Repainting and finding the canopy wheels

Fred took Diona into drydock the Saturday after our first cruise on her.  He's got a backlog of boats waiting for his services, but he took her in anyway.  She's been in the drydock ever since, and is now sanded down and ready for painting.

I had asked when I bought the boat that Diona be painted white with navy trim.  I should have known better.  Fred will paint her cream with tropical blue trim, which he says are colours better suited to her 1970s pedigree.  Okay.  I'm grateful she's in the drydock and getting new paint.  If I'm determined to give her a more modern look, it can wait for a couple years.

It required two people to muscle the canopy open and close, when it should roll smoothly.  The rollers on the bottom were original, and must be in bad condition after forty years.

They had a terrible time getting the canopy off.  It weighs a lot more than you would think.  Even with the crane in the drydock to lift it free, it took two strong men to manage the job.  They were still talking about it today, so I imagine frustration was expressed warmly at the time.

Once the canopy was off, Fred removed the four bottom rollers.    It was clear two of the rollers had been rebuilt rather oddly and the other two are completely knackered.  What remains of the bearings rattles in the wheels.  I took the bits away to photograph and measure and call around for spares.

Finding spares for forty year old parts in Imperial measurements proved a challenge.  I wasn't even sure what to Google.  Wheels?  Rollers? Canopy just brought up canvas suppliers and craftsmen.  The only supplier the Hampton Safari Owners Club could recommend closed shop in January.

I called a couple of ironmongers and chandleries but no use.  They recommended trying boat manufacturers, but somehow I didn't think that would get results either.  The rollers probably weren't designed for a boat canopy, and were just chosen by Hampton from available hardware to get the job done.  Google is my friend, however, and I set to work with determination.  After a few hours I knew what I wanted was called a "bottom roller".  I searched for the term on Google Image search and finally saw an image of something that looked pretty similar.

The specification for these bottom rollers is an exact match for the measurements of the canopy roller assembly.  The only issue may be that instead of a single edge on the wheel for a concave track, these have two edges for a raised track.

I called SDS London Architectural Ironmongery, the supplier offering the bottom rollers.  The very helpful James agreed to try and source the exact replacement wheels from his supplier, as they must surely be made by the same company if they are still made at all.  A few hours later I had the delightful news that he could indeed supply the exact replacement roller assemblies Diona needs.  This was great news as in the interim Fred had advised that installing the t-shape track would require some serious structural reinforcement of the channels. 

I ordered three pairs of bottom rollers, two for present use and one pair to keep as spares.  With something this difficult to find, having spares reduces future worries.  They weren't cheap, but I saved several hundred pounds and a lot of stress by not having to buy and fit new track.  For anyone who wants these, the part number to order is ZZ9949695 and they come in pairs costing £72.91 + VAT + Shipping.

It feels good to have found the right spares for Diona.  I also forwarded the pictures and supplier details to the Hampton Safari Owners Club as I won't be the only Safari owner confronting this problem in future.

Little, weak me should be able to open and close the canopy easily now, all by myself. 

A good day's work!