full enclosure questions

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dale1

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For those of you have a full enclosure, do you ever wish it was different? I'm going to attempt to build a set for my 265 express. I dont have anything to go by, so I'm open for suggestions.

If anyone has strata glass or high end vinyl, do you think is it worth the additional cost?
Do you have roll up windows? if so are they used?
Is white cloth better than black or blue?

the wife bought me a walking foot sewing machine. I'm excited about the project, and would like to do something custom.

thanks
dale
 
Dale, I am literally in the same boat as you. When I bought my 265 last year it didn't have an enclosure, so I sucked it up the first year and bundled up. I fish out on the west coast in Northern California and that wind is tough and not fun when steaming. Kinda sick of freezing my ass off, so I am searching for a shop to install one. Don't have the skill to do it on my own, my hats off to you!

I really like the look of the big express SF's with the poly carbonate windows, so I am going to go with the poly as my front window, and strata-glass as my side windows. I have opted out of the roll up horseshoe window on the port and starb since I am not have a aft back drop built, so there should be enough ventilation.

As for my canvas color I have chosen white. Everyone has told me it'll get dirty, but I just like the look of white on expresses. I feel the white canvas looks great. The shops I have talked to stated that stamoid (white canvas material) can have a lot of issues in high polluted areas, and I guess in the SF Bay Area the pollution does something funky to the material and breaks down the threads. Hell if I know, just something to look into.

Good luck with yours, and admire that you are tackling this project on your own. I'll post some pictures after the install sometime in March.
 
I use my Marlin off the Oregon coast and wish it had a hard cabin. I use my roll up windows all the time.

Note to Grady: hard top on a Marlin would be heaven.
 
OK, thanks. are you saying that you believe the strata glass is worth the extra expense? I'm getting ready to order the materials.
thanks
dale
 
Strata glass will shrink less than clear vinyl . So if you are putting them on when it is cold the Strata is worth every penny . I have had both and hands down I will always choose the Strata .
 
thanks for the replies. I've never been on a boat with an enclosure. So i'm not biased yet.
Black? Blue? or White boarders?
 
Dale,
Yes, the strataglas is worth the additional cost. I bought a Sailrite walking foot machine to reupholster my 272 Sailfish. Great machine. My combing pad thread is on this site somewhere ........ I bow down to you for your venture in building a enclosure. The complete enclosure is beyond my sewing ability unless I were to remove stitching from a existing one and use it as a pattern taking into account panel shrinkage from age. Yes, zipper windows (at least front facing) above the glass windshield are very important as temperature changes at the beginning and end of a day prevent a clear view thru the Strataglas or Vinyl. Ventilation will also be compromised without
zippered , roll up fronts. Have fun.
 
I had front, side, bimini and aft side curtains made by an Amish company up in PA. If you are going to be doing any night fishing (like I do a lot in the fall), you will want stratoglass, especially for the front. My front stratoglass curtain is almost as clear as glass, at night, and in foul weather. Well worth the money. Fishing in Ohio, I elected to NOT do the zippered smilies on my front and side curtains. I don't really need the extra air when it hits the 20s and 30s :doh Besides, all the extra zippers and canvass just gets in the way of my view.
 
Hi Guys,

This is worth shopping around and doing some homework. I found prices all over the map.

A&J Canvas in Vanceboro NC does Grady's enclosures. I found them competitive. They can do standard blue canvas or the white stamoid that GW now uses. They can do standard GW plastic or the more expensive Strata. The latter was only a few hundred more on my quote, so worth doing. If they did your boat, they have the patterns and can deliver a complete turnkey set of curtains for your boat. Have your hull serial number ready when you contact.

Local guys are probably good too, but check prices. Some were literally 2X others. I think it comes down to how much work they have and if they want the job. My enclosure is in good shape, I figured I'd quote it and see what I got for pricing to start to plan for it. If I were to pull the trigger it would be with AJ based on price, satisfaction with my current enclosure and getting a new one that will be an exact copy of what I currently have.

tx
 
OK, thanks. I ordered a Sailrite "blue" sewing machine kit. it will be here soon. I also ordered a full boat enclosure DVD from them. it is great.

you've convinced me to go with Stataglass.

I contacted AJ Canvas. they don't have a pattern for the 265 Express. they were very nice, and quoted a good price if i brought the boat there.

I want a winter project. I'm not racing my race car right now, and most everything else on the boat is in in good shape.

I'll try to document the process.

thanks,
dale
 
I have 3 sided enclosure on my Sailfish 272 and will be replacing it next winter. I have talked to a number of people about this and will be adding zippers to at least the front glass. One thing everyone seems to agree on, is to have frowny faces and not smiley faces. A frowny face can be unzipped when underway and it will lay flat until you have time to roll it up.
 
I have a full enclosure on my 265. We fish late into the season and the full enclosure is really nice for those november trips, or for the mid summer thunderstorms. When I bought the boat it came with the original blue canvas. I have since replaced it with a strataglass and white stamoid full enclosure. The front and back sections will roll up to allow airflow and movement. I also have a smiley face in the middle front section. I think the white gives a much more modern look to the boat. I had it done by a local shop. The strataglass and stamoid material is much nicer then the original material. I think it is well worth the upgrade. I leave the enclosure up all the time, except when the cover is on in the winter.
 
Strata all the way, worth the extra money. Clean it maintain with the strata cleaners / products and you are good to go for many years. I am partial to the blue finish but I think that is also just a matter of opinion and color likes. The thought about white getting dirty is always in the back of anyone's mind but if you use the boat and wash it often I can't see it being an issue?

EPPE
 
When I had my 192 I used the guys out of Vanceboro and I will second it here. They did a great job at a reasonable price. I am thinking I will get my next set from them as well.
 
My 265 came with the full factory enclosure (blue canvas and whatever factory glass was) and the separate summer cover. Both are great and the full enclosure is really nice to have early and late in the season as a wind-block if nothing else. I use the front and side zip windows all the time. Can't comment on color or glass options but will say that one thing I'd do different if I could would be how the back panels roll up. There are three pieces, the large main in the center and two narrow ones on either side that are about the width of the aft facing seats. The main piece is the full width of the entrance into the helm area and has two straps to hold it once rolled up - works fine. The side pieces however are only a single strap design and with any bouncing around they tend to unroll and slip out. Can solve this by leaving them zipped to the main section and rolling it as one big piece but they don't fit well under the hardtop frame when done like this. It works but could probably work better. Not much of a complaint but about the only one I can think of. Good luck.

Brett
 
I'm working on a front fiberglass mold to close the front of my sailfish, Plan on making it 1/4 fg with two glass windows and wipers, just in the planing stag will post pictures and progress when it gets a little warmer up here in Maine, -8 out there right now, to cold to think about anything but staying warm. but if it work I'll have a mold
 
I dont really like the traditional canvas/clear plastic window setups. They look nice new but wear fast and always are wavy, distorting vision. Plus, i never take mine off. I built a rigid acrylic enclosure. Im loving it so far.
 

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I've got the Grady Enclosure. Front, side and rear drop curtain. I use it early and late season and like it very much!

Mid May to Mid September I take it off and just use a CockPit Cover while the boat is in its Slip.
 
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