I'm starting the process of getting a larger boat. Going to be something in the 22' Range Aluminum. Was really wanting to get a full hard top, but now reconsidering. Has anyone bought one or the other and wished that they hadn't? Full hard top in the wind could probably be hard to control. Way nicer not having to fold up and put down though. Anybody have any opinions one way or the other.
Thanks for any input.
My NR is only 19' but boats bigger than that have even more of a problem with wind and tracking. I got the TR-1 last year and problem solved. I use my top during the summer to keep from getting fried from the sun. During the fall, I like to lose the top to make visibility easier when fishing in crowded conditions. Willipa/B-10............ If the weather is gonna be really nasty it's nice to have the option of using it or not. Remeber last spring? snow/hail/wind/sun? all on the same day!! LOL
Tops are nice to have but great to be able to get rid of too.:twocents:
One other point on the TR-1. Thrust vs weight. At a certain point the weight of your boat/ profile ( height ) overcomes the thrust available from your kicker. Now you are using your big motor and trolling speed becomes an issue. If the weather is at this point, ya might want to find your way back to the dock.
I am doing the same debate, I found a maxxum 24 ft that is a soft top, but it has full hard side with two sliding windows on each side. I am hooked, now I need to sell the wife.
I would start by giving your other boat to a young and poor friend. I heard the fish gods smile upon such random acts of kindness, and will bless your new boat with many fish. what?
I have a 21' duckworth hardtop. Hardtops have their moments, especially going across a choppy astoria bar! My wife and I sleep aboard frequently and It's really nice having the hardtop! Winter fishing is also really nice with a HT, holds warmth really well and no leak issues. More storage in the headache shelves, excellent interior lighting, alot more secure when the boat is moored. If you have to keep your boat outdoors a HT will winter much better then a ragtop. HT's do have downsides. Limited action area, That HT can and does act like a sail when trolling in the wind, opening side windows does help somewhat. limited visibility when running the kicker from the back of the boat.:twocents:
I vote for hardtop.after having three runabouts with softtops i now have a 22' TJ with 3/4 top.hardtop except for center section that is canvas.love the protection it affords and secure feeling in rough water.1 1/2 years and don't see a down side.tr-1 solves the visibility issue when trolling.will never go back.
I'd take a look at the permanent frame with the soft cover. You get the rigidity of the hard top, the ability to have the lights/frames/etc... but you can remove the canvas on a nice summer day.
I had a Duckworth partial hardtop 351 inboard w/Hamilton 212. Everthing good that has been said about the h.t. is true, but what I found tough is fishing alone and bringing the boat back to the dock in a heavy wind. Everytime I would bring the boat up to the dock the wind would blow the boat away before I could get from the steering wheel running around the hardtop to the dock. I eventually learned to just run the kicker to dock in the wind, making sure I had the bow line in hand. Once the bow blows away from you at the dock, good luck. Don't ask me how I know this!
I would go hard top but soft curtain on the back, so you can take the whole curtain off when into the fish, squezzen thru the door to get to the scream is a pain, also the rod, handline, dancefloor visibility is much better with the whole back removed.
When I bought my seahawk, I figured I would remove the top once in a while. Now I know that I never will. I am used to it and those guys in those open boats always look cold to me.
I have a convertible model. I really like the hard tops but if you as the boat driver like to hold your pole while fishing you can forget that with a hard top when trolling. I have a friend who has a 22 foot hardtop and it is bad in the wind and one can only stand or set in the rear of the boat out from under the cover in order to hold your pole. :twocents:
Cagey
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