My 2 cents: I'm always up and down on the hard top on my '03 to rig and unrig my outriggers, maintain antennas, etc.. I think it's easily strong enough to support at least 1 person at that level if you wanted to add a 1/2 tower (heard them called marlin towers too). I did exactly this on my previous boat, a Boston Whaler 28 Conquest. It also had a nice cushion to lean back on, and quick release pins to be able to take it down pretty easily. I didn't add controls as I used it to spot fish when trolling, not running, though I did have an autopilot remote so someone up there could steer.
I thought about doing this on my 330 but have held off because it's hard to climb up there safely from the cockpit as factory configured - the overhang of the top is too wide. Adding hand holds would help, or I've also seen a pic of someone who cut away half-moons into the top where the side support "ladder" reaches the top. It's hard to see in the picture, but on my whaler, the aft supports were actually designed as a climbable ladder with curved cross pipes that extended out a bit so you could find your footing. Before I put the mini-tower up there, we used to climb up all the time to jump off the top!
I think the Grady top can easily support something like the above -- you'd just have to figure out better access. If I were going to do it, I'd probably also cut away the lip over the "ladder" and add some nice hand holds. I probably would keep it as "observer only" without a 2nd steering and throttle station, and just use the autopilot remote when trolling. I can control my autopilot with my Garmin watch!
Hope that helps.
Screenshot_20241001_090642_Facebook.jpg
