Bridging the gap with a redesigned bridge enclosure

By Sigrid Tornquist

When Keith Purves’ clients approached him to refit a trawler with a new bridge enclosure, he immediately began interviewing the clients regarding how they used the boat. The existing bridge enclosure basically only gave protection at the helm, which left several seats toward the back of the bridge exposed, as well as the hatch leading to the aft deck. Since the owners spent most of their time on the aft deck, they needed to keep the hatch closed much of the time to keep the elements at bay. Purves redesigned the bridge enclosure, extending it aft about 10 feet to enclose the entire bridge, which gave the clients a lot more useable space on the bridge, as well as allowing them to keep the hatch open for easy bridge access.

Purves received his MFC (Master Fabric Craftsman) in Marine Exterior certification at IFAI Expo in October 2011, using this project to demonstrate his expertise in craftsmanship.

Sigrid Tornquist is a freelance author and editor based in St. Paul, Minn. She is also the associate editor of InTents magazine.