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As a long time 16/17'owner, I dont' think any structural mount should be done on the top surface of the Montauk (16 or 17' hull). There is very little holding power there, with no wood/Whaler Board backing. I have always thought Whaler never recommend this, which is why I was surprised to see the 1994 Sun Top slide mounting detail. I'm wondering if this was done later under the Meridan Ownership of the
company.

My first thought on seeing the Personal page photo of the Sun Top was that it was aftermarket, not Mills OEM. I thought Whaler/Mills always stowed canvas inside of bow rails and never in the "up" position. On Montauks in particular, canvas is difficult to design, which is why I recommend avoiding the aftermarket, local suppliers in favor of only Mills.

I have never been a Sun Top purchaser, instead opting for the Flying Top, so I may not be correct on how the earlier Mills Sun Tops were installed and stowed. On my 1979 Montauk, whcih has both the Forward Shelter and mating Sun Top, neither are mounted to the top gunwale surface, and both stow inside the bow rail. Instead, Whaler used mahogany blocks, screwed into the wood backing strips in the inside of the hull.
Mine is 37 years old, and still works perfectly, no screws stripped out. See photo:

[url] http://smg.photobucket.com/user/lgoltz/media/Montauk%2017/Scan_Pic0034.jpg.html?sort=2&o=27#/user/lgoltz/media/Montauk%2017/Scan_Pic0034.jpg.html?sort=2&o=27&_suid=146827474920309824944212806926[/url]

If a sun top is stowed in front of the bow rail, doesn't the stowed canvas sit on top of the navigation light and bow chock. It makes no sense to me to do this and seems like a bad design idea.