Rosalind has a hardtop!

It took a long time to build and about five days to install but Rosalind finally has her hardtop. The installation was a multiple step process and if anyone is interested we can share more. You can learn more about the hardtop design and built from our April blogpost  https://rosalind33.blogspot.com/2026/04/. 

It took a truck and an SUV to move all the pieces to the marina, four persons to get the hardtop on Rosalind, two people to measure the aft supports and connect the hardtop to the hard dodger and several days of work to make the pads on the aft cabin top for the aft supports and complete the installation.

The hardtop fits very nicely and there were no surprises during the installation. We needed to do the install before the cold weather so that our canvas maker can make the enclosure side panels over the winter. The two solar panels are ready to be installed and will likely get connected in the next couple of weeks.

This has been a complex project. We tried very hard to design the hardtop to look like it was part of Rosalind and, to our eyes, we think we have achieved it. It took a long time to design, fabricate and assemble but it was all worth it. Overall a very satisfying project that will pay dividends for years to come. Here are some pictures. We hope you enjoy them.

Completed hardtop. Solar panels removed for transport and installation to reduce weight

With Rosalind at the dock we moved the hardtop onboard and  
placed it on a thick blanket and bubble wrap on top of hard dodger

With temprorary supports in place, we did a test fit while
Rosalind was still at the dock. Great fit!

Looking at the fit; hardtop (left),
bridge connecting piece and hard dodger (right) 

Hardtop connected to hard dodger and aluminum supports pieces epoxied together.
Supports resting on aft cabin top

Epoxied pad on aft cabin in place, threaded inserts
installed and post ready for installation (looking forward)

Port post installed and area painted (looking aft)

View from Rosalind’s cockpit (looking aft and to starboard)

Rosalind with her new hardtop

 A New Fish Finder / Depth Sounder and Getting Very Lucky on eBay

Rosalind underwent a significant refurbishment in 1997 by previous owners. The work included a new Raymarine fish finder/depth sounder and a custom varnished teak box at the helm to house the display unit. 

On our way back from our Saint Michaels shakedown cruise, as we were about to enter the West River where Rosalind is moored and almost 30 years after it was installed, the display of the combined fish finder/depth sounder stopped working. 

30 year old (non-functioning) fish finder/depth sounder 
Teak housing box (with large hole) and wiring in background

We were now faced with a challenge. Get a new unit or try to find a replacement for the 30 year old unit.

Installing a new unit would require a lot of work. We would need a new through-hull transducer, new wiring, and a new way to mount the new display in the old teak box. To install the new transducer would also most likely involve some fiberglassing as the transducers are not all the same size. Also, if we opted for a new one, the work would have to wait until Rosalind was out of the water, and we would not be able to test the unit until next spring. 

The second option was to go hunting and see if we could find a replacement for our 30 year old unit. We figured that this was the place to start. Our hypothesis was that it was the display and not the transducer that went bad.  If we could find a replacement unit that worked with the existing transducer, then we had a chance of saving many days of work. But we would be looking for a 30 year old unit! 

It took a little bit of work to figure out how to remove the old display (it was glued in place). With the old unit out, we examined the electrical and transducer connections and figured out what we had. Then we went to work and within an hour we hit the jackpot:  a brand new (in the box) 30 year old unit with a transom transducer. We assumed that the two transducers (transom vs. through-hull) were interchangeable as far as the display was concerned, crossed our fingers, and ordered the unit. 

The box arrived, and as advertised, everything was brand new! We were holding a 30 year old time capsule. A few days later, we tested the new display with the old transducer and presto, we are now back in business! What luck!

Here are a couple of  pictures of the new unit.

The brand new unit, all original and 30 years old!

New display installed - We got so lucky!!