new ride: 2001 Ocean 43 sportfish

How were those shots taken? They are spectacular!

My boat has no awning over the cockpit, but my wife has expressed an interest in one. I like the look as is, and love the visibility. It's amazing compared to my aft cabin boats. I might appreciate the shade though. Does it affect visibility at all? Would you recommend them?

Wow, smartphones have really come a long way! I bought a Phantom 4 drone last year and got some great shots, I was wondering if those were from a drone.
I'm going to look at the shade, would you have any photos of it folded? I'm in Ontario, Canada. When it gets hot, it's hot, but it isn't always hot and having it open would be nice too. I've seen some newer ones that are telescopic and fold right in.

Great looking boat. Sold them out of Freeport Long Island. Ran them from the Factory by Atlantic City to Freeport in all kinds of bad weather, and got to take a new 50 to the Rendezvous in Nantucket.
Was looking for a clean one for myself for a couple of years and gave up. Wanted Volvos, as Yannies parts/labor etc is nuts, worse than Volvos. Everything I looked at was fished to death, or ready for major engine work. Found a mint, loaded, cruised only Riviera 40 with everything I wanted and bought it. Was in St. Lucia last year at Sandals! Great cruising and fishing. Enjoy your Ocean.

Pictures looks great!

Praetorian.. Regarding shade, the one pictured here is a Bahama sun shade and has a frame that's afixed to the boat. Another option to consider for cockpit shade is just an awning. I am having an awing made for my 43' that will slide into a track at the eyebrow of the bridge deck and be held up at the stern with two poles that will fit into rocket launchers at the aft corners. The center will be held up with a small line secured to a pole out of the one of the center rocket launchers on the flybridge. You can't run with it like you can with the Bahama shade but it should provide nice shade while sitting and the whole thing can be taken down or put up in about 5 minutes.

That sounds interesting, is there a site that seeks these? I'd love to see one. It might be ideal for what I want, at least for this year.

Most canvas companies do them aftermarket. The 50' Post I used to manage has one. It has 2 poles that go in the rod holers at the stern corners the track along the back of the FB. In the middle of it (above leaning post area) we went with a small s/s shackle there and have a 1/4" rope that goes from there to a small tiny cleat on the back of the FB hardtop to keep the center raised so water runs off. I'm friends with the owner and could take a picture next time I'm over there. It's a clean setup.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner. But CaptJ has it. Same guy who is redoing my flybridge enclosure is doing mine. I've seen a lot of them on the docks on various sportfish. I am not a fisherman but I think part of the appeal is it can be totally removed for fishing so as not to interfere with rods.

Good stuff Trinimax. I followed your delivery trip south on another forum with envy.

I'm meeting with a guy to make me one up here. My wife loves the idea, thanks guys!

Great, I'm looking forward to mine as well.

Nice table. I made one for my boat out of wood. Interesting on the safety strap, that must be the Yanmar set-up since the Volvos are single level controls and that space is blank on my boat.

Great info here! Have you had here at full throttle yet? Just curious what she does. Thanks

Thanks for the pics of your adventures...you accepting freeloaders yet?

That strap is a great idea for a ridiculous placement. I have heard that sound when an owner grabbed the gears instead of the throttles, throwing us from cruise speed to reverse, and yes you never want to hear it. On a leg from Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Pierce it put us in at Palm Beach for a mechanic's visit. Thankfully the transmissions survived. Have you considered reversing the positions of your controls?