Atlantic Towers - Tower in a Box

[Norcoastal]

I’ve been searching for 3 years for a used hardtop for my seafarer. Every hardtop I find is either the wrong size or is all busted up m

My boat is a 1988 and I’m not sure adding a custom top for $6,000 would be worth it.

Atlantic sells a hardtop called Tower in a Box that you install yourself and I’m thinking of getting one. They are having a boat show sale and today is the last day to get boat show pricing.

Has anyone installed one of these on your boats? They don’t look original, but for $2,800, it’s not bad.

Thoughts?

 

[glacierbaze]

There is always another boat show deal. From what I saw, it is about a 10% discount. They are close enough to you that I would want to see some examples in person.

 

[Norcoastal]

It’s not just the deal, they’ve discontinued the ivory tops and they say that they have one left in ivory. I would need to pull the trigger today to get the deal and maybe the last ivory one they’ve made.

 

[billyttpd]

I have never heard anything negative about their products. I know a guy with one on his boat. He is more than satisfied with it. 2800 for the box v 6000 for custom? thats alot of savings

 

[Fishtales]

They look really interesting.

 

[DennisG01]

Yes, I do. It's actually been talked about quite a bit on here. If you search for that, there's quite a bit of reading material on this forum about them.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Oh Lawd here we go again. If you go to their website, there is a gallery section of a bunch of their hardtops on Grady White boats. The first couple of pictures are of their top on a 1988 GW 204 Overnighter, which should give you a general idea as to what it would look like on your boat. There are probably some pictures of it installed on your vintage of a 22' Seafarer, but I'm not going to browse through 20+ pages to look that much into it. The old adage of "you get what you pay for" comes to mind in this particular situation. And the one picture that I linked below makes me think that these towers are going to be on the inexpensive and/or maybe flimsy side, without much in the way of supports, especially if adding anything on top of the hardtop. Another one of the pictures looks like the front of the hardtop barely covers the windshield, meaning that you wouldn't gain much in the way of protection there. If you do get one, make sure you measure multiple times before drilling. Just my opinions yet again.

Clients Gallery

https://photofinder.atlantictowers.com/media/gallery/20240214052847_267_2.jpeg

 

[Norcoastal]

I have looked at the pictures and yes, there are quite a few.

My goals for a top were as follows; 1) I needed something to grab as I go to the bow to drop anchor. The flimsy Bimini I have wasn’t safe and I hated that the Bimini I have bounces all over the place when I hit waves. 2) I wanted a hardtop to mount radar. This one has a bracket that you can add. 3) I wanted something to keep me out of the sun. 4) I didn’t want to spend $6,000 on a 1988 hull.

I think this top checks all 4 boxes and besides, it’s either this or an old canvas Bimini that doesn’t fit right.

 

[SkunkBoat]

A.T. builds some fantastic custom tuna towers for sporties.
The tower in a box is what it is.
It is better than a bimini. but heavier too.

It only connects at 4 points. It has clamped connections not welded.
It is lacking in bracing that would normally be on a custom hardtop.
I would want a horizontal brace between the front and rear posts.
It IS removable!
You can't run wiring up into the foot of the post as a normal hardtop would.

You need to limit the weight you put up there.
I wouldn't go putting offshore rods up top. I have a GRADY top and I don't put anything bigger than a TLD 15 up there when I'm running
An 18" radar, an all-around light and a VHF antenna...some spinning rods....
I wouldn't go adding an E-box.
Forget about outriggers.

Where and how you use your boat will be a deciding factor. In the bay, bass & flounder along the beach yah.
I wouldn't want to run it in 3' to 5' SW coming back 60 miles from Chicken Canyon


Maybe this is an OPPORTUNITY to look at a newer boat with a factory hardtop

 

[Hookup1]

You are not likely to find one. If you do it will be beat up with serious edge chipping. That is the reality. I refinished mine myself including the aluminum tower. it would have been cheaper to pay someone to do it it but it wouldn't have come out as good.

People told be to build new - and it would have been cheaper - but mine is great!

Search GG Hookup1

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Unless you're quite literally just looking for a hardtop to keep you out of the elements like the rain and the sun, etc... I think you're going to find out the hard way and very quickly that you get what you pay for. At $2,800 I'm thinking it's a too good to be true type of situation and I'm betting that's why their custom hardtops start at $5k and only go up from there. I'd give them a call on Monday and make sure the hardtop can do what you need it to and more, if you're going to go through with the order. If not, I'd check and see how much more something like this is, which is also from their site. If it's an extra $1k-$1,500 then I'd definitely be going that route instead. That being said, I'm also assuming that's one of their custom hardtops that starts at $5k. Of which I'd also have to assume if the standard hardtop that you bought for $2,800 was more than up to the challenge that A. Everyone would have one and B. They wouldn't have to sell any of their custom hardtops starting at almost double the price of yours.

 

[Norcoastal]

If I could afford custom, I’d get one. If I could afford a boat with a hardtop already there, I’d do that. But I have a 1988 boat and that’s all I can afford. I spent my money on the new engine so this is what I got. It’s done. No remorse.

 

[Norcoastal]

Now the fun begins. The fabrication and installation will be a learning experience for sure.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading about these and there are some good options for assembly.

Most of the Atlantic Tower (AT) tops use the brackets to mount the rear poles on the back of the helm. Some of the newer Grady’s mount them to the floor. AT has a bracket where you can mount them to the floor like the Grady’s. Looks like it could be a stronger mount.

Looks like it would look more original if I mounted them to the floor like Grady.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Good luck and hopefully it works out well for you. I'm thinking that after you're all done that you are going to be closer to $4k in regard to time and money spent trying to make it work. In regard to the Grady specific setup, it's hard to see in the picture you posted but they're actually mounted to the floor as well as the back half of helm area. Or at least that's how it was/is on my boat from the factory and it's a 2004 model year.

 

[Norcoastal]

I'm aware of what it is and I don't expect it to be like factory in fit and function, but it will be 100% better than no hardtop at all and what I currently have.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Next expense will be 3 sided enclosure. That is the real benefit of a hardtop!

 

[Norcoastal]

Next expense will be 3 sided enclosure. That is the real benefit of a hardtop!

Yep, I made sure this top has a track on it for the enclosure. Unfortunately, that will be next year.

 

[Norcoastal]

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!

The stress. I can't do it. I just cancelled the Tower in a Box. By the time you add the track for the enclosure and the mount for the radar, you're close to $4,000.

For just a little more, I can get a custom top from T-Tops Etc. in Delaware. Their top is fiberglass, has rod holders, an electronics box with fuse bus and they're install it for just over $4,000 and its custom for my boat.

I hate the stress.

I think this will be a much better solution, except the one I’m getting will have a fiberglass top.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

By the time you add the track for the enclosure and the mount for the radar, you're close to $4,000.

For just a little more, I can get a custom top from T-Tops Etc. in Delaware. Their top is fiberglass, has rod holders, an electronics box with fuse bus and they're install it for just over $4,000 and its custom for my boat.

I think this will be a much better solution, except the one I’m getting will have a fiberglass top.

Lol! No way... almost like we've been telling you this all along. At least we'll all be able to sleep better at night now

 

[Norcoastal]

Haha, thanks yes you were right!

This is why I like thes forums, you can flush out ideas with guys who get it.