My employees have heard me say many times “I’d rather make new canvas for a 53-foot Sea Ray^® Sedan Flybridge than to do a 25-foot center console.”  Why, you ask? Simply stated, the larger boat is easier to do.

Alas, center console boats are the most popular boat sold in America in recent years, which means that canvas makers are going to have plenty of opportunity to learn the ins and outs of this style boat. 

Some center console owners will want individual covers to protect all upholstered surfaces while protecting expensive electronics located at the helm. These types of covers are created much the same way upholstery vinyl skins are made, offering a snug fit. While the remainder of the boat is exposed to the elements, keeping the fiberglass waxed allows for easy cleaning and will protect the hard surfaces. 

These covers may look simple, but fitting them in the same manner that an upholsterer would re-cover a cushion adds time and complexity to the job. The cost of individual covers may equal the cost of a full boat cover, or more.

Full mooring covers

Other owners may wish to have a full mooring cover that will protect everything from the anchor to the aft swim platform or motor. This type of cover is actually considered to be an enclosure and is constructed as such. They are more popular in Northern states and offer the best protection when the boat is moored at the dock. When crafted properly, the boat is completely sealed from weather, insects, birds and sunlight.

Such enclosures in Southern states will need to have ample venting to reduce mold and mildew caused by condensation inside the enclosure. Another advantage of the full cover is the ability to work on the boat in all weather conditions. It provides great protection for the occasional sleepover on the boat. 

Foul weather enclosures

The most challenging project for a center console style boat is foul weather enclosures. Fondly known as “wings and things,” these enclosures often include a windshield, wing windows, a drop curtain and may include an optional aft curtain. Windshields block wind and wave spray.

Wing windows are angled from the T-top to the gunnel and help to block wind and large waves. The drop curtain is handy for die-hard fishermen who launch early in the season and fish through late fall when temperatures are cold. Visibility is as important as the protection these enclosures offer. Therefore, plenty of glassed panels are necessary. Special attention is paid to the construction and sewing, as these enclosures must hold up at speeds up to 70 mph. 

Because some boats have a very elaborate tower system to support a hardtop, this feature makes it challenging for the canvas maker. The tower system is the welded pipes that the hardtop is mounted to. If you are lucky, the canvas panels can be installed inside of the tower system on a zippered track system. Other times, the canvas may be completely installed on the outside of the tower system. 

In some cases, panels will need to transition from inside to outside and vice-versa. To complicate things just a little more, sometimes vertical tower pipes must pass through a glass window or a fabric panel. 

Getting started

Before beginning an enclosure on a center console boat, I study the boat to see if I can keep the canvas inside the horizontal pipe system or outside the pipes. Once I make this determination, I look to see if any vertical pipe(s) must pass through a fabric panel or glass window. 

When panels must transition from inside to outside the tower system, it is best to determine which panels will be inside and which will be outside. Then, install the track accordingly so that you can create a zippered valance system. Junctions for each panel must be predetermined so they can zip together when installed. This pre-planning allows you to pre-sew all the zippers into place when making the valances. The direction zippers will zip closed is important and must be planned out well in advance of the fitting process. 

Making a glass window pass inside two pipes, while also passing outside of two other pipes, can be a real challenge — especially when using polycarbonate windows. It is an art. Equally as critical is the placement of zippers and flaps that allow the window to be installed and keep the weather out.

Center console boats can be very rewarding when done well. Do not be fooled by the size of the boat. Often, these smaller center console enclosures will cost as much, or more, than the canvas for a much larger boat. Center console boats have a high level of complexity. Enjoy the challenge! 

Russ Griffin is co-owner of Northcoast Marine Specialties LLC, which operates a training facility in the art of canvas making in Port Clinton, Ohio.