LOOKING FOR HARDTOP FOR 23 SCEPTRE ?????

[Entourage]

Im looking for a hardtop for my dads 23 sceptre any suggestions out there would greatly be appreciated.

[BigLew]

Entourage,

I'm not sure where you are, but you might want to check these folks out.
http://www.redmanmarinefabricators.c...hp/v/HardTops/

I spoke with them a while back and they have a few different sizes. The one that made the most sense to me for MY Scepeter is about 4500 to 5 K installed. I think it would be one of the ones that have an electronics box built/molded inot it.

Take care and Merry Christmas! I hope your Scepter gets what it needs!

[1bayouboy]

Tough to find one with a top that can be had....I've been looking for a year...a couple have come by but I missed out by a matter of days. Otherwise it's a custom build....where are you located??

[Islandtrader]

If you are near southwest Florida there is a wrecked scepter for sale with a hard top for 1k. The top is worth the price of the the boat.

[3rdday]

Please consider the weight it will add forward. I installed one on my boat (a cuddy cabin) I also have an open array radar that weighs #75. these two things changed the performance of my boat. I am now getting rid of the radar and the fiberglass top and replacing with canvas (keeping the hardtop frame). If you do go with a hardtop I would urge you to consider a frame with canvas/ fabric top.
Just a thought to consider!

[1bayouboy]

I believe the top off the damaged boat was sold.....

[htillman]

An alternative to the hardtop is to stiff leg the front of a bimini top. That way if you are fishing or casting, you can unhook the back straps and lay the bimini forward. This is the way I am setting up my Sceptre and my friend has the same setup and it works well. You lose overhead electronics space with this setup.

[Entourage]

Thanks Alot guys i appreciate the info. I am from Cape Cod Massachusetts.

[Water Rat]

Entourage,
I have a '78 23' Sceptre with a radar arch/halftower/hardtop - pictures of it
are in the "Gallery" section of this site under Chris Downey's 23'. Hopefully looking at my pictures and other's will give you some good ideas for your application. The advice given on carefully watching the weight of the structure is very well taken. Not only is the weight up there (changing center of gravity) it is generally forward, changing how she sits in the water.
Not that it cannot be done properly, but, for example, you would not want to put up a 'glass top with a marine ply core (my core is balsa, btw).

Best advice I can give is to plan carefully because you will be living with it for some time. Also, if you are trying to save some money by retrofitting an existing top, you might try calling local fabricators to see what they may have taken off other boars. A few that come to mind are Redman, mentioned earlier, J&J in Somerset, MA, Marine Metal (did my top), Kentfab in Hanover, MA, Fastech in Plymouth, and there are many others. Feel free to ask me any questions and good luck.

[JohnB]

I would agree with what everyone is saying on keeping the weight down, and not raising the center of gravity. If you have an inboard, it's probably not as touchy, and tends to be stern heavy anyways. If you have an outboard, whatever you do, don't stick a 50+ pound radar up there. I have a full top on mine, with a minimal JRC color radar unit. The dome probably weighs 15 pounds.