How to Make a Soft Top for Your Boat

Acrylic canvass is used for soft tops and window covers on boats.

You have options when making a soft top for your boat. Typical soft tops are made with acrylic canvass that's available in any number of colors. Your second option is the size of the top. The width can be established by the width of the boat and the height is tailored to your personal preferences. Typical soft tops serve as a canopy and allow the breeze to flow under the top. You can make a soft top for your boat using aluminum tubing and composite nylon fittings.

Things You'll Need

• 3/4-inch diameter aluminum tubing
• Tubing bender
• Hacksaw
• Flat file
• 3/4-inch Bimini top outside eye-ends
• 3/4-inch Bimini top deck mounts
• Screwdriver
• Pad-eye hooks
• 3/16-inch self-tapping screws
• Electric drill with screw tip
• 1/8-inch drill bit
• 3/8-inch stainless steel bolts with flat washers and nylon lock nuts
• Socket and ratchet
• Bimini top straps
• Acrylic canvass
• Scissors
• Nylon thread

Instructions

Tube Frame

1. Measure the width of the boat from the center of one gunwale to the other. Gunwales are the top edges of the sides of the boat. Establish the height of the soft top by measuring from the surface of a gunwale to the desired overhead height at a point in line with the steering station. Note the width and height measurements and proceed to the next step.

2. Use 3/4-inch diameter aluminum tubing and a tubing bender to configure two frames for the soft top. Begin by measuring from one end of a length of tubing and mark the height of the top. Make a right hand 90-degree bend at this mark.

3. Measure from the outside of the bend and mark the tubing at the width of the top. Make another right hand 90-degree bend at this mark. Cut the end of the remaining section of tubing to the length that equals the first leg, which is the height of the top. The result is a three-sided frame that's made to your width and height measurements. Repeat the steps and make the other frame for the top.

4. Remove any burrs from the cut ends of the tubing with a flat file. Lay the frames flat. Sleeve a 3/4-inch Bimini top outside eye-end onto each end of the tube frames. Secure these to the frames by tightening the provided lock screw on each eye-end with a screwdriver.

5. Attach a 3/4-inch Bimini top deck mount to each outside eye-end by inserting the provided pivot bolt into the pre-drilled hole on the tab of the outside eye-end. Tighten the pivot bolts with a screwdriver.

6. Complete the frame assembly by attaching pad-eye hooks to the underside of the top rails of the frames. Attach the hooks near the bend at each end of the top rail using 3/16-inch self-tapping screws in the provided holes on the hooks. Drive the screws with en electric drill and screw tip attachment.

Soft Top

1. Have an assistant stand one of the tube frames in place atop the gunwales near the steering station. Use an electric drill with a 1/8-inch bit and drill pilot holes through the gunwales at the provided holes in the deck mounts. Insert 1/8-inch stainless steel bolts in each pilot hole. Put a flat washer and nylon lock nut on the underside of each bolt below the gunwales and tighten the nuts with a socket and ratchet.

2. Stand the other tube frame in place in front of the steering station. The distance between the deck mounts determines the size of the acrylic canvass soft top. Repeat the previous step to attach the second tube frame to the gunwales at the desired location.

3. Measure along the gunwales 36 inches back from the deck mounts on the rear frame. Mark for pad-eye hooks atop each gunwale at these locations. Measure 36 inches in front of the deck mounts on the front frame and mark for pad-eye hooks atop the gunwales at these locations. Use the electric drill and screw tip attachment with 3/16-inch self-tapping screws into each of the provided holes to attach the pad-eye hooks to the gunwales at the marked locations.

4. Connect Bimini top straps between the pad-eye hooks on the frame and the hooks on the gunwales to hold the frames upright in place. Have an assistant pull the frames together enough to put pressure on the straps and measure the frame for the acrylic canvass top. Allow 2 inches extra at the front and back of the frame to wrap the canvass over the frame for stitching.

5. Cut the canvass to size with scissors. Wrap the ends over the tube frame and stitch each end of the acrylic canvass top around the tops of the frames with double nylon thread. Remove the Bimini straps and pivot bolts in the deck mounts to remove the soft top.

Tips & Warnings

• Pre-drilled holes in marine hardware vary. Use the appropriate screws or bolts for the particular hardware.

• Consult a marine canvass shop for an adhesive to use in conjunction with the stitching.

References

• Overton's: Bimini Top Fittings -- Bimini Top Fittings - Nylon 90° Deck Mounts, pair
• Marine Part Depot: Stainless Steel Boat Top Pad Eye
• Boat Covers Direct: Bimini Tops

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Mimi.Hu: Gunwale