Convertible Top

[merrimange]

I see the Kauai at the Stev Proj website

http://www.stevproj.com/KauaiWkndr.html

- but haven't been able to find much about this on this forum (pardon, I am new, but tried various searches). I'm at the cabin building stage - Any comments on how to do this or experiences on why not would be most appreciated?

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[Frank Hagan]

Is the Kauai Weekender the one they built with the removable cabin top? I seem to remember Mike Stevenson saying they weren't happy with the way they did it. But there have been a few others who made the cabin top removable, and they were happy with the mod. Maybe they'll chime in here too.

[merrimange]

I'm kind of surprised more people haven't done what we did on the Kauai Weekender: make it a convertible. We had the cabin removeable on that boat. If you look caefully at the pics on the page for it you can see the details.

Mike

This was from Mike himself on a search I did, so..?

[Frank Hagan]

I must be remembering his reaction wrong ... not unusual for me!

So there must be others who have done this ... anyone?

[Guest]

Oh this is so easy. But keep in mind, it limits you with some issues that I can address after you determine if your desire is more for an open boat, or an occasional open boat. Before I will confuse you with my thoughts, please reply as to the preference of the two choices..

[Stump]

Go ahead Oyster, I for one am always interested in your ideas!!! 8)

[merrimange]

If I have to choose then I would choose

more 'occasional' open I think.

There seems to be some folks that would like to have their entire family out but most likely by themselves or with one son.

[Guest]

Edited as I had not had my second cup of coffee, and missed part of the opening sentence:

The shot that you have eluded to, shows in my opinion, a boat hull , up to its decks, that needs to be built structually sound, as part of the original designed hull and struture is gone during certain times. Now I have not built the weekender, and only speak as building in general, cabin boats, that does lend strength and even additional strength to boat and usually is built with that in mind. You can build this top in a cored material. But this will require added costs and work in the setup of form. This can be addressed by Mike on this issue.

But to do the job, with the round cabin, for removal, the top will probably need some extra framing to allow for free standing, creating more weight for lifting the top. This also will need to be fabricated on a remote jig, and extra patterns will need to be done. Also any crowns and changing contures of the deck should also change the base seating on the hull. There will need to be some redudant fitting, too. I am hoping that someone will chime in on the construction of the example. Because I know that I would forgo this arrangement, for just the few thoughts I have, if your intent is just an occasional use on it.

A little known thought that has come to mind, is what happens in the case of knock downs if the top is not secure and strutucally built to withstand any pressures when swamped with water, if the top is just held in place by several fasteners, bolted through the coaming, that I assume is used in this arrangement?

This also may create dings in both the main section and the top finish, too, on the removal and replacement on the hull. As a person myself, I like to have a boat that does not look like an add on has been done. So this will also need to be addressed in the base hull.

Here is what I would consider to be a great compromise, used in a few other boats, that are simular in uses, and is built by the homebuilder.

This boat uses a nice canvas cover, in inclement weather, of cool enviroments, and removed in the right conditions. This arrangement is also used for small children, on long days, that require the rest moments, and wimmins that have some second thoughts on long days for those "Moments of privacy" in public lakes. This also will give you a great comback when those lines come up in the discusion of extended day crusiing.

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[merrimange]

I'd really like to get specific on the weekender if possible. Thanks again.

[Guest]

You question was as follows:

Any comments on how to do this or experiences on why not would be most appreciated?

I did in my last reply, give you what i thought maybe the easiest way to get boating as you stated this was just an occasional thing and some reasons I would forgo it, for a few days a year. My alternative , as I view it, and with my past experiences in trying to build an all in one boat hull, you sometimes find yourself, out smarting the the very smarts you start with, for your return on the dollars, so to speak.

Just how much do you want to spend in time for a day or two a year? Yes we all have priorities, but I surely read it as just a nice idea without much forthought as to the changes that will need to be made in a free floating hull. I am not Mike Stevenson, but someone that is making some attempt to give you my thoughts, all be it maybe not yours. But in type, we need to be more specific, as I have found out in the past, when walking someone through a building process. So please be patient with me, as I am attempting to do with you. If this is truley your intent, I can draw something out, and post it, but my ability to draw will not be much better than the fellow that did the represented boat. I also bet Mike Stevenson has some form of drawing on it, if he has also commented on this layout. Maybe so or maybe not. But its worth an e-mail or a new thread directly your question to him, as sometimes, he may not wonder through all of these threads.

Now:

I'd really like to get specific on the weekender if possible. Thanks again.

Please clear up what you are asking, as I attempted to reply to your original request, but evidently not as you wrote it, now.

First you will need to build the boat as an open boat, requiring the decks to carry the twists that will occur in the hull without the cabin on it, if the washboards and rails do not have some form of gussetts to support the width of the walkways, as an easy term for the flat area around the original decking. You will need to tell me if you understand the plans, and what I am addressing before I write a long reply. It will only confuse you, as your last reply did for me.

[merrimange]

Sorry I am not a carpenter nor do I really and truly understand the plans. I am monkey see monkey do from the video. I do understand things like run a support beam say 1 by 3 from the the side rail to the opening in the cabin kind of "stuff".

Sorry to confuse. I really am not trying to be difficult only humbly lost in confusion about deviating from the plans - In your original reply to my question - you questioned me in return in asking do I want an occasional OPEN boat not as in do I want an occasional boat.

per you - "I can address after you determine if your desire is more for an open boat, or an occasional open boat."

Thus, I replied more occasional OPEN. Let me be very specific, I intend to use the boat very often but only occasionally open. I would rather something be structurally sound than look perfect. So, if an odd support beam needed to be there, so be it. I plan on doing a lot more painting than staining fine wood. Truthfully, I don't know what I want, thus the convertible top having cake and eating it too. I really hope that helps explain why I asked about the weekender specifically in return to your kind help.

[Guest]

Okay, I will draw up some rough drawings of what I would do, in this applications, tommorrow, and post them here. In the meantime, maybe some will chime in from the finished project, as it seems that you are also leaning toward that style. They will also be able to address the present structurual setup. BUt I don't think I will be to far off, with a working solution, if need be for you.

[Frank Hagan]

Mike and Peter had a convertible Weekender that he is alluding to ... and it was a hard-top that they had secured with wing nuts or those quarter turn buckles ... I forget which.

Someone in the past 4 years improved on it and had stiffners for the deck, and a true convertible top. Its a mod I've considered, since I use the Weekender just as a day sailer and it would allow me to have more than two people on it for those gentle sails around the bay.

[merrimange]

appreciate your help on this folks!

[Guest]

I have been out of town, and will be for another day. But will get to it this weekend, when I get home.

[Guest]

This shows a way that I would start out doing this project. Notice it requires gussetts for the floating decking, that will be notched around the sheer batten or inwales of the hull sides.

Now keep in mind the foward deck curve is dictated by the bending radius of the material . both in the coaming sections and the foward end of the deck house structure. But I bend thin cut pieces, to suit, clamp in place, use 3/8 " plywood, place on top and scribe it, then cut to shape and fit inside the rough curved area, This will carry the floating load, at the widest point and will also give you a good area to tack in place, the pieces needed to support the finished facia pieces.

Keep in mind the face pieces of the gussetts will need to be put right angle or plum up to the floor or water surface, sometimes leaning in a bit, at the top.

The reason for this is to sure the top will seat properly over time, as some change will occur under normal working conditions.

On another post, I will show how will find the angle at the top of the gussets and the crown of the foward deck. You do not want that to be too drastic, as it will be a nightmare to build much of a compound curve in a free floating deck.

I only do one side to determine the shape, and then transfer another same patten to the other side, laminating the rough coaming seperately each side. You see with a curved or crown deck you get a compound curved bend and will give you a fit to glue and bend into place at the same time. I just glue up one side and then cut in place, and then run wild the other side, and cut that side using the cut as a patten to cut the new one after those pieces dry.

You can make up a complete jig, off the boat, and do this, but a lot more work is required to do so.

After all this is shaped, the mian decking goes down, and when the decking glue is all set up, sand face smoothe and I then will make a complete pattern from that shape to do the cabin off the boat.

Make sure you do the cabin sides longer than required, because the sides will need to be placed on the decking and scribe the bottom to fit the continuous changes that take place across the deck and down the walkways too.

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[Guest]

This shot shows the sheer batten, in the foward section, down the width of the filler plywood, unlike the normal one that carries throughout the rest of the hull rails.

Also, the shot shows how I will determine the gusset top angles on a slightly flared hull. This changes when some hull sides are more exaggerated, requiring a less than right angle to be cut on the tops. You may not wish to have the covering boards angled out as much as the right angle to the sides will give you. Sometimes will place a coaming piece, as used in the lamintes to determine a straight and uniform deck run at thr front of them after cutting them the proper length of overhang for the hull sides..

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[Guest]

This is what you have in the first stage.

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[merrimange]

thank you thank you. I'm studying it as we speak.

[merrimange]

oyster - that's it. I'm just trying to put in my words, your eloquent use of carpentry terms, and speak to my saw - great!.