Looking everywhere for a top for my 1967 Starcraft!

[reverbflange]

I've got a 1967 Starcraft 15' Fiberglass (I think it's a Holiday, but still haven't found anyone with the same exact boat!).

I've been searching online for months for a full top for it (front, side and a back drop to enclose the front area, etc) but haven't found anything!

I'd prefer to find a used one, but at this point I don't think I have a choice.

Anyone know where to find what I'm looking for? I find bimini tops everywhere, but not the full enclosure with the back drop.

Thanks so much!

Justin

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Looking everywhere for a top for my 1967 Starcraft!

what you are talking about will be a custom made job. you have less than 1% chance of finding one, and less finding one in usable condition. find a canvas shop, that does boat tops.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Looking everywhere for a top for my 1967 Starcraft!

Yup, it's custom only. Of course you can use a bimini as the "foundation" with front, side and rear curtains.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Looking everywhere for a top for my 1967 Starcraft!

Ayuh,....

Pretty much Any cover for a 40 year old boat is going to have to be Custom built...

 

[reverbflange]

Re: Looking everywhere for a top for my 1967 Starcraft!

Thank you! That was the answer I was dreading, but is definitely worth it to me! We have a local top shop here in town, but they are asking an ungodly amount for a full top. More than I have into my boat!

Thank you so much, I will start saving up... hopefully by next fall I'll be in business!

 

[Mark42]

Re: Looking everywhere for a top for my 1967 Starcraft!

You could always build your own hard top. Take the link in my signature below for the Bayliner hard top project to see how I'm building one.

 

[reverbflange]

Re: Looking everywhere for a top for my 1967 Starcraft!

Wow, you did a really nice job! I think a hard top would be the way to go for me, also being able to take it off easily would be great as well.
How long did the whole project take you? My wife complains that I always am working on the boats!

Fortunately I have access to a huge supply of just about everything I would need there.

I think I most definitely will make a cardboard mock up and see what it would look/feel like and go from there!

I'll post some pics when I mock it up and see what you might think!

Thanks!

 

[Mark42]

Re: Looking everywhere for a top for my 1967 Starcraft!

Wow, you did a really nice job! I think a hard top would be the way to go for me, also being able to take it off easily would be great as well.
How long did the whole project take you? My wife complains that I always am working on the boats!

Fortunately I have access to a huge supply of just about everything I would need there.

I think I most definitely will make a cardboard mock up and see what it would look/feel like and go from there!

I'll post some pics when I mock it up and see what you might think!

Thanks!

The top is still not done. This spring it will be faired out, painted and windows installed. It has taken a long time because I had to do all the experimentation, trial and error, to decide what materials to use, what shape to make it, how to glue the foam panels together and so on. If I were to make a second top, it would take 1/4 the time!!!!

This foam and glass top is a lot of work. If you have access to aluminum channel and square tube, you might want to give thought to building an aluminum frame with laminated glass sides (or plexy) and only make the roof from fiberglass. Would be a much faster build. Look at a Bayliner 245 hard top, thats how they did it.

I went with foam to get nice rounded edges and corners, save weight (this may be questionable, will see when its finished how much it weighs. Right now its about 66 lbs.) and look like an OEM top.