Overnighter 204C hardtop height

[Lt.Mike]

I brought up in another thread outing rocket launchers on a Bimini top.
I keep my boat on a trailer under a metal carport I had built to store it. I had a height restriction I order to conceal its roof line behind my barn as viewed from the house. It has plenty of room with the Bimini down. I didn’t think a hardtop would fit under but I was working on the boat today and looking at it again.
Now I’m not so sure.
There’s a lot to be said for having a hardtop.
It’s a secure handhold when walking up front, it also gets all antennas up and out of the way.
There might be room under that roof if I’m lucky.
Anyone have a 204C with a hardtop that can tell me how many inches the top of the hardtop is off of the deck?
I should probably wait till spring as most boats are in storage right now but in the event that I run across another hardtop for sale I’ll know if I should grab it.
Mike

 

[DennisG01]

Just for giggles, go to Atlantic Towers website and look at their "Tower in a Box" section. You can make the hardtop any height you want when you install it. Just as a side note, I have the "Walkaround "Tee" Polycarbonate Hardtop" on my 24'. I'm a hair under 6' and I'd guesstimate that I have about 6" of head room. That's an easy way to figure things out, too - add that measurement to your deck - should get you pretty close.

 

[Lt.Mike]

I’m working with a 31 year old boat for a reason here. If I’m going to mount a hardtop I’m going to have to find an old factory one, restore and mount it myself. I’m sure it’s nice but equally sure it’s a bit beyond my cop pension.
It might fall in my lap tomorrow or take months to find but I’ll be on the hunt for a factory hardtop if I find it’ll fit under the carport roof.
Mike

 

[glacierbaze]

Remember that overall height can vary by several inches, depending on trailer type and set-up.
Will the boat go in with the bimini up?
If it's long term winter storage under the garage, and a single axle, you could put really small trailer tires on it for the winter.

 

[Lt.Mike]

Remember that overall height can vary by several inches, depending on trailer type and set-up.
Will the boat go in with the bimini up?
If it's long term winter storage under the garage, and a single axle, you could put really small trailer tires on it for the winter.

That’s why I asked for measurements from the deck to the highest point of the top.
Changing tires isn’t an option for convenience over safety.
If it comes down to it being too tall then I’ll stsy with the Bimini.

 

[seasick]

This difficult to determine since there are several factors that can change the height. For sure, it would be taller than the bimini since the metal frame would be thicker diameter than the Bimini tubing. The actual fiberglass top wont be flat and will add some height. It is possible that the center of the hardtop is domed a bit to allow water run off. That adds height and in addition since you mentioned moving the antenna, the base bracket will add at least 4 inches even with the antenna disconnected and left hanging. You may or may not need to relocate the navigation light pole mounting
Also note that if you already have a canvas package, it probably won't fit with a different top.
I have heard of folks who let the air out of their tires and block the trailer frame to lower the boat. That may help but it won't really lower the front of the trailer. To do that you have to put all your friends in the back seat of the tow vehicle ( In reality you can use a hitch with a deeper drop but if the boat needs to drain towards the stern, it won't with a lower tongue.

If the bimini is close, the hard top probably won't clear. If you have a foot of clearance, the hard top probably will. It's the in-between range that is hard to determine.

 

[glacierbaze]

"That’s why I asked for measurements from the deck to the highest point of the top."

Not every one here was in the Navy. I suspect that when you ask for a deck to top of hardtop measurement, a lot of guys are going to be starting from the deck of their boat :wink:

I am also guessing that the only problem is the top of the door frame, and that once inside, you have room?

 

[DennisG01]

Gotcha. Just wanted to throw that out there (Atlantic Towers) since the towers-in-a-box are nowhere near as expensive as a full bore hardtop. But I completely understand where you're coming from.

You don't necessarily need the height of a hardtop on your model. If you take my guesstimate of measurements - say 6' to the bottom of the rocket launchers, then another 9" or 10" to the topside of the top... add that to your deck and it should get you close enough to see if it's worthwhile getting a more accurate measurement, a complete no-go, or plenty of room. As Seasick said, don't forget about any add-ons on top of the top. I have an all around light up there that folds over... probably adds 1"-2" when folded. My GPS antenna... I flush mounted it so it only adds about 2".

Old picture:


And, keep in mind that cutting a hardtop's tubing down is not as simple as just taking 6" off each leg. Because some of the legs are at angles to each other, it get's much more complicated and may not even work without cutting the leg off at the hardtop frame and welding a completely new leg on at a different angle. If all the legs are vertical and parallel to each other, that's a different story - but that's usually not the case.

Are there any marine salvage yards in NJ? I bet after Sandy there were a whole bunch of boats being scraped/parted out. And most likely some big salvage yards bought up most of that stuff... the question is whether it was yards in NJ or some bigger places further south.

 

[Lt.Mike]

Thanks Dennis, I realize that from my verbal description it is probably hard to visualize what I am storing my boat in. I trailer my boat year round so this is where it is when not being used. That is why temporary solutions such as airing down the tires. etc wont work.
Its not a spring fall thing so I don't want to do anything more than hook and go or just back it in with no special tricks.
I went through the pain of getting a Flickr account so that I may share but posting links is the best I can do for now. Its not the same as photobucket and I haven't got it quite figured out yet. :roll: Sorry.
At least you can see now what I have to work with.
Mike
https://flic.kr/p/22Ayruw
https://flic.kr/p/23CrRof
https://flic.kr/p/Fxm2Qy
https://flic.kr/p/FxkWib
I tried clicking Img then inserting the link but as you can see it doesnt work

 

[Lt.Mike]

Bingo!
Not being one to accept defeat I figured it out. (not as easy as photobucket but here nonetheless)

Oh on savalge yards, I wish. Yes after Sandy huge lots were rented by Co-parts an insurance company to store wrecked boats awaiting auction or sale.
There was one only a few miles from me but all that happened before I bought my Grady. Actually my Grady replaced my Bayliner that was crushed under a 120' tulip tree that fell square across it. In about two years that yard which held hundreds of boats was cleared out, not one remains.

Mike

 

[DennisG01]

No worries on the links.

Can you back the boat in with the bimini up? If you can't, ain't no way a hardtop is going to fit. If you can fit it, use my measurement and see how much higher than your bimini it puts you and see if it's still feasible. Obviously, it looks like your "crunch spot" is where the diagonal support connects from the wall to the roof.

Here's a crazy idea... if you can't raise the roof, can you dig the ground/floor out? Guess you'd have to continue the digging behind the carport for water to drain. Or at least dig a culvert/drain through the backside to a lower area.

I wish I had enough yard space for a barn and a carport - I'd be out there all time working on projects!

 

[Lt.Mike]

No worries on the links.

Can you back the boat in with the bimini up? If you can't, ain't no way a hardtop is going to fit. If you can fit it, use my measurement and see how much higher than your bimini it puts you and see if it's still feasible. Obviously, it looks like your "crunch spot" is where the diagonal support connects from the wall to the roof.

Here's a crazy idea... if you can't raise the roof, can you dig the ground/floor out? Guess you'd have to continue the digging behind the carport for water to drain. Or at least dig a culvert/drain through the backside to a lower area.

I wish I had enough yard space for a barn and a carport - I'd be out there all time working on projects!

No I actually haven't tried backing it in with the bimini up as I don't trailer with it up, that's asking for damage.
The side supports arn't a problem for the boat, they are above the gunnels and I could park the boat flush to the wall. The camper on the other hand would hit them if I tried.
I actually had a triaxle dump truck deliver a load of clay heavy dirt which I graded level and rolled in with my tractor. It raised the entire area of the carport a couple of inches ensuring a hard flat surface that wouldn't hold water. Any run off from the roof would be directed away with none puddling under. I've also spread 10 tons of stone dust and blue stone. The stone dust has settled in making a surface to park on similar to pavement.
The peak of the carport roof is about 6" below that of the barn next to it. From the house it is totally hidden behind the barn.
We didn't want to see multiple roof lines from the house.
I'll tell you that its a big improvement not having the boat out in the weather, leaves falling into it, acorns and branches bouncing off.
I am working towards hanging tarps on the ends to further close out the dust, pollen, and weather. The ends were purposely left open to maintain the structures status as a carport and not a building which would not have been allowed as it is within a hundred yards of a river behind my home. (and no where I am its a freshwater, canoe/kayak only waterway, I wish :wink: )
Tomorrow I'll raise the bimini inside the carport and use the measurements you've provided to see whats posible. I have also started a search for a used hardtop, :lol: ya, good luck with that right!
Mike

 

[DennisG01]

Yeah, I can understand the need to keep the carport lower than the barn... "sight line". You know, when I first looked at your picture i DID think it was concrete as it's so flat and tight. Only when I looked a little closer could I tell it was a gravel/stone dust mix. I know exactly what you mean about it turning into "almost" concrete. It's laid and packed really well.

By "crunch spot" I meant the side of the bimini, or hard top. But it also looks like there's some room left to move the boat closer to the center, if need be. Hope it fits with room to spare!

 

[Lt.Mike]

Ok here are some pics I took with the bimini up. If the hardtop is the same height as the factory bimini it looks like I could install one but I've seen pics on the web and it looks like the hard top may be even higher which would pretty much kill that idea.
Another thing I ran into were posts on how a hardtop ruins the performance and ride characteristics of the 20' Overnighter. Do they weigh that much?

 

[SkunkBoat]

looks like you could just fit a hardtop or an arch/bimini. Problem will be finding a used one that mounts to your year & model.
Looking online I didn't see any one that looked any like another. Seems they were all aftermarket & custom.
Some are really tall with radar but some of the tops and arches I see are just a few inches taller than the bimini.

I hear you when you lament about there not being any boat salvage yards or shops in NJ.

I just have to say that when I added a hardtop to my V20 it was awesome and I highly recommend it to anyone who really uses their boat.

Good hunting...

 

[Lt.Mike]

I passed on one a couple of years ago and of course I’m kicking myself now.
:roll:
I’ve seen them on other overnighters so I’ll know a factory top when it pops up.
Over time I’ve been grabbing missing parts as I find them. I found a factory teak swim platform that had been removed from its boat early in its life so it was mint ($90 shipped). That one came from Delaware and as it was made for my boat it bolted right up where mine had been removed. You can see it in one of the pics.
This past fall I found a package shelf for the cabin in south Jersey, again mint ($40).
When your looking for parts for anything 30+ years old your in for a hunt. It requires a lot of mindless searching on CL looking through several states away and you have to think of mistakes the seller may have listed it as.
Example, if you search Grady “hard top” it won’t show if it’s listed as “hardtop”, and certainly if it’s list as a “boat roof”. Ya that happens but if so that’s good because if you catch it your likely the only call on it. The seller will assume there’s no interest and will likely unload this thing on you for whatever they can get. :wink:
It may take time but one will pop up.
Mike

 

[Lt.Mike]

I hear you when you lament about there not being any boat salvage yards or shops in NJ.
...

I get the feeling that with boats there isn’t the interest in restoring older boats like you see with automobiles. The boating public as a whole see boats as disposable to be run into the ground and replaced.
Most owners don’t do their own work and there’s no savings in used parts when they have to pay labor charges. I’d guess it’s also a time issue and in that time most would rather be on the water than working on the boat. I get that but I actually enjoy and take pride in working on my boat.
I don’t have the deepest pockets either so while a lot can do it I’d rather not get in the habit of throwing money at the problem . :wink:

 

[DennisG01]

From the pictures, it appears you have some room to spare. If need be, you can park it closer to the RV to gain some headroom on the port side, too.

You CAN cut a hardtop down to a smaller height. The challenge is when any of the support bars aren't perfectly vertical. The cut ends won't line up perfectly with each other. BUT, you "may" be able to manhandle and bend the tubes a bit if the ends are really close. Another way is to add a horizontal plate to connect the two ends. Downside there is that you loose the ability to run wires through the tube.

 

[Halfhitch]

It would be easy to gain some headroom by just getting 1 foot or 2 foot leg extensions and add them to the bottom of your arches.

 

[DennisG01]

It would be easy to gain some headroom by just getting 1 foot or 2 foot leg extensions and add them to the bottom of your arches.

Previously, Mike had stated he doesn't want to raise the structure due to a sightline restriction from his house that he wants to maintain (doesn't want to see the structure).