CONTINUOUSWAVE

I may buy a Dauntless 18 with a T-Top. I have asked the folks selling the boat to tell me the height of the boat when on the trailer, but a clear answer remains elusive. I know the exact answer this depends on the particular trailer. The boat must fit under a 10-foot covering.

What is the height of a DAUNTLESS 18 with a T-Top when the boat is on its trailer?

[This thread has been moved to THE GAM for discussion.]

I doubt a precise measurement of this particular boat-and-trailer rig's height can be supplied without actually measuring this particular boat when on the particular trailer.

I would not make a BUY or NOT BUY decision on the basis of some comment by a reader. If the ability to fit the boat under a 10-foot-high covering structure is a CRITICAL element of your decision regarding the purchase, you should make the measurement yourself, in-person, at the boat while it is on the trailer, before committing to buy it.

Also, I do not believe that the Dauntless 18 (or 180 Dauntless later in its life) was ever produced with a factory T-top, so it is almost certainly aftermarket. Thus it could be anything.

Thanks gents. [I am] just trying to get a general idea. I actually don't want the T-Top. but it is not a major factor one way or other.

I see many used boats have T-Tops.

Thanks

If buying a used Boston Whaler boat which has a non-factory T-Top added to the boat by someone, be aware that the attachment of the support bases for a structure like a T-Top onto the deck of a Boston Whaler boat can be a source of continual problems. In order to attach something structural to the deck of a Boston Whaler boat, there must be embedded under the deck in the original construction of the boat appropriate reinforcement material. Without such embedded reinforcement material to receive screw fasteners and to spread the loading over a larger area, the base of a T-Top will probably not be able to be attached in a proper and secure manner.

I have seen a Boston Whaler boat with owner-added T-Top that was not secured to the deck in an appropriate manner. The T-Top was loose and was a source of trouble keeping it attached to the deck.

The forces acting on a T-Top will increase at an alarming rate with wind speed. While on the water a boat might not go more than 35-MPH, when on a trailer and being towed at highway speeds the wind force on a T-Top could easily be 70-MPH or higher if traveling into a headwind. The structure of the T-Top and the strength of the attachment of the T-Top base must be designed and accomplished with sufficient strength to withstand the very substantial turning moment that will result from the wind force applied with a lever arm of seven or eight feet. This is no trivial problem to overcome.

Let's make a couple of assumptions to come up with a height estimate. It should at least be in the ballpark.

The 180 Dauntless has a motor-up draft of 12" (I happen to be looking at the 2010 specs but we'll assume that all years are reasonably similar). The cockpit sole is self-draining, so we'll say the cockpit sole is 2" above the waterline. On the trailer, the keel has to be a few inches above the trailer axle (assuming a solid axle), maybe 3" more. The axle is at the center of the wheels, and 15" wheels with 205/75 tires have a diameter of about 27", so we'll call the top of the axle 14" above the road surface. At this point the cockpit sole is 31" off the road.

Now the question is, how high is the T-top? As an example, the aftermarket top at https://strykerttops.com/catalog/produc ... -anodized/ is listed as 6'-11+". Let's add 3 more inches for the rod holders and call it 7'-3" (87"). That brings our total height to 118", or 9'-10".

Conclusion -- if you really need to fit under 10', you're going to have to actually measure the boat because the rough estimate is too close to call.

Also, regarding Jim's point about securing the T-top to the cockpit sole, the 2010 diagram shows four 8x8 phenolic reinforcements at the corners of the console, pretty clearly for T-top mounts. Other years might be different.

Thanks. That estimate is kinda what i was asking. [The clearance to 10-feet ceiling is] gonna be really close. I live in the country and have plenty of space to put [a DAUNTLESS 18 boat]. I have a barn with a [10-feet-tall] lean-to overhang, and I was curious about the height [of the DAUNTLESS 18 with an aftermarket] T-top.

Now, i just need to find the darn boat--to find a Boston Whaler boat is hard in my part of the world.

Bob - What is your boat's height on your trailer?

My Outrage 17 requires me to remove the console rail and windscreen to clear the door.

No way a T-Top is gonna clear it.

Phil, my boat mostly lives on a lift now at my dock on Smith Mountain Lake VA. But I can probably make a pretty good estimate. Of course, the 16' Dauntless is probably a bit lower and my bimini probably isn't as high as a T-top, but it'll certainly be a lower bound for Hillbilly's considerations.