I have been lurking here for a while, soaking in all the good info. I want to describe my boat project then I'll ask my question. Sorry for the long post and at this time, I don't have any pics but I'll edit this thread to add pics and keep everyone updated on the progress.
I have a 28' Carver Santa Cruz with a three-axle trailer. I'm not 100% sure of the year but the last owner told me it was a 1977 model. I actually have two - one purchased in 2008 - $11,000 with the trailer. It was ready for the water except for the cosmetics and we used it the first season without doing much to it. It has twin Volvo Penta diesels, marine genset (exceptionally LOUD), marine air conditioning in cabin, all original interiors. We have been moving slowly on the refurb. Good thing is we are in a fair climate so we have a good 5 - 6 months to use this (Pensacola, Florida). Since it's trailered and we have a capable truck, we haul her to the marina when we want to use it and we can keep it at the house to work on it. Surprisingly, the boat launches and trailers like a much smaller boat. We had all the cabin cushions recovered and are working in the interior now. The other boat I have was actually given to me to haul away. I scavenged it for all the useful stuff - sinks, hot water heater (still working), flybridge windshield, other misc. We took the cockpit floor from both and split them down the middle then glassed the seams so we have an access hatch now over each of the engines and two additional hatches that allow us access to the generator, the batteries and the tanks. We can pull everything up while on the water to work on things - scary thought, but we have done it more than once.
Here is my question, finally, huh? I don't fish. I know this is a fishing boat but my thing is more about being on the water and enjoying some nice music, good grilled food and just being there. I would love to be able to enclose the cockpit. I want to convert it into a proper salon to offer more "living space" during the heat of the day and for extended stays aboard. Has anyone done anything similar? I did some searches here and haven't found anything specific. Requirements:
1) Lightweight to keep it trailerable. (the cockpit is roughly 10' X 10')
2) Insulated to keep cool air in (not zipped enclosure)
3) Obviously a hardtop - I'd like to install lighting and put in TV and speakers.
4) This is the kicker.... The cockpit currently is a really nice sun spot and I don't want to lose that. I would love to make the hardtop strong enough to serve as an upper sundeck. I have done the measuring and designed some railings that will fold down for towing, this will keep the enclosure shorter than the tallest point on the flybridge.
I realize that this is strange to some, but I really don't fish and have no desire to take the boat into the Gulf. I like the calm anchorages and I would love to make a trip to the Keys. I have drawn out some plans and found some material for the walls that is very lightweight. Without the sundeck part, I am confident that this can be done. What I am not sure of is making the roof strong enough to serve as a sundeck. I would like it to handle 600 pounds. Usually it will just be myself, my wife and our son but what's the use in having a boat if you can't have friends aboard? So am I asking for too much? Is this a case where I CAN have my cake and eat it too? Thanks and I look forward to hearing from some of you folks. As promised, I will post some pics in the next couple of days so you can see where we are and hopefully follow our progress.
I have a 28' Carver Santa Cruz with a three-axle trailer. I'm not 100% sure of the year but the last owner told me it was a 1977 model. I actually have two - one purchased in 2008 - $11,000 with the trailer. It was ready for the water except for the cosmetics and we used it the first season without doing much to it. It has twin Volvo Penta diesels, marine genset (exceptionally LOUD), marine air conditioning in cabin, all original interiors. We have been moving slowly on the refurb. Good thing is we are in a fair climate so we have a good 5 - 6 months to use this (Pensacola, Florida). Since it's trailered and we have a capable truck, we haul her to the marina when we want to use it and we can keep it at the house to work on it. Surprisingly, the boat launches and trailers like a much smaller boat. We had all the cabin cushions recovered and are working in the interior now. The other boat I have was actually given to me to haul away. I scavenged it for all the useful stuff - sinks, hot water heater (still working), flybridge windshield, other misc. We took the cockpit floor from both and split them down the middle then glassed the seams so we have an access hatch now over each of the engines and two additional hatches that allow us access to the generator, the batteries and the tanks. We can pull everything up while on the water to work on things - scary thought, but we have done it more than once.
Here is my question, finally, huh? I don't fish. I know this is a fishing boat but my thing is more about being on the water and enjoying some nice music, good grilled food and just being there. I would love to be able to enclose the cockpit. I want to convert it into a proper salon to offer more "living space" during the heat of the day and for extended stays aboard. Has anyone done anything similar? I did some searches here and haven't found anything specific. Requirements:
1) Lightweight to keep it trailerable. (the cockpit is roughly 10' X 10')
2) Insulated to keep cool air in (not zipped enclosure)
3) Obviously a hardtop - I'd like to install lighting and put in TV and speakers.
4) This is the kicker.... The cockpit currently is a really nice sun spot and I don't want to lose that. I would love to make the hardtop strong enough to serve as an upper sundeck. I have done the measuring and designed some railings that will fold down for towing, this will keep the enclosure shorter than the tallest point on the flybridge.
I realize that this is strange to some, but I really don't fish and have no desire to take the boat into the Gulf. I like the calm anchorages and I would love to make a trip to the Keys. I have drawn out some plans and found some material for the walls that is very lightweight. Without the sundeck part, I am confident that this can be done. What I am not sure of is making the roof strong enough to serve as a sundeck. I would like it to handle 600 pounds. Usually it will just be myself, my wife and our son but what's the use in having a boat if you can't have friends aboard? So am I asking for too much? Is this a case where I CAN have my cake and eat it too? Thanks and I look forward to hearing from some of you folks. As promised, I will post some pics in the next couple of days so you can see where we are and hopefully follow our progress.
I know it can be done, too. Houseboats are exactly where I have looked at to see what I can learn about how the roof structures are done. We have a basic idea and my dad is one of those people who you can't say "it can't be done". In 2002, he bought a 1962 Cesna 162. It was a shambles. They took it apart (disconnected the wings and all) and hauled the thing to dad's house where they rebuilt the entire thing. After a year, they were flying (still would be if Hurricane Ivan hadn't crumpled the plane like a tin can - and it wasn't insured yet because it waiting to be annualled.
