Highland Time gets an upgraded canvas solution that enhances boating activities and the boat’s value with a retractable sunshade system from SureShade
SureShade: Tell us about your boat and where you go boating.
Captain Neil: As I do most of my boating in New York’s Hudson Highlands, the name of the boat, Highland Time, is a play on Island Time. My boat is a 28 foot 1990 Grady-White Marlin and although 1989 was the rollout year for this model, they’re still making the model today as the Marlin 30.
My home port is Garrison, NY where I am a board member (Rear Commodore) for Garrison Yacht Club… although the vessel spends half of the year further up the Hudson River in Kingston, NY at Nick Roberti’s Marine.
SureShade: Sounds like a nice area to boat – what do you love most about it?
Captain Neil: Visually stunning. Nevertheless, I’d like to do more cruising further afield, both up through the various canals to different lakes as well as up the coast to various stopping points such as Shelter Island, Block Island and Cape Cod.
SureShade: Tell us about your Grady-White Marlin, Highland Time.
Captain Neil: First off, it’s visually appealing, but that wouldn’t matter if it weren’t seaworthy. It’s a lot of boat for the size, very maneuverable and great for cruising as well as fishing. Heck, you could probably waterski off it too. With twin Yamaha 250s, it tops out at close to 50 mph when trimmed.
SureShade: What made you choose the SureShade retractable boat top option as an upgrade for your boat?
Captain Neil: I love the fact that there are no straps or supports that might interfere with other activities on board. Aside from being very functional, I think it looks well integrated and enhances the value of the boat.
SureShade: What has your experience been like so far with the SureShade boat top?
Captain Neil: The shade is a snap to deploy and retract. We have the SureShade manual tele-frame system installed on our boat. By turning the hand lever I can extend the canvas over the cockpit for shade or retract it back to the hardtop. It looks great and showed no signs of wear after the first season.
SureShade: And how does it enhance your boating activities?
Captain Neil: We enjoy a variety of activities on our boat… day trips, weekend trips, light fishing, dock parties. The shade provides a welcome respite from the direct sunlight and even from a light rain.
SureShade: So, would you say your sunshade upgrade project was a success?
Captain Neil: Yes, absolutely. The success of the installation was due to good teamwork, communication and coordination. Between the folks at SureShade, Nick Roberti and Jim Neville (the installers) and me, I think we selected the optimal configuration and shade color for Highland Time.
As with other boat projects that I’ve completed in recent years, I have to say that I wouldn’t have attempted this without the complete confidence that I have in Nick Roberti’s Marine. Similarly, from pre-sale to post, it has been a pleasure doing business with the folks at SureShade. And most people I know would tell you that I’m fair, but can be a pretty tough critic!
In addition to Neil’s 1990 Grady-White 28 Marlin sunshade upgrade, SureShade has also completed aftermarket installations of manual and automated retractable sunshade systems on a variety of Grady-White boat models – including the 300 Marlin and the 336 Canyon.
The SureShade automated system is also now available as a factory-install option on the Freedom 335 – Grady-White’s latest dual console model.
