Company:
Yachtsman's Canvas

Project Details

Fabric 1

Stamoid Top
Producer/Manufacturer: Serge Ferrari North America Inc.
Primary Use: Main Fabric

Fabric 2

Tuffak Marine 5
Producer/Manufacturer: OTHER
Primary Use: OTHER

Fabric 3

Solarfix PTFE Thread Black
Producer/Manufacturer: OTHER
Primary Use: OTHER

Fabric 4

YKK #10 Zippers Black
Producer/Manufacturer: OTHER
Primary Use: Hardware/Findings


Design Name
Keri Ames

Design Company
Yachtsman's Canvas

Fabrication Name
Keri Ames

Fabrication Company
Yachtsman's Canvas

Installation Name
Keri Ames

Installation Company
Yachtsman's Canvas


Please describe the project specifications

This project consists of a full flybridge enclosure refit on a Sea Ray 52 Sedan Bridge. The customer requested a “glass house” - an updated look with a simplistic, minimalist, clean design. The challenge of this project was to create this glass house while fabricating manageable sized panels to remove and store during the winter season when the boat is shrink wrapped.

To begin several aft panels were combined together to create larger single seamless panels. To make the panels manageable for storage, upper and lower panels were created connected by a zipper covered both on the exterior and interior. The two original aft center windows were combined into one larger window which aligns with the front enclosure window. This creates a nice summer cross breeze through the flybridge when both windows are opened. The forward center panel window was fabricated with small radius corners and sits directly against the vertical zipper separating panels. This prevents as minimal a view obstruction as possible keeping with the clean line, modern, simple design.

Making canvas necessities disappear was a focus to update the project. The fabric masking to protect from UV burn on the stainless steel was eliminated and replaced with clear tubing adhered to the stainless steel structure The necessary protection disappears into the background and is no longer part of the design. This makes an immediate impact on a clean modern glass appearance. When stepping into the interior of the flybridge you are not faced with the many zippers necessary with a track to track multi panel design. Instead, all zippers are covered in the same material on the interior as the exterior disappearing out of site and presenting a high end, professional, finished appearance. The narrow fabric breaks, only 1 1/2” width to accommodate connecting zippers, practically disappear into the background leaving an expansive, unobstructed, glass house view. The client could not be happier with the new design combined with modern materials to create his perfect glass house.


What is unique or complex about the project?

Seeing such a dramatic difference between the OEM canvas design and new design was very rewarding. The design and modern materials used makes this SeaRay 52 Sedan stand out from others. Focusing on making canvas "necessities" disappear from the design and finding innovative ways such as the use of clear tubing for UV burn protection, was an integral part of achieving the glass house, modern, clean design the client desired.


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