Hybrid enclosures offer the best of both worlds

by Holly O’Dell

Many boat projects these days call for hybrid enclosures—a mix of soft vinyl and semi-rigid materials. “We adapt semi-rigid windows to smaller boats when we can, but there has to be room to slide or flip them open,” says Chris Patterson of Weaver Canvas. “What we do is put the semi-rigid product in front of the boat’s driver to give them the best visibility possible. Then in cramped corners, where we need to make a bend or be able to roll up the window, we will convert to soft vinyl. The face and trims are all the same, so the hybrid enclosure ends up with a beautiful result.”