I plan to get a Bimini Top. I I found one from Wm Mills, but haven't found many other options.
http://cf.millscanvas.com/cfml/Product_ ... oductID=97
Who sells a bimini top for a 16 Nauset?
Canvas for 16 NAUSET
Canvas for 16 NAUSET
Greetings. I just picked up a 1973 Nauset 16 with a 1985 Evinrude, and I am excited to take her out. I am new to Boston Whaler boats, but not new to boats. I grew up with various boats. I also have a 1986 Chris Craft Scorpion.
I plan to get a Bimini Top. I I found one from Wm Mills, but haven't found many other options.
http://cf.millscanvas.com/cfml/Product_ ... oductID=97
Who sells a bimini top for a 16 Nauset?
I plan to get a Bimini Top. I I found one from Wm Mills, but haven't found many other options.
http://cf.millscanvas.com/cfml/Product_ ... oductID=97
Who sells a bimini top for a 16 Nauset?
Re: Canvas for 16 NAUSET
The Wm. J Mills & Co. canvas was selected by Boston Whaler as their OEM canvas for their boats in the earliest days of Boston Whaler manufacturing, and Mills canvas continues to have patterns and will make canvas for vintage Boston Whaler boats. I don't believe they keep any canvas in stock, so if you want Mills canvas you have to order it made.
Mills generally makes a Flying Top, not a Bimini Top. A Flying Top is usually smaller. If you want a large top from Mills order the Sun Top.
Mills canvas is generally well made and well designed, but it is by no means the only product that will fit a 16 NAUSET.
You could buy off-the-shelf canvas from a number of manufacturers. I don't have any first-hand experience with any so I won't make a particular recommendation. I am sure other readers who have bought off-the-shelf canvas from a particular vendor will comment about it, and I will leave that to those Boston Whaler owners to offer their recommendations.
Or, you can have canvas made locally by a canvas artisan. Generally if you are in an area with a lot of recreational boating, there will be several artisans that make boat canvas. You can usually find very good quality and workmanship in canvas made by a local artisan if you live in a boating region with sufficient demand.
The advantage to getting canvas for a Boston Whaler from Wm. J. Mills & Co. will be the known quality and fit. Mills also makes a variety of canvas products as part of their Weather Set of canvas, including Forward Shelters, Side Curtains, Windshields, and Drop Curtains. A disadvantage of Mills canvas is that it is shipped to you, and you have to perform the installation and fitting to the boat. This requires some care and skill, which you may possess or may not.
The advantage to getting canvas made locally by a skilled artisan canvas maker is the canvas will be installed and fitted to your boat by that artisan.
The cost of quality canvas is substantial. Pre-made off-the-shelf canvas will be substantially less expensive. I would expect a Mill Flying Top might cost $1,200 or more. An off-the-shelf top might be $300.
If you live near Greenport, New York on Long Island, you could trailer your boat to the Mills shop, and they will install the canvas.
Mills generally makes a Flying Top, not a Bimini Top. A Flying Top is usually smaller. If you want a large top from Mills order the Sun Top.
Mills canvas is generally well made and well designed, but it is by no means the only product that will fit a 16 NAUSET.
You could buy off-the-shelf canvas from a number of manufacturers. I don't have any first-hand experience with any so I won't make a particular recommendation. I am sure other readers who have bought off-the-shelf canvas from a particular vendor will comment about it, and I will leave that to those Boston Whaler owners to offer their recommendations.
Or, you can have canvas made locally by a canvas artisan. Generally if you are in an area with a lot of recreational boating, there will be several artisans that make boat canvas. You can usually find very good quality and workmanship in canvas made by a local artisan if you live in a boating region with sufficient demand.
The advantage to getting canvas for a Boston Whaler from Wm. J. Mills & Co. will be the known quality and fit. Mills also makes a variety of canvas products as part of their Weather Set of canvas, including Forward Shelters, Side Curtains, Windshields, and Drop Curtains. A disadvantage of Mills canvas is that it is shipped to you, and you have to perform the installation and fitting to the boat. This requires some care and skill, which you may possess or may not.
The advantage to getting canvas made locally by a skilled artisan canvas maker is the canvas will be installed and fitted to your boat by that artisan.
The cost of quality canvas is substantial. Pre-made off-the-shelf canvas will be substantially less expensive. I would expect a Mill Flying Top might cost $1,200 or more. An off-the-shelf top might be $300.
If you live near Greenport, New York on Long Island, you could trailer your boat to the Mills shop, and they will install the canvas.
Re: Canvas for 16 NAUSET
Your 1973 16 NAUSET must be one of the last ones made. I believe that 1973 was the last year that Boston Whaler produced the NAUSET model. For that reason, you have a somewhat unusual Boston Whaler. I would recommend that you try to preserve the boat in its original form as much as possible. The experience of many owners and enthusiasts has shown that to make improvements on the classic Boston Whaler boats and their designs and accessories is difficult to achieve, and a strong preference exists for all-original condition, where possible.
Re: Canvas for 16 NAUSET
Thanks for the input Jim. I think the link I posted to Mills is for a Sun Top? You are correct, Mills wants a lot of dough for a top.
I live in the PNW. This boat has been a freshwater boat all its life and will continue to be. Primary water will be a 26 mile long mountain lake with sandy beaches.
So in your opinion, adding a bimini/top to this boat would hurt its value? Something to think about but not the end of the world for me. Its primary use will be fishing with the kids. I want to make it comfortable for them.
I live in the PNW. This boat has been a freshwater boat all its life and will continue to be. Primary water will be a 26 mile long mountain lake with sandy beaches.
So in your opinion, adding a bimini/top to this boat would hurt its value? Something to think about but not the end of the world for me. Its primary use will be fishing with the kids. I want to make it comfortable for them.
Re: Canvas for 16 NAUSET
carl1783 wrote:So in your opinion, adding a bimini/top to this boat would hurt its value?
No--I did not make that statement.
When you add anything to a classic Boston Whaler, just be certain that it is in character with the original design. A Flying Top or Sun Top would be part of the original design. You just need to choose an appropriate model and source.
In c.1973 I believe that the most popular and most common color for canvas would be:
--Glen Raven Mills PACIFIC BLUE SUNBRELLA
--or any shade that has the appearance of natural canvas; Sunbrella now has a shade called TOAST that is nice; or something similar
It looks like the cockpit and deck on your NAUSET are molded in DESERT TAN gel coat, not the blue tone used on earlier models. In that case, the natural canvas color scheme for the material in any canvas might be a better match than the classic Pacific Blue Sunbrella