Are you in the market for a T-top for your center console boat? Curious if a hard T-Top or a soft T-Top is a better fit? Here at Daybreak Marine, we receive questions regarding T-Tops on a regular basis. In this article, we’ll thoroughly explain the difference between hard T-tops and soft T-tops and their pros and cons so you can make the best, most informed decision possible.

What Is the Purpose of a T-Top?

T-tops are usually mounted in the vicinity of a center console and are shaped like a T when you look at the boat’s side profile. T-tops provide shade and shelter from the elements as well as mounting surface area for accessories.

T-Tops enable you to mount accessories such as:

Lights
Radars
Outriggers
Radio antennas
Thermal cameras
Rod holders, etc.
Aftermarket shades with telescoping poles that can create shade on the bow or stern of the boat.
A second station to get better visibility while fishing
T-Tops can house speakers, storage compartments, and freshwater misters for cooling

What’s the Difference Between a Hard T-Top and a Soft T-Top?

Most hard T-tops and soft T-tops are supported by aluminum pipework but the materials in the rest of the design differ vastly. There are various differences between the two kinds of T-Tops from the material they’re made of, durability, to cost. Here’s the difference between hard T-tops and soft T-tops:

Hard T-Tops:

Hard T-tops are made of fiberglass, making them heavier than soft T-tops, and are able to support your body weight, as well as mounted accessories, and tend to last a long time -potentially as long as your boat if you maintain them.

Soft T-Tops:

Soft T-tops are significantly lighter than hard T-tops and are unable to support your body weight unless there’s a designated spot that’s supported by aluminum. These T-Tops are made out of canvas or Sunbrella fabric and don’t last nearly as long as the hard T-Tops do. You’re only able to mount accessories if there’s a designated spot that’s supported by an aluminum bracket. Soft T-tops are more prone to tearing and sun damage.

Availability + Popularity: Hard T-Tops Versus Soft T-Tops

Most manufacturers don’t offer both a hard T-Top and a soft T-top option. Since hard T-tops are incredibly popular, lots of manufacturers don’t offer the option for soft tops anymore. Most boat manufacturers will offer one or the other and it’s rare to find manufacturers that offer both.

T-tops can be found on a variety of different types of boats and there are multiple different kinds of T-tops. Some come with spray curtains or an Eisenglass to enclose the whole cabin, which could come in handy when it’s cold or rainy outside. The features of each T-Top vary as some of the aluminum pipework may be anodized aluminum or powder coated or painted. Bimini tops are an alternative to T-Tops, they’re easily retractable but tend to shift and wobble in rough seas in comparison to T-Tops.

Pros and Cons

While both provide the potential to create a second station which increases visibility and can be especially great for fishing, here are some pros and cons of both hard T-tops and soft T-tops.

Pros: Hard T-Top

Provides shelter from the sun and weather
Ability to mount a lot of accessories including lights, radars, outriggers, etc.
Ability to run wires to all accessories + hide wiring
Aesthetic appeal
Provides the surface area to increase the capabilities of your boat including creating a second station
Replace less often than soft T-Tops

Cons: Hard T-Top

Additional cost + additional maintenance
More expensive than a canvas top
Due to the extra weight and wind resistance, the boat’s top speed and fuel economy are decreased
More stress on the mounting points of the aluminum structure, which can potentially result in fiberglass damage to the deck or console, pulled screws at mounting points, and cracked aluminum at the welded joints. Although you’re able to put a lot of stuff on the boat due to the extra space but negatively impacts the ride quality of the boat.

Pros: Soft T-Top

Provides shelter from the sun and weather
Lighter than a hard top, doesn’t negatively affect the ride quality, fuel economy, or top speed as much as a hard top does.
No additional stress on mounting points due to lighter weight, therefore they don’t cause aluminum welds to crack as often as hard tops do.
Significantly cheaper than hard tops

Cons: Soft T-Top

Additional cost
Additional maintenance
Soft T-tops don’t last as long and need to be replaced approximately every 5-15 years,
You’re not able to mount as many accessories as you can’t mount them directly to the fabric, there has to be aluminum attachment points

Capabilities + Ride Quality

Installing a T-top onto your boat and both increase and decrease the capabilities of your boat. They could increase capability because of all the extra stuff you can put on the boat such as thermal cameras and a second station.

But, they could also get in the way if you’re a fly fisherman or enjoy kite fishing or any kind of fishing that requires a lot of rapid casting. T-tops also increase your ability to spend more time on the water as they help protect you from the sun and other elements, which can be especially great if you have little kids.

Installing a T-top does add extra weight to the top of the boat, creating wind drag and friction and can even slow the boat down slightly. For example, an employee had a 21’ bay boat and its max speed was 45 mph without a T-Top and with a soft T-top their max speed was about 41 mph.

Our Recommendations

We recommend adding a hard T-top to your boat if you’d like to add multiple accessories such as lights, outriggers, etc. A hard T-Top makes it easier to do so because you can bolt and drill things down but if you want something simple and basic, go with the soft T-top. You’re able to add all of the same stuff to your soft top as a hard top if you have the mounting plates welded into the pipework. Plus, having a T-Top to stay out of the Florida sun does come in handy.

Where you live and where you like to take your boat also affects your decision whether to install a T-Top or not, as areas such as bridges with very low clearance aren’t suitable for T-Tops. Whether you choose a hard T-Top or a soft T-top, the lighter the color, the better. Light colors reflect more sunlight and fade less. (The underside of your T-top can be any color, but the top color should be a light color such as grey or white.)

Maintenance, Longevity + Cost

When it comes to maintenance, the hard T-Top will require more because it involves waxing and making sure all mounting bolts and screws are tight. (We recommend waxing your hard top at least twice a year.) Maintenance for a soft T-top also involves waxing to prevent sun damage or applying PTFE waterproofing, depending on the type of material you use. If you see any threads coming undone you may have to apply superglue and every few years you may have to tighten your soft T-Top and potentially replace the canvas every 5-15 years.

Both hard and soft T-Tops can help protect your boat from oxidation or sun damage but do require more maintenance. Overall, due to the material, it’s made up of and its overall design, the hard T-top is more durable and will potentially last as long as you own your boat versus a soft T-top which may have to be placed every 5-15 years (just the canvas, not the entire top).

The average price to add a hard T-top is approximately $8,000 versus a soft T-top which is $5,000:

It’s about 63% more expensive to go from a soft top to a hard top
- These price ranges reflect the industry average
  - Due to the popularity of hard tops, soft tops are becoming more rare

Adding a T-top to your boat can affect your resale value, overall we’d say the addition of a T-Top would potentially increase the resale value of your boat, especially in this particular area.

Summary

Hard T-Top:

We have a friend who’s had the same boat for 20 years (a 26’ Mako center console) and it had a soft top. He’s an avid fisherman who enjoys fishing for mahi-mahi, snapper, and tarpon and got very sick and tired of replacing the canvas of his soft T-Top every few years and wanted to mount lights and outriggers, radars, as well as a couple of other things. The cost to hire a welder to weld on the brackets to the soft T-Top was more expensive than just adding a hard T-Top, so he decided to install a hard top

Soft T-Top:

A family member of an employee, a simple fisherman who enjoys bottom fishing, has a 24’ Cape Horn offshore which currently has a hard T-Top. Their top has created a crack in the aluminum, the mounting bolts are pulling out of the deck, and their fuel economy is terrible. They’ve told us time and time again that their next boat will definitely have a soft top.

Ultimately, the decision is based on how your boat is being used and each boat owner’s wants and needs. If you like to fish for tarpon and want to mount accessories, a T-top may be a great fit for you, and if you’re a fly fisherman it may get in your way and affect how you fish and cast. Some feel that it gets in the way, and some feel it is a necessity for every boat. Both hard T-tops and soft T-tops can protect you from the elements, both can provide more storage and space for accessories but will require more maintenance, will cost $5,000-8,000 to install, and will affect your speed and fuel economy.

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about T-tops, feel free to call or stop by either location and see our current inventory, which includes boats with and without T-tops:

Day Break Marine Pensacola
- 850-434-9022
- 811 S R Street, Pensacola, FL
Day Break Marine Stapleton
- 251-937-1390
- 34600 AL-59, Stapleton, AL

Hard T-Top Top Versus Soft T-Top for Center Console Boats: Which One Is Better?

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