and fatigue. This would also be true in Florida and other southern states.

I know that C=Dory type boats are not popular in SoCal and I wonder why. Is everybody a ardent fisherman that has to have an open boat? Does everybody enjoy unlimited sun? When we were into sailboats, Judy insisted on dodgers to give some relief from the sun but in the 20-25 range of power boats it seems they are all open, with canvas, mostly just a bimini.

It seems to me that if you're going off-shore to fish, having a cabin.would be a great asset for the trip out and back. When we go to the islands it sure is to us.

BTW, there are a few C-Dorys in SoCal, I acknowledge that.

Boris
 
Thanks for all the replies, it is helpful to read the experiences of fellow Brats!

The funny dilemma I have is that I love being out in the open cockpit space, and I also love the cabin (especially the C-dory cabin). Like someone once said, every boat is a compromise..

Maybe a 22' Angler would be just what I'm looking for...(?)
 
I've often said there is no perfect boat; one boat that has everything an owner
wants.

With a temporary co-captain (it didn't last long) of a previous boat, we often
mused that, ideally, any serious boater really needs to have four boats:

1. a small powerboat to zip around economically, water sports, beach parties, etc
2. a large powerboat for long distance cruises with many guests in areas when
winds/seas are light/calm and to get ooo's and aaah's in world class marinas
3. a small sailbote to experience relative high speed on the water in windy areas;
a multi-hull is the way to go here, believe me
4. a large sailbote for long distance safety-at-sea see-the-world cruising

I believe in your case, the solution is straightforward: have two boats.

Aye.
 
We love going out in our cc23 with a hard top If you want Sun sit in the cockpit and get a tan When boating in Florida’s Summers it usually rains each afternoon plus not getting skin cancer is definitely a concern. Jim W
 
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