A25 original cockpit enclosure

[kerrye]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Timeproof-Teles ... cN&vxp=mtr

[DesertAlbin736]

Looks great! Job well done! The whole boarding ladder thing has vexed me from Day 1. Our platform is not as deep as yours, so one like yours wouldn't work, and of course the dinghy is in the way. Mounting on the end & folding sideways is not an option due to curve of the transom. We ended up using a detachable rope ladder & put a grab handle on the swim platform, but it's far from ideal. I wish one like yours would work on our setup.

[JT48348]

Man I like that dinghy. Is that the Boatex?

[DesertAlbin736]

Yes, that is a Boatex. Go to this YouTube video of my 2014 Gulf Islands Cruise here & fast fwd to the 6:50 mark & see our Boatex dinghy in action coming back to La Dolce Vita's mooring in Montague Harbour, Galiano Island, BC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIgR0l_ ... e=youtu.be

[ssrig]

Nice job, Kerry. Thanks for all the pics, updates, your methods, and what worked and what didn't work so good. A ton of good info. Let us know how it holds up.
Again, thanks.

Ditto!

Looks good!
How is it holding up? Is there anything you would do different? Have you had a yak or boat up there yet and is it strong enough for it?

Very interesting technique.

[kerrye]

Yes, had our Kaboat up there all summer this year and last. Held up fine. I am happy with it. It's not for everyone though. The vinyl is not as aesthetically pleasing as Sunbrella. I think the trade off with the vinyl being completely waterproof and being very easy to work with is worth it. It does sag a little between the arch at the aft cabin and the helm roof. The straps I use to tighten it to the arch do not get it tight enough to remove all the sag. If I were redesigning it I might consider a fore/aft stainless tube from the rear arch to the center of the helm roof so water didn't collect in the center. Typically we leave the top and the back on all the time and only install the sides when it's raining or cold. We often leave the front edges of the top at the either side unfastened to make getting in and out easier. This is possible even with the Kaboat on top. I did make one design mistake--the vinyl windows need to extend down far enough to tuck down over the side of the cockpit edges and front edge of the aft cabin, otherwise they will drip inside. I have since extended them to solve this problem.

[kerrye]

Oh, I also added one more stainless crossbar near the bottom of the two angled tubes which come down from the hoop to the aft cabin top. It's about 6" up from the cabin top and serves as a handhold when getting up and down onto the swim platform. It also holds the fuel tank for the outboard in place on the cabin roof.

[ssrig]

Thanks for the reply! Does it flap around in the wind much?

You don't have a Mitsubishi truck do you?

[DesertAlbin736]

Blast from the past, back in 2016 JT wrote,

Man I like that dinghy. Is that the Boatex?

It's yours if you can find the wreckage washed up somewhere on the rocky shores of the BC Sunshine Coast or at the bottom of Georgia Straight between Nelson Island & Pender Harbour!

[Sunsetrider]

This configuration gives us good flexibility, good ventilation, and we can access from both sides and from the rear when swimming off the platform. We usually have the cockpit covered and the helm cover open. Or we can move it all down for the convertible experience. Next up: inflatable dinghy (Plastimo P240 Raid?)

[ssrig]

Thats A nice enclosure! Does the rear crossbar stay permanently as in not moving forward or back? I like your swim grid too.

[Sunsetrider]

You can wrap the cockpit canvas top around the rear crossbar and there is a zippered cover for it. Or you can bring it down completely for a fully open effect, although we have never actually done that. No need, really. As for the helm station cover, I stand at the helm for the vast majority of the time and cannot imagine dealing with the constraint of a hardtop. Diff'rent strokes!

[DesertAlbin736]

Nice photos Stephen! When we were out visiting you last year I neglected to get pics of your boat other than the few we took in the cockpit. I see how well that works for you in that cooler climate. For us we need shade more than large windows. It's enough of a hothouse as it is with the relentless AZ sun, and we do have the opening hatches on both sides of roof for ventilation. One reason I kept the canvas design close to original even though it limits access to climbing in from the aft cabin top is that it allows folding the canvas forward to open up the back half as Albin intended.

I see you got your dinghy snap davits installed? Are the standoff rods working OK? Just watch out if you get caught out in rough water & not let what happened to our Boatex happen to you. We still talk about that visit to Ontario & what a great time we had.

20170902_135316.jpg

[kerrye]

No it doesn't flap around in the wind. How did you know I have a Mitsubishi truck? It's a Fuso FG.

[ssrig]

Expedition portal Kerry?
Almost the same name, I have one too, westyss.