Award of Excellence | Bennet Custom Canvas Inc. | Toronto, Canada

This project won a 2013 MFA Award of Excellence in the tops and enclosures over 30 feet category. The project included building an enclosure utilizing the arch as the anchoring point for the front and rear canvas. The client wanted to replace the tonneau cover arrangement he’d been using for years with an enclosure that would open the cockpit for more living space, as well as make the boat easier to open and close.

There were many design considerations on this project. The cockpit is sunk quite low, which limited the space allowed between the aft frame of the enclosure and the entrance without compromising the aesthetics of the roof from front to back. We solved this problem by incorporating a ‘humped’ back in the ball-cap roof to raise the height of the top to a 6-foot 2-inch clearance at the door while maintaining the visual effect of a gently sloping roof from front to back. The cowling and windshield placement would funnel water into the cockpit, so we built a faux-flap to promote watershed from the top down and from the bow aft. Because of wind stress at speed, all of the fittings had to be mocked up and then welded into position to keep the enclosure solid.

This enclosure is a head turner and has garnered quite a bit of attention for us. The client is thrilled with the result as he was concerned about having an enclosure that would complement the lines of his boat.