I have a macgregor 25. I was wondering if any owners have ever convertedm the poptop into a permanent top.
pop top
- Thread starter mbeil53
- Start date
why???
if you never open it, it will be permanently closed.... (there are hold downs that are supposed to be used to keep it permanently closed until you want to remove them to open it)
the hardware that allows it to swing open is not in the way,.. there is no water intrusion because of it (when closed),... it is ALWAYS there IF you want it open... it was a great feature designed into it that helped move thousands of these boats out of the factory, and still adds to the resale value.....
its nice to be able to have the ventilation, stand up and stretch when the weather is nice, sleep with it open, ect.... even at the dock, we will have the top open and have the hatch board in place for privacy. its a nice feature for a smaller boat to be equipped with.
if you never open it, it will be permanently closed.... (there are hold downs that are supposed to be used to keep it permanently closed until you want to remove them to open it)
the hardware that allows it to swing open is not in the way,.. there is no water intrusion because of it (when closed),... it is ALWAYS there IF you want it open... it was a great feature designed into it that helped move thousands of these boats out of the factory, and still adds to the resale value.....
its nice to be able to have the ventilation, stand up and stretch when the weather is nice, sleep with it open, ect.... even at the dock, we will have the top open and have the hatch board in place for privacy. its a nice feature for a smaller boat to be equipped with.
LOL
That's what I thought you meant.
I don't know what the design factors are for sailing with the poppy up in rough weather. I would guess that balance and wind-age must somehow be affected wouldn't it? We designed our layout to be able to sail with the top up but in high wind/waves I bolt the top down tight.
I think there are home made and commercial kits you can use to make a semi-permanent enclosure in various levels of fit and finish.
well, see there... the wording makes all the difference in the world.
I have thought myself about what it would look like as a "pilot house" model.
I have no intentions of doing this but i have thought that a person may be able find a smaller old boat with a long narrow trunk roof that could cut off, and then be fitted on top of another boat and faired in nicely.... good finish work would be mandatory, with windows in it.
and by extending the add on section into the cockpit a foot or two, you could have like a permanent dodger over the companionway
if done properly, carefully and with lots of forethough to final appearence, I dont think it would look too much like hippy bus.... and may be even more functional.
If it's up it's permanently in the way of the boom vang. Not a good idea. Plus, sometimes you might actually get a wave which would soak everything down below. Also - Not a good idea.
We had pop tops on both our C22 and C25. Great features but NO WAY, regardless of how benign the conditions were, that I would ever consider moving the boat even one inch with it open.
A friend of mine left his forward hatch open one delightfully calm day (on his C34!) and hit a powerboat wake. That was four years ago and he's still trying to get the salt off his V berth cushions.
Not a good idea.
We had pop tops on both our C22 and C25. Great features but NO WAY, regardless of how benign the conditions were, that I would ever consider moving the boat even one inch with it open.
A friend of mine left his forward hatch open one delightfully calm day (on his C34!) and hit a powerboat wake. That was four years ago and he's still trying to get the salt off his V berth cushions.
Not a good idea.
More pictures on our site here...
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/misc-pics-4.html
We don't sail with the pop-top up per Roger's instructions, but others do...
Sum
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Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links
I saw a young native Bahamian live aboard couple in Nassau that did the conversion. also had a boom rack/ huge arch on the back. also had a 20 hp yamaha on a garlick motor mount. kinda a hack job. doubt it was sailed for pleasure.
they might still be there at the yacht haven...
they might still be there at the yacht haven...
I hope I am never out in weather big enough to put a wave in my pop-top. I do put it down in big winds but I keep it up all the rest of the time.
I am planning to make a cover for the pop top this spring to keep the rain and dew off when I am sleeping on board. I don't like sleeping with the top down.
I am planning to make a cover for the pop top this spring to keep the rain and dew off when I am sleeping on board. I don't like sleeping with the top down.
We couldn't live...
...without ours....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-canvas/canvas-2.html
... and I'm sure you will enjoy yours,
Sum
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]
Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links
I've motored my boat around the harbor a bit with the pop-top up. It freaking SUCKS. Completely blocks your view. I absolutely love my pop top, especially with the cover for enclosing the boat at night, but no way would i want that thing up permanently. You cant see a damn thing around it.
I agree completely and not sure why people like to sail or motor with it up?
Sum
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Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links
And I'm sure Roger (as he designed the danged thing) has a very good reason for not sailing with it up...
More pictures on our site here...
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/misc-pics-4.html
We don't sail with the pop-top up per Roger's instructions, but others do...
Sum
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]
Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links
I like it up, but I don't care too much about sail shape. (I have a vang / no traveler)
its just cooler (less hot) and easier to go down below and back up. not to mention standing head room.
I have added some braces but the bolt attachments to the fiberglass are weak points.
if its at all rough I drop the top.
its just cooler (less hot) and easier to go down below and back up. not to mention standing head room.
I have added some braces but the bolt attachments to the fiberglass are weak points.
if its at all rough I drop the top.
I like to sail with the pop-top up. I like to motor with the pop-top up.
I like to be able to jump down into the cabin to raise the keel. If there are power boats zooming around when I want to lower the sails I can release the main and jib from the cabin and lower them without leaving the cabin or cockpit.
It is much cooler to have the pop-top open.
If it starts to rain on me I go in the cabin and steer from there until I need to tack or reset the sails.(A couple of lines to the rail and then to the rudder allow me to control the rudder form the cabin) If the pop-top is down I cannot stand and steer from the cabin.
If the weather is so bad that I might ship some water in the cabin I will be on shore.
I have been caught out in the Gulf of Mexico in more weather than I wanted. I did lock everything down as I headed for shore. I can see how any opening could be a big problem.
I have hit a wake from some kind of a tug boat(Had several encounters with the wake during construction on a bridge. Huge wake every time.) that was at least 4' tall in a power boat(sold it) and in my sailboat. I shipped water over the bow of the bowrider and my sailboat just floated right over it. The bowrider took the first part of the wave but drove into the follow up wake both times, one time slow and one time working the throttle to try not to drive into the latter part of the wake.
I have never seen a bigger wave from a wake. I don't think I will worry about wakes in the sailboat.
I like to be able to jump down into the cabin to raise the keel. If there are power boats zooming around when I want to lower the sails I can release the main and jib from the cabin and lower them without leaving the cabin or cockpit.
It is much cooler to have the pop-top open.
If it starts to rain on me I go in the cabin and steer from there until I need to tack or reset the sails.(A couple of lines to the rail and then to the rudder allow me to control the rudder form the cabin) If the pop-top is down I cannot stand and steer from the cabin.
If the weather is so bad that I might ship some water in the cabin I will be on shore.
I have been caught out in the Gulf of Mexico in more weather than I wanted. I did lock everything down as I headed for shore. I can see how any opening could be a big problem.
I have hit a wake from some kind of a tug boat(Had several encounters with the wake during construction on a bridge. Huge wake every time.) that was at least 4' tall in a power boat(sold it) and in my sailboat. I shipped water over the bow of the bowrider and my sailboat just floated right over it. The bowrider took the first part of the wave but drove into the follow up wake both times, one time slow and one time working the throttle to try not to drive into the latter part of the wake.
I have never seen a bigger wave from a wake. I don't think I will worry about wakes in the sailboat.
I had thought about this also. Took a few shots of the boat and added on little paint on a print. Haven't gone beyond that though, but it still lingers as a possibility.
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I sail and motor with mine up unless conditions warrant against it. To be clear, the cover is not in place which would for sure kill the view. I'm not claustrophobic but it does get small in the cabin when it's down.
If I had a vang, I would have to leave it down or at least put it down in a downwind run.
I too have thought about what it would look like as a pilot house but then it would end up being a hack job. I might as well buy an X or M.
If I had a vang, I would have to leave it down or at least put it down in a downwind run.
I too have thought about what it would look like as a pilot house but then it would end up being a hack job. I might as well buy an X or M.
Sailing or motoring it is down as we like the unobstructed view and we only pop down to make a sandwich or get a drink. I'm 6-1 and that isn't a problem. I'm not standing up when I'm down there doing that anyway.
As soon as we stop for the day though it goes up for the night and the cover goes on. Nights where the temps are going below 50-45 the top comes down to conserve heat in the cabin and v-berth.
It seems the longer we are out the larger the interior seems to get regardless of if the pop-top is up or down. You would think it would be the other way..........cabin fever.
On anchor.....
...with the cover on but the front open it was amazing how cool it make the cabin with a towel....
... place so that the breeze was deflected down on us....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/inside-31.html
..... Kind of like a mega-size hatch scoop,
Sum
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]
Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links
As soon as we stop for the day though it goes up for the night and the cover goes on. Nights where the temps are going below 50-45 the top comes down to conserve heat in the cabin and v-berth.
It seems the longer we are out the larger the interior seems to get regardless of if the pop-top is up or down. You would think it would be the other way..........cabin fever.
On anchor.....
...with the cover on but the front open it was amazing how cool it make the cabin with a towel....
... place so that the breeze was deflected down on us....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/inside-31.html
..... Kind of like a mega-size hatch scoop,
Sum
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]
Our Endeavour 37
Our MacGregor 26-S Pages
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Mac-Venture Links
That's an awesome idea Sumner, I'm totally gonna try that next time I'm out at anchor and it starts getting warm.