Creating more usable cockpit space through bespoke design
The owner of a 2014 Fairline Targa 50 GT wanted to make better use of the cockpit when the covers were fitted.
The existing cover system followed the natural slope of the boat, which meant the rear seating area became restricted. If someone sat on the seat with the covers up, their head would touch the fabric, making the space uncomfortable and limiting how the cockpit could be used.
The brief was simple: Create more room, improve comfort and make the cockpit genuinely usable with the covers fitted.
The Challenge
The existing cover shape reduced headroom around the rear seating area. The customer wanted to retain the protection of a full camper cover while creating a more open, practical living space at the back of the boat.
The new system also needed to work with the boat’s existing fittings wherever possible and remain easy to use on a day-to-day basis.
The Flexicovers Solution
Flexicovers designed a completely bespoke extended camper cover system for the Fairline Targa 50 GT.
Rather than simply altering the fabric, the team developed a new supporting framework to change the shape and usable volume of the cockpit enclosure.
A bespoke stainless-steel frame extension was designed and manufactured in-house, using our CNC tube-bending facilities to achieve the required profile and accuracy. The new frame allowed the cover to extend further aft and more vertically around the seating area, creating significantly more headroom and usable living space. Where possible, we retained the yacht’s existing fittings and introduced additional fixing points only where required.
From initial design through to stainless-steel fabrication, cover manufacture and final fitting, the complete project was delivered by Flexicovers.
More Space. More Flexibility. The transformation was immediate.
The new system created a 100 per cent improvement in usable seating space, allowing the rear seats to be used comfortably while the enclosure was fitted. The side panels were designed to be independently detachable, giving the owner greater flexibility depending on the weather and how the cockpit was being used.
Panels can be removed to create an open feel while retaining overhead and rear shade, making the cockpit more comfortable on warmer days. This gives the owner the ability to move easily between full weather protection and a lighter, more open arrangement.
From Torquay to Poole
The customer sailed the Fairline from Torquay to Poole specifically for the project.
Flexicovers completed the full process - design, frame development, stainless-steel manufacture, cover production and fitting, within approximately two weeks.
The Result
The completed camper cover changed the way the rear cockpit could be used. What had previously been a restricted seating area became a comfortable, practical extension of the yacht’s living space.
The new system provides:
- Increased headroom
- Full use of the rear seating
- Flexible removable side panels
- Improved shade and weather protection
- A cleaner, more purposeful appearance
- Better day-to-day usability
The finished design also created a unique feature that enhances the presentation of the yacht.
For the owner, the benefit goes beyond comfort. The upgraded cockpit improves the yacht’s overall appeal and has the potential to support its resale value by creating a distinctive, attractive and highly usable feature.
This project demonstrates the difference between simply replacing a cover and rethinking what a cover system can do.
By combining bespoke design, technical knowledge, stainless-steel fabrication, precision tube bending and skilled cover manufacture, Flexicovers was able to transform an underused area into valuable additional living space.
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