SHETLAND OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Hi.
Has anyone out there modified the canopy on a family four or similar ?
We find the side openings difficult to access because of the supporting poles.
Also it would be good to role up the sides easily.

Thanks

Can you think of a different way of arranging the poles, other than a mid lateral mounted y shape?

Could you detach the forward pole from its lower fixing, cut it shorter and refix it mid to 2/3rds up the rearward pole? This would in effect create a y shape in reverse making a bigger space for access and retaining the structure of the frame. You can buy fixings online I’m sure. Are there not ties in the canopy so you can role the sides up and tie them in place? It’s always a challenge scrambling in through a canopy!
Good luck!

Any meaningful amount of shortening of the subframe and raising of the hinge point is likely to lose the vertical vector of support needed to keep the subframe upright.

Thanks for all your comments, appreciated.

I will probably have a chat with the people who make up the canopies.

Good idea. They are always tricky to get onboard through and I suspect if there was a better solution it would have been designed by now. It you’re like me I tend to use the boat when the sun shines and the canopy’s folded down! It is a pain though.

F4 canopies are hard to get into from the side, I always use the rear zip on the sides when on pontoons, the back is much better but only an option when using your tender.
Like Clive said though, I'm sure that if a better solution existed we'd be using it.