Need some measurements please for a older Seafarer Hardtop

[Norcoastal]

I have been searching for a hardtop for 3 years and found one but it’s from a newer 232 Gulfstream. My beam midship is 8.6 and the 232 is 9.3.

I realize that it’s not a direct fit, but if it’s close, maybe I can get a local welder make the adjustments. If you can measure your hardtop, please measure the fiberglass top as well as the poles.

Before I pull the trigger on this hardtop, I want to make sure it will fit. If anyone has an older version of a Seafarer, would you mind taking some measurements of your hardtop for me please?

THANK YOU!!!

 

[Norcoastal]

 

[Norcoastal]

It may be too big for my boat, but I’m wondering if a metal fabricator would be able to make it fit?

 

[glacierbaze]

IIRC, the fiberglass on my 2000 SF228 is 84 X 60.

 

[Norcoastal]

IIRC, the fiberglass on my 2000 SF228 is 84 X 60.

Thank you! That helps a lot.

 

[glacierbaze]

Actually, 60" is not right. I found some pics, where I was making the boat cover, and I wrote down that the fiberglass is 64X84 to the inside of the down turn.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I'm sure with enough time and money that just about anything can be made to fit, and yes that's what she said! The beam on the Seafarer is only 8' compared to the beam on a 232 Gulfstream which is 9'3", which makes me doubt it'll be an exact fit without some modifications. How much is the guy asking for it? If we're talking $3k+ then it might be worth looking at a second option, which would be to just have a local fabricator make one up for you that's designed to fit the boat and not something else. Just my 2c, of course.

 

[Norcoastal]

I'm sure with enough time and money that just about anything can be made to fit, and yes that's what she said! The beam on the Seafarer is only 8' compared to the beam on a 232 Gulfstream which is 9'3", which makes me doubt it'll be an exact fit without some modifications. How much is the guy asking for it? If we're talking $3k+ then it might be worth looking at a second option, which would be to just have a local fabricator make one up for you that's designed to fit the boat and not something else. Just my 2c, of course.

He’s asking $1,000 for the hardtop as it sits with the electronic box.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

He’s asking $1,000 for the hardtop as it sits with the electronic box.

As mentioned above, I think you can get just about anything to work with enough time and money. That being said, I think one of the biggest issues you'd have of going with the hardtop you're considering would be the width. If I'm reading the measurements correctly, the one for the 232 Gulfstream is 6' wide whereas the one for a 228 Seafarer is only 5' wide? If that's the case, you'd have 6" of hardtop sticking out on each side when trying to walk up to the bow. Not exactly sure how that would work out, though the length or depth of the hardtop likely wouldn't be a problem because you could always shift it towards the rear of the boat and it wouldn't effect anything. You could always try buying the hardtop and if it flat out doesn't work, I'd be willing to bet you could sell it again locally for what you paid for it, breaking even at the very least. Unless you started hacking and chopping it up and re-welding parts here and there, then it would likely be much more difficult to resell. My thoughts would be to either sell your boat and buy one that already has the factory style hardtop on it, if you really want one with a factory hardtop. Or, have a local shop fabricate one up for you and call it a day. Though, some of those can look a bit funky as they're aftermarket and more of a generic looking hardtop as opposed to the original. Just my opinions, of course, though I was considering doing something similar when I was looking for my boat in that I came across a couple of 228 Seafarer's that didn't have the hardtop option from the factory. I was pricing together what it would cost to have one added and in the long run, it cost considerably more to have one made and added to the boat as opposed to just buying one with it already installed.

 

[SeanC]

Looking at the photographs the walk around width looks the same as a 228 meaning you would need to move all the vertical support in a substantial amount the retain the walk around space on a 228. That is a lot of cutting and welding to make it fit. I am thinking a custom made one may be cheaper.

 

[Norcoastal]

As mentioned above, I think you can get just about anything to work with enough time and money. That being said, I think one of the biggest issues you'd have of going with the hardtop you're considering would be the width. If I'm reading the measurements correctly, the one for the 232 Gulfstream is 6' wide whereas the one for a 228 Seafarer is only 5' wide? If that's the case, you'd have 6" of hardtop sticking out on each side when trying to walk up to the bow. Not exactly sure how that would work out, though the length or depth of the hardtop likely wouldn't be a problem because you could always shift it towards the rear of the boat and it wouldn't effect anything. You could always try buying the hardtop and if it flat out doesn't work, I'd be willing to bet you could sell it again locally for what you paid for it, breaking even at the very least. Unless you started hacking and chopping it up and re-welding parts here and there, then it would likely be much more difficult to resell. My thoughts would be to either sell your boat and buy one that already has the factory style hardtop on it, if you really want one with a factory hardtop. Or, have a local shop fabricate one up for you and call it a day. Though, some of those can look a bit funky as they're aftermarket and more of a generic looking hardtop as opposed to the original. Just my opinions, of course, though I was considering doing something similar when I was looking for my boat in that I came across a couple of 228 Seafarer's that didn't have the hardtop option from the factory. I was pricing together what it would cost to have one added and in the long run, it cost considerably more to have one made and added to the boat as opposed to just buying one with it already installed.

I agree with most of what you say, but selling the boat and buying one with a brand new 2023 motor is the problem. Say it cost me $5,000 for a new hardtop; to find a boat with a hardtop without a motor would be more than $5,000 and to buy a boat with a motor, it wouldn’t be a new one with 20 hours like mine.

I think I only have two options as the top in question will never fit probably. I can have one made which is possible or just leave it as it is and appreciate what I have.

I do this to myself all the time…

 

[Norcoastal]

Looking at the photographs the walk around width looks the same as a 228 meaning you would need to move all the vertical support in a substantial amount the retain the walk around space on a 228. That is a lot of cutting and welding to make it fit. I am thinking a custom made one may be cheaper.

I agree with you. I’m trying to avoid having one built, but that may be the only choice.

 

[Sauza45]

Not sure where you are located but Birdsall marine make custom tops and are located in south florida.

 

[Mustang65fbk]

I agree with most of what you say, but selling the boat and buying one with a brand new 2023 motor is the problem. Say it cost me $5,000 for a new hardtop; to find a boat with a hardtop without a motor would be more than $5,000 and to buy a boat with a motor, it wouldn’t be a new one with 20 hours like mine.

I think I only have two options as the top in question will never fit probably. I can have one made which is possible or just leave it as it is and appreciate what I have.

I do this to myself all the time…

I was going to say... I think you've mentioned this on here at least a time or two before. Looking at some of your other posts, it appears that your boat is a 1988 year? How much total do you have into it at this point with the repower? I think the likelihood of finding an original top that is a perfect fit for your boat is going to be an extremely long shot. If I were in your shoes, I'd keep your boat and use it as is until you find something similar and/or newer that's in a price range that works for you, and then repower it. Especially if you've got over $40k-$45k+ invested into your boat at this point, you could very likely find a newer hull with a hardtop already installed that needs a repower or sell the current power and buy a brand new motor for roughly what you've got into your boat at this point. Just my thoughts of course, though if you're dead set on keeping your current boat, I think about your only option here would be to have a local shop build a hardtop for you. Depending on where you live and who you have build it for you though, that could be another $5k-$10k, which only increases the total amount of money you have into your current boat. Which, if you're ever considering selling that boat would make me wonder if you'd be upside down on it or if you could still make a profit off of it. If that doesn't matter to you then it's no big deal, but if you're wanting to at least break even with your current boat and you keep putting money into it, that's something else to consider.

 

[glacierbaze]

Looking at the photographs the walk around width looks the same as a 228 meaning you would need to move all the vertical support in a substantial amount the retain the walk around space on a 228. That is a lot of cutting and welding to make it fit. I am thinking a custom made one may be cheaper.

I see it a little differently. The only measurements that are critical are the mounting points for the rear legs. As long as the front legs land somewhere on the cabin roof, they should be workable.
To me, it looks like the overhang on the sides, front, and back accounts for most of the difference in the size of the fiber glass. More overhang than on my 228. My frame is the older style, but compare the 59-60 width of the top/rear, in the photos above. If they are not close, the bottom feet probably won't be either.

 

[Norcoastal]

I was going to say... I think you've mentioned this on here at least a time or two before. Looking at some of your other posts, it appears that your boat is a 1988 year? How much total do you have into it at this point with the repower? I think the likelihood of finding an original top that is a perfect fit for your boat is going to be an extremely long shot. If I were in your shoes, I'd keep your boat and use it as is until you find something similar and/or newer that's in a price range that works for you, and then repower it. Especially if you've got over $40k-$45k+ invested into your boat at this point, you could very likely find a newer hull with a hardtop already installed that needs a repower or sell the current power and buy a brand new motor for roughly what you've got into your boat at this point. Just my thoughts of course, though if you're dead set on keeping your current boat, I think about your only option here would be to have a local shop build a hardtop for you. Depending on where you live and who you have build it for you though, that could be another $5k-$10k, which only increases the total amount of money you have into your current boat. Which, if you're ever considering selling that boat would make me wonder if you'd be upside down on it or if you could still make a profit off of it. If that doesn't matter to you then it's no big deal, but if you're wanting to at least break even with your current boat and you keep putting money into it, that's something else to consider.

Yes, it’s a 1988, it’s in good shape and I bought it cheaply. I’ve replaced all the systems and I have about $30,000 into it including the motor. I don’t think I could sell it for that much and if I did I probably would never find a boat that has a hardtop and a new motor. If I sold it for $20,000 the options are extremely limited. So leave it the way it is which is what I have to do and continue the search for a hardtop.

 

[Norcoastal]

I see it a little differently. The only measurements that are critical are the mounting points for the rear legs. As long as the front legs land somewhere on the cabin roof, they should be workable.
To me, it looks like the overhang on the sides, front, and back accounts for most of the difference in the size of the fiber glass. More overhang than on my 228. My frame is the older style, but compare the 59-60 width of the top/rear, in the photos above. If they are not close, the bottom feet probably won't be either.

The guy needs to sent me those numbers. I’ve asked

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Yes, it’s a 1988, it’s in good shape and I bought it cheaply. I’ve replaced all the systems and I have about $30,000 into it including the motor. I don’t think I could sell it for that much and if I did I probably would never find a boat that has a hardtop and a new motor. If I sold it for $20,000 the options are extremely limited. So leave it the way it is which is what I have to do and continue the search for a hardtop.

I think your only other option then would be to buy something like this, remove the hardtop and then sell it off without. Or you could always ask if they'd sell you the hardtop separately. The worst thing they can say is no.

https://www.boats.com/power-boats/1986-grady-white-seafarer-22-9094599/

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Or buy this one, or something similar, and swap out the outboards on them. Definitely a bit more time consuming but it would give you the hardtop that you want.

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/1993-grady--white-seafarer-22-9032183/

 

[Norcoastal]

I think your only other option then would be to buy something like this, remove the hardtop and then sell it off without. Or you could always ask if they'd sell you the hardtop separately. The worst thing they can say is no.

https://www.boats.com/power-boats/1986-grady-white-seafarer-22-9094599/

I have reached out to so many people selling Seafarers asking if they want to sell their hardtops and they typically either say no or you can buy the hardtop but it comes with a boat