23 Scpetre Hardtops
 

I know there's pictures and questions all over here about this topic. But this is a little more specific question. If you had a hardtop built for your 23 Sceptre, how much did it cost you?

$4,500 in March 1992. That price also included the fold down crows nest tower. No upper station included. But that price also included a full set of Eisenglass custom curtains

I can tell you for fact you will not get one that is well built for less than $5k installed. The cost has skyrocketed over the last 6-8 years.

Yeah that's what I'm afraid of. $4-5,000 for a decent one is what I was thinking. Makes me a little sick to think of that cost alone. Almost to the point of just forget it and buy a hull with hard top already on it.

I won't discourage you by telling what I spent but am happy to share details of designing my arch/hardtop and what I like/dislike and what I would do differently. Pictures of my top are in the 23' Gallery section under Chris Downey's 23 Sceptre. Feel free to ask away here or in a PM. It was the best thing I have done to the boat (so far).

Ahh, Shepherd's on Clearwater Pass.... Those were the days!
She used to raise Cobia, Grouper, Kings and Mangrove Snapper on the West Florida Shelf. Now miles from the NaCL H2O, she's lucky to have the blood of a Shell Cracker or Stump Knocker on her decks. It's as sad as the Orkas at Sea World!
Where's my "Born Free" 8 track tape?

Yep, you nailed it!! At Sheppard's Circa 1997

I really like my soft top with the rolled edge. I can't imagine my sled without it.

Yeah I'm not opposed to the canvas. Just that all the ones I've experienced leak when it gets rained on, so I'd prefer a fiberglass top. Did you price both and how much less was the canvas?

Per some of the comments, I agree the top makes the entire boat. My Shamrock had a $3500 (according to the PO) hardtop on it when I bought the boat. Only paid $5500 for the boat. The amount of shade they give on a cuddy/WA is what makes me go cuddy over cc.

With the quality sumbrella it doesn't leak at first but you have to spray it once a year to keep it waterproof. To me it's more about the shade. Cheaper? I'm sure there is a reasonable difference depending on the composition of the hard top.

Check out Weblon for soft material.

Alright I'm settled back down on hardtops. Have somebody who has done some aluminum welding for me before working on a quote. Built his own pretty cool super structure on a pontoon for lake partying. Said he'd help me out with cost vs. some of these other custom top builders. If that doesn't work out I've seen some decent used ones, just have to wait it out on those to come along that has the right, or close enough measurements.

Cutiger... Soft Top with Launcher. I am gonna keep telling You Guys LOL. The top lasts forever... and U can Get a Fish On sports Captains Package Launcher new in box for $1200 Delivered to your Door. The whole thing for $2500 ...

and if you Use parafin wax on the sewing seams when u first get it... It wont Leak... Have mine in the Rain all the Time... Snow all the Time... and Awesome Shade when its 95 degrees out.... NO LEAKS! Just sayin...

We all do it here on the West Coast...
Robert

I don't mean any disrespect, but I really don't care for the radar arches with a bimini off of them. I have a bimini with the front drop curtain already. Can make do with that until I come across the right top. I like the half tower type top because it serves more purposes by doubles for all kinds of storage and uses. Electronics box to help un-clutter the helm area, T-bag for life jackets up and out of the cabin, strap bean bags on top of it while fishing, strap a little inverter generator up there for transport when camping/overnighting, etc.

So far I've found one that's not the best looking top ever, has that raked back radar arch type look to it (that I just said I didn't like :D), that's so close to the right dimensions. It has all radar/antenna mounting pads needed. Could probably get it to work. And one that's ugly as sin but the correct dimensions. No mounting pads of any kind for radar/antennas and looks flimsy. Both owners want $500.

Still looking.

Here are these two.

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...psflh1cdgn.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...psovfzxxby.jpg

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...psi6t5vqj7.jpg

A pro built top is the only way to go as spending money trying to adapt or cut cost almost always ends up a disappointment. I know it is a hard bullet to bite but I have seen numerous people go down this difficult road. Save the money, shop around and wait for the economy to turn a little south. Boats and accessories are just off the chart right now and unnaturally over priced.

Ya know the second top looks like stainless to me, is that correct?

Cutiger no offense taken in any way. You might be able to modify this top with the deck plates if you have a Good Welder and Access to some Tube. It does't look that hard to me. I have been there and $5k is a Huge nut To swallow for a TOP. I went through the same issue when i made the windshield for the Formula i was getting quotes between 4k and 5k being Ridiculous numbers IMHO.

What i did was found a good Aluminum welder on Craigslist. I drew up the plans.... and he made it for $900 in 5 hours which included materials. I bought the Lexan from a Wholesaler and installed myself.

Total Cost of the Windshield was $1300 With everything. It took me about 4 hours to cut, bolt and seal the Windshield. I like the idea of paying myself about $700 an Hour to do that.... Just a thought.

This would be your Second best Plan IMHO... Moose has the market dialed right in.

There are a number of marine surplus companies out there where you can get a well-made hard-top for the $2k-$3K range, and then have to pay for the mounting modifications to fit the Sceptre/Tsunami. Also check out ebay.

MOST major boat manufacturer's who make cuddy fishing boats will have one or two left at the end of the building season that they're happy to sell off fairly cheaply. Find out which manufacturers make a hardtop fishing cuddy, and see if you can't get one cheap, or maybe a one-off prototype left lying around their yard. Back in the summer of '06 I picked up from a major boat manufacturer a leftover new-in-the-crate Mercury Optimax 90 for only 56% of the retail price once the '07's were out.

Sometimes you just gotta ask.

I thought that top was stainless too. Seller thinks it's aluminum due to trying to stick a magnet to it. That's some tiny aluminum tubing of it is.

I'm waiting on a few folks to get back to me with quotes. One welds on the side but not necessarily tops commercially. The other is a employee of a major boat manufacturer. He's quoting all kinds of parts for me.

Sailor man in ft Lauderdale had a top not to lon g ago that may work for you. It was on the east side of the building

Hard Top
 

$6K for this top. My buddy in Ft. Pierce made it and does custom hard tops and metal work. If your interested PM me and I will give you his number.

I'm having one made for mine. 1500.00 for glass top and 7k for new bright work with second station. It will have the fiberglass box up top for steering and controls which I will rig later . White on top and sea foam on bottom. Awlgrip. The guy already has a mold for the Sceptre.

Very nice and well worth the cost. I sure like all the love getting put into the Tsunami hulls. They are well worth the investments being made.

nice looking stuff, pretty boat, like the add ons....

Great to see that sweet boat....Any new trips to the Bahamas? Tsunamis/Sceptres are a great platform for offshore!

This may be more than what you are looking for, but if you want something like the attached, take 77SceptreOB's number and triple it. That is a turn key estimate with the upper helm station, the hardtop itself, rod holders, everything. This was just done and I haven't even picked it up from the shop that did the work for me.

http://i.imgur.com/A456gXq.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AFQfMFV.jpg

Hardtop
 

Rufneck, mine will be done at the end of this month. I'm doing my upper station differently than yours. I won't be rigging mine until later next year. I'll have 8 in the top and upper station. 4 more for curtains. We all know what boat stands for!

That's a mighty fine set-up Rufneck. Out west I find that birds eye view as the best fish hunting investment available. nice work!:cool:

23 hardtop
 

Molded in ebox.