any 2556 owners have a hardtop over the cockpit?...-gctid821264

[Centerline2]

I want a hardtop over the cockpit of my 2556 and before fabricating one out of aluminum tubing and skinned over, i was hoping to see what a factory or aftermarket one looked like installed... and how the transition from the hardtop to the flybridge deck was made.

is there a door thru the hardtop to access the flybridge, or is the hole just left open with a canvas cover over it? thanks for any suggestions or photos...

[2850Bounty]

I know that you mentioned "Hard Top"...... which would involve vertical tubing and either an aluminum or a fiberglass deck affair.

Be careful with the amount of weight and change to the center-of-gravity that this will create.

Bayliner deliberately made the 2556 F/B smaller due to the old 2750 Vicky issues.

The 2556 could also easily become top heavy.

What about a canvas top?

http://img.scgpix.com/listimg/img1_0915/05/img_lImmbgU5MD.jpg

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[talman]

I've seen a few that look nice. If the sticker is still there, the safe load on the flybridge is only 300lbs. Of course we have cruised with 4 people up there, which exceeds 300 lbs, which was fine in good conditions. A hard top would get you close to that, plus people.

I did see a very well done canvas over tubes that looked like a hard top

[Guest]

"talman" post=821416 wrote:
I've seen a few that look nice. If the sticker is still there, the safe load on the flybridge is only 300lbs. Of course we have cruised with 4 people up there, which exceeds 300 lbs, which was fine in good conditions. A hard top would get you close to that, plus people.

I did see a very well done canvas over tubes that looked like a hard top

Hey Talman,

On my 2556 the sticker says 500lb limit on the flybridge. Wasn't sure if this changed through the years though, mine is a 1990.

Following this thread here as I am definitely interested in getting a canvas top for the rear cockpit!

[builderdude]

I like the sun to much to consider a hard top on mine. Been contiplating a removeable/stowable canvas awnig though, something I can actually stand under without rubbing my head on and fold/roll up when I want sunshine in the cockpit as in always. Something similar to this but mounted further up.





Attached files

[Guest]

I have a 2850 flybridge and also wanted a cover for the cockpit. I didn't want to spend 1k to have a custom cover made. I went on Amazon and bought a bimini top that was "96-"103 wide. I used self engineering and a hacksaw and drill to fit it to my liking. All for $200 and about 3 hrs of time. The tubing is easy to cut and the mounts can placed in a variety of places.

[Centerline2]

"2850Bounty" post=821407 wrote:
[color]blue wrote:
I know that you mentioned "Hard Top"...... which would involve vertical tubing and either an aluminum or a fiberglass deck affair.

Be careful with the amount of weight and change to the center-of-gravity that this will create.

Bayliner deliberately made the 2556 F/B smaller due to the old 2750 Vicky issues.

The 2556 could also easily become top heavy.

What about a canvas top?[/color]

http://img.scgpix.com/listimg/img1_0915/05/img_lImmbgU5MD.jpg

.

I know a boat such as this could become top heavy, and that is why i believe a 50-80lb aluminum top would be a much better choice than a 200lb fiberglass unit... I dont want it to cover the entire deck, but only about 2/3rds the way to the stern... this will allow for some open area overhead when fishing, but allow the cabin door to remain open if its raining a bit.. and a simpler canvas plan to enclose it all.

[builderdude]

"Centerline2" post=821556 wrote:
I dont want it to cover the entire deck, but only about 2/3rds the way to the stern... this will allow for some open area overhead when fishing, but allow the cabin door to remain open if its raining a bit.. and a simpler canvas plan to enclose it all.

The exact reason I like the idea of the canvas awning

[Guest]

That was the point of my post. You buy a bimini top cheap and they are easy to modify to fit your needs. Mine was 6ft in length and covered the entire cockpit. You can get them various lengths. Buy a tall one, you can modify height with a hacksaw. It will all fold up and out of the way if needed at anytime also.

[Centerline2]

"talman" post=821416 wrote:
I've seen a few that look nice. If the sticker is still there, the safe load on the flybridge is only 300lbs. Of course we have cruised with 4 people up there, which exceeds 300 lbs, which was fine in good conditions. A hard top would get you close to that, plus people.

I did see a very well done canvas over tubes that looked like a hard top

they may have revised the sticker on later models for safety reasons, but my '89 still has the 500lb safe load rating sticker.... not that this means it is any more stable than the later models, but at one time bayliner thought it should be able to support 500lbs without the boat rolling over... and there are always safety thresholds factored in to any posted weight rating, so it may be that bayliner decided the safety threshold wasnt enough at a 500lb safe working load..

[Centerline2]

"builderdude" post=821559 wrote:

"Centerline2" post=821556 wrote:
I dont want it to cover the entire deck, but only about 2/3rds the way to the stern... this will allow for some open area overhead when fishing, but allow the cabin door to remain open if its raining a bit.. and a simpler canvas plan to enclose it all.

The exact reason I like the idea of the canvas awning

the canvas awning in the photo you posted looks great, and may be a good option for us, and still be able to be stowed away...

I have a full cockpit "camper" enclosure, but its not what we want or need for the way we use the boat,... but my thoughts were, with a hardtop, canvas side curtains would be much more simple to make and install and much more secure when installed,,, and the same with a back-drop canvas for when the boat is put away or being towed in bad weather....

we had another boat a few years ago that had no back enclosure, and we left oregon one december and headed for arizona with it, and when we stopped for the night near reno, the entire cockpit was covered in the red colored road sand dust and particles from the road spray that had been sucked in while traveling over the passes.... it could have been prevented with an enclosure.

the full enclosure that we currently have for our 2556 is more difficult to install and remove and doesnt stow well on the boat. so im trying to come up with something better, and because I have the skills and tools to fabricate with aluminum and stainless, and also do my own canvas work, I think I can come up with something better than is most common on most boats because of the cost... the cost of the aluminum material is less than $300, of which i have most of it in my drop/scrap pile.

and I believe the cost of quality canvas and vinyl window material will be about the same.... the fab and assembly will amount to 10-15 hours, with another 6-8hrs canvas work... so a $5500 dollar custom deck covering could be mine for less than $800 and a bit of labor-of-love..... but that canvas overhang looks tempting.

[talman]

Of course you are right. 500 lbs. is what is was rated.

My post is still pertinent.

[builderdude]

"Centerline2" post=821569 wrote:
the canvas awning in the photo you posted looks great, and may be a good option for us, and still be able to be stowed away...

I have a full cockpit "camper" enclosure, but its not what we want or need for the way we use the boat,...

the full enclosure that we currently have for our 2556 is more difficult to install and remove and doesnt stow well on the boat.

I hear ya on that, took my camper enclosure off prior to the first trip out of the season, it hasn't seen the boat since. I've been using it for more of a winter cover :silly:

[talman]

Leta's made my replacement camper back. She had modified the pattern to include zip-outs on both sides and in the back. If I put on the top, no sides, it was a very nice sunshade. I could fold it like a bimini against the flybridge stairs if I wanted sun. In a wind, one side up took the wind off the cockpit. In a hard storm, I loved sitting in the cockpit with a book and a beverage watching the weather in my sun room.

Leta made a matching sunbrella curtain for my head and the cover for the door when I showered. She also made a black cover for the front cabin window that blended in perfectly with the black frames.

I loved the sunbrella camper back she made because of it's versatility. They vinyl crap that came with the boat was a pain in the ass, but I used it as a winter cover until I could no longer stitch openings back together (don't need zippers for a winter cover)

Then it was trash, but I got a lot of winters out of that POS vinyl.

[CptCrunchie]

"Centerline2" post=821561 wrote:
they may have revised the sticker on later models for safety reasons, but my '89 still has the 500lb safe load rating sticker.... not that this means it is any more stable than the later models, but at one time bayliner thought it should be able to support 500lbs without the boat rolling over... and there are always safety thresholds factored in to any posted weight rating, so it may be that bayliner decided the safety threshold wasnt enough at a 500lb safe working load..

I'm fairly sure that 500lbs of people standing in the flybridge doesn't effect the boats center of gravity, where adding a 200lb fiberglass top over their heads does. If it were to roll, the people would move or shift and the boat would likely recover, where a heavy top will help it lay over.