Boating New Zealand — February 2018

58 Boating New Zealand

D

eciding on which option becomes problematic

if you’ve sunk time and money into improving

and upgrading your current boat and you know

that selling it means you start again, possibly

inheriting someone else’s problems.

A common structural upgrade to a boat is adding or

modifying a flybridge. If your boat already has a second storey,

enclosing this area may create a new, far more useful space. If

your launch doesn’t have a flybridge, it may be possible to add

one, depending on the design and construction of the vessel.

Options include fitting a soft canvas top, installing a rigid

hardtop with soft sides, or building a completely enclosed

hardtop with fixed windows. Some of these options are easily

handled as a DIY project, others are a more serious undertaking.

Disadvantages of extending the boat upwards include

additional windage and weight, both of which will affect the

boat’s performance. More serious is the impact of the extra weight

high above the waterline, which can dramatically affect stability

and comfort in rough seas. If your boat does not currently have

a second level, consult a naval architect or the boat’s original

designer to make sure the proposed change is viable.

Another common upgrade is building or extending the cover

over the stern cockpit, to create additional shade. This can

provide shelter from the elements, and make the boat more

usable through the wet season.

Lastly, extending the boarding platform or duckboard (easier

to do if you don’t have an outboard engine) is a great way to

create more interior space by moving activities out of the cockpit.

Auckland boat owner Greg Venter faced precisely this

quandary with his 11.5m (38ft) Pelin Conquest launch Nitro.

Solidly constructed in triple-diagonal kauri with a fibreglass

skin, she is beautifully built and typical of many such launches

with NORMAN HOLTZHAUSEN

DIYBOATING

It’s a boating reality that most owners

want ‘just a bit more’ space, maybe more

shelter or perhaps additional storage.

Selling the boat and buying something

bigger is an option – but so is modifying

the existing vessel.

Topping it off