Islander Top Conversion, Soft top to Hard top

dt5150

Seaman
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
56
i've been searching for a newer hardtop islander for quite some time but haven't been able to find one in good enough shape. recently, the 220v model has caught my eye, the outboard bracket model. it'd be great to have an outboard instead of an i/o, but i just don't want a bimini/curtains anymore. i love the hard tops with real glass all the way around.

this got me thinking.. i know people have built their own hardtops for their soft top islanders, but has anyone done a swap using a factory starcraft hard top from a donor boat? taking the hard top off of a donor boat and installing it on soft top boat? i'm wondering if this could be done.. if the mounting is the same or similar enough between the two to be feasible. if i could create a hard top 220v outboard, i'd have the best of both worlds in my opinion. any insight on this?
 

laurentide

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Messages
1,869
Needless to say, this will be a time consuming and moderately difficult task, but I'd research laminated foam core construction for this if you can't find a good match from a donor. There are a lot of good examples on the web with a Google search.

I think plywood would be too heavy...or maybe just do the roof in foam.

Your idea sounds workable, I just don't know how the dimensions from different years/models will match up.

That 220 in VT is still available...the seller is probably ready to negotiate.
 

dt5150

Seaman
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
56
yup, that's the one that got me thinking. get a donor hardtop boat around the same year and swap the tops from boat to boat. i'm not interested in building one.. i don't have the time frankly.
 

pntbtrjllytme

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Messages
219
Someone did a hardtop conversion on their boat.. I will try to find the link for you
 

pntbtrjllytme

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 10, 2017
Messages
219
oh, not building.. well heres the link lol maybe, if you havent seen it already, it could give you some ideas? http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat-repair-and-restoration/boat-restoration-building-and-hull-repair/227837-project-1600-capri-hard-top-has-begun
 

Furrylittleotter

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Messages
167
I've read factory hard tops are not very well made to begin with so factor in a bit of reengineering. By the time you take it off another boat, clean it up, mount it, reinforce it you could've built a custom one better imho. I had considered building one myself but my Bimini looks and works great, has rear and side curtains so I like it for now anyway.

Neil
 
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