Really thinking hard about adding a hard top to my 2007 208 with F200 for power. I'm close to a well known fabricator and have seen there work, and it looks quite good. Quoted $4850 for top with electronics box and 4 rocket launchers. However the canvas work for a full enclosure is another $2250. Ouch. I have the full canvas package now and typically I leave the top up/curtains on while it's slipped mainly to keep the weather off of the seats, it's nice not to have a wet butt. Before I go out I roll the rear drop and front windows, mainly because I hate looking through plastic windows and it gets hot in there in the summer. I do love the shade of the bimini though so it's up all the time. I'll likely keep the boat another 2 years before going up to a 25-28 footer, so I'm not sure what if any effect a hard top will have on resale. It seems tops aren't all that common on the 208 but certainly popular in New England. For my use I'm thinking a cockpit cover plus the top would be OK. If I went this route I would sell the bimini and enclosure. Thoughts?
Hard top on 208: enclosure vs. none
- Thread starter MA208
- Start date
I have canvas that snaps onto the windshield and covers the helm area completely, I use this all season. I'm sure that would be alot less cost. With my hardtop I use the full clear enclosure in spring and fall only. I don't know how much the hardtop adds to resale value either but I think you would be lucky to recoop at most 1/2.
I have curtains but rarely use them. When docked, I use a helm canvas cover. In order to use the cover with the Bimini left up, I added another set of rear brackets on the side of the helm to attach the Bimini straps to. The original ones get in the way of the helm cover. In the past, I have used the curtains in the colder fall but as I get older, I seem to lean more towards fair weather boatingMA208 said:
One advantage of not having a hard top ( although I often wish I did) is that in pending inclement weather, I lower my Bimini before the winds hit. That lessens the effect of the winds at my dock and that reduces the stress that my boat takes in a storm (while docked) . The 208 is fairly sensitive to winds since it is relatively light. With a hardtop, you will always have aditional forces on the boat in winds.
If your sure you'll move the boat in 2-3 years in favor of a larger one, I wouldn't mess with the hassle and expense of a hardtop. Just use your Bimini/Canvas combo that you have now and your next larger boat will probably have the hardtop.(If you get another Grady.)
Seems like a lot of money and work for a boat you'll probably sell.
I use my canvas kind of infrequently; mostly on rainy days. Gets waaay too hot in there with it up during sunny days.
Seems like a lot of money and work for a boat you'll probably sell.
I use my canvas kind of infrequently; mostly on rainy days. Gets waaay too hot in there with it up during sunny days.