Boat Covers

[Rico]

Now that my brightwork is going to be all spiffy (fingers crossed) I am wondering how to reduce the amount of maintenance required to keep it up.

What sort of covers have you made up for your coambings, and companionway, for example... - is a full cover a better option?

I was thinking that a cover that was suspended from the halyards and standing rigging (C-155 has no lifelines, only a pulpit) which provided shade would be ideal as the weather in California is pretty mild and the sun is really the biggest issue...

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions, pictures of your current covers, etc. would be appreciated!

[Tony G]

Rico

To be of any help with this issue we will need to see pictures of said work. Not grainy, fuzzy pics but multiple shots from at least as many angles.

If you search the gallery threads for the great Houdini, George Copeland had posted some pictures of his boat all wrapped up and protected from the sun with covers for just about everything bright on her.

Kurt that belongs to A422 had once posted a pic of the 'full boat shade' he strung up for the crew dogs. I couldn't seem to locate that particular photo though. I bet once he gets wind of this thread he will come up with some sort of vintage snap shot that shows the luckiest dogs out his way.

Wally Bryant's site shows many, many sewn covers for his boat out California way, a Landfall 38, if memory serves me well.

Good luck hunting!

[mbd]

You really must include A-231 Bill's handiwork as seen in this post on his gallery thread.

http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=15148&postcount=76

And Willy from Oregon had some nice covers for Ava Maria too...

I could use some myself.

[ebb]

Wondered about this myself, not there yet.
What do we have? Rails. Coamings. Tiller. Companionway trim. Winches and Pads. May have added an anchor platform.

Some boats I've seen look excessive with their cute blue diapers and bras. There seems to be a lot of detail to cover and too many brightwork savers to think about.

So I'm wondering if a full boat cover is ever considered and what price comparison there is? A two part port and starboard cover would protect the whole boat - brightwork, metal, paint, decks. sails and line. Not only from UV, acid rain, but birds and airborne dirt.

Might be more convenient to fold a couple of oddly shaped 6 X 26 foot pieces of sunbrella when you are going to take her out than collecting a bunch of pieces.

I've seen full boat covers that go low over the topsides too, putting off the day when THAT:eek: has to be done again.
And the full suspended cover may be healthier for the wood than fitted huggies.
And the boat itself might be sweeter with a vented tent over it because more could be left open for air exchange.:cool:


Sunbrella costs a bomb and so does the custom work, but against time, materials, maintenance, and the stress of seeing blotches appearing on your coamings a year before they should......

[Tony G]

Good catch on Bill 231's covers, Mike. They did an excellent job on the drop board cover, and the boat as a whole!

When on vacation I always scope out the boats in the harbour or any within telephoto distance at anchor. The cruisers that have the full sunshade canopy slash awning always look so 'homey' to me in some odd way. Kind of Tom Sawyer, lazy summer, enjoy the shade and cool breeze. Can't really explain it other than it gives the boat an established look. Kind of backwards when I tend to think of cruising as a gypsy foot adventure. Sure they'd make it a pain to get around on deck and, yah, an afternoon squall might tear things up a bit. But what the heck...more rain water collection potential, easiest boat in the anchorage to spot, etc.

[Commander227]

Heres a few covers that work well on Ensigns.

[Lucky Dawg]

Working on the skeleton for my winter cover...

The Tartan 40 next to me just put on his winter cover. He removed both the fore and aft sidestays - leaving just the center side stays. Makes for fewer breaks in the tarp, but I wonder about stability / excess stress on fewer stays.

Any thoughts on focusing that stress on those two side stays while the boat is on dry land?

[bill@ariel231]

Kyle

i recommend leaving all your standing rigging in place. Your rig will be more secure when the wind picks up. With my lower's removed the rig will vibrate when the wind is blowing. I'll post pictures of A-231's winter covers after they go on this weekend. i've sewn in some slots for the standing rigging on the winter cover. Some water gets on the deck but "Periwinkle" stays ice and snow free till the cover comes off in march.

cheers,
bill@ariel231

[Commander227]

I wouldn't worry about removing the lowers. All your doing is balancing the mast, the weight is on the step.
here is a pic of the winter covers I use on my Ensigns, I have one being made for my Commander. I support the front of the cover with the spinnaker pole with the fwd end held by the halyard. a local company made it for me for about $650. (or about 2 years of shrink wrapping). I expect to get 10-15 years out of them. the cover zips on in about 10 minutes without the need for any additional structure and keeps the boat dry without sealing it up. There is also enough room under it to get some winter work done.

[Lucky Dawg]

$650?! Sweet! Can I get the contact info? I got a quote for $1400 or so for a canvas cover. I was going to buy tarps...again...

Hadn't thought of using the spinnaker pole - I have my skeleton set up in a straight line as your end result appears.

[Rico]

I have one being made for my Commander. I support the front of the cover with the spinnaker pole with the fwd end held by the halyard. a local company made it for me for about $650. I expect to get 10-15 years out of them. The cover zips on in about 10 minutes without the need for any additional structure and keeps the boat dry without sealing it up. There is also enough room under it to get some winter work done.

I'm interested too! ('Group buy' possible?)

Thanks!

[ebb]

www.teksupply.com
is a ranch supply outfit that sells everything you need to cover your maltese falcon or a dinghy. They are the outfit where I found I could have made a custom tarp to cover my sun eaten boat tent.



This is the fourth or fifth winter we'll be going through with this hay tarp.

click Tarps, Covers, Pond liners
click tarps again and find
Four year 7.5oz 16mil silver/white UV Polymax Premium Hay tarps - $0.47 ft sq.
OR
Five year 10oz 22 mil white UV Polymax etc................................ $0.51 ft sq.

The polyethylene tarp is made with sleeves on four sides:
On the long sides I slid in pvc tube. That's what they're made for. This made it possible to slit the sleeve wherever I wanted a tie and with a number of tiepoints around the tube got total control of the tarp. It doesn't move. But it is on a frame.
On the ends some kind of web strap was slipped in - since gotten rather hard. When I ordered mine and explained what I wanted, the tarp arrived with the tiestrap already in the ends. It allowed gathering of the plastic like a bonnet in the front and back. Can only do so much with heavy material, but it's been there SNUG, as I say, 4 or 5 YEARS in the California sun and wind and weather,
showing no deterioration of the plastic. (Maybe I should check out the top,) Plenty of 'nutrients' left, as they describe it. Amazing.

NOT advocating a full tent.
BUT if you are creating any kind of firm frame, you might consider a high end hay tarp to cover it with. The tarps of course are rectangular but you give them the dimensions length and width. And behold, after a couple weeks it arrives on your doorstep.


I think mine was the 7.5oz because it's gray outside. If you will spend any time under it, a white tarp is desirable and less gloomy. I'd guess snow slides off this stuff pretty good.

Let's see: suppose you want 30'X15' = 450' X $0.47 = $211.50. (plus S&H / tube and tie.)

[mbd]

I got a Super Heavy Duty green 15'x30' poly tarp from Hammilton Marine 2 years ago for forty-plus dollars. This will be my 3rd season. Be sure and pad any sharp corners or edges underneath.

Looks like they're $40.50 online.

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/4,8777.html

Same size Heavy duty tarps are $31.50.

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/4,8756.html

[Commander227]

Rico & Lucky Dawg,
The $650. was last years price for the Ensign cover. I'll know Monday what my cost is on the Commander cover, and also the lead time. I think they would also fit an Ariel if anyone else would like to jump in.
Mike

[Lucky Dawg]

Thanks Mike... and Mike and Ebb

Mike414/Ebb - do you just slice and duct tape around stays. My cover last year was pretty poor. Kept snow out of the cockpit, but little else. I see you can buy grommets and maybe that is how you get resealed. Seems the accommodating slices would rip more and more over the winter.

Mike227 - yes, please let us know what you find out. Even if it is for next year...

[mbd]

My mast has always been unstepped for Winter. It's a bit easier for me, I guess. It's still a very depressing day - covering the boat. Sigh... :(

[Lucky Dawg]

here is a pic of the winter covers I use on my Ensigns, I have one being made for my Commander. I support the front of the cover with the spinnaker pole with the fwd end held by the halyard. a local company made it for me for about $650.

Hey Mike,
How did your Commander cover come out? I covered LD with a "super heavy duty" tarp from Hamilton Marine and it shredded in a week and a half!! Grrr.:mad:

I need a replacement ASAP!

[ebb]

If you have to do it with a plastic tarp,
get that HAY TARP that has worked out great for A338.

[Commander227]

Hey Mike,
How did your Commander cover come out?

Sorry but... I had the mast down and the boat torn apart before the guy got to the rough fitting. It won't be finished until next year.

[Hull376]

376 last week. Boat covers? Why? What are they for? Tell me!

[Lucky Dawg]

You are cruel...

Don't rub it in.

12" this week and another 10" predicted by Monday.

The John Deer is my inlaws. The trade is: I plow their driveway and zip the 1/2 mile or so to our place and use it at home.

[mbd]

376 last week. Boat covers? Why? What are they for? Tell me!
Now that's just plain mean...

[John]

Mike, I am glad you are there instead of beautiful Cape Ann. We have had our second round of 9-12" of white stuff.

My canvas cover blew off in the middle of the last storm. I have no idea how old it is but it came with the boat 20 yrs ago. There are a few holes that I should put a patch on and in several places the seams have gone so next spring I will have to get the needles out and stitch away to make it last a few more years. I am not sure I want to know what the replacement cost is.

So now that I snow under my cover, I need a week of real bright sun to get rid of the snow...right.

[Lucky Dawg]

When my cover shredded, I waited for a break in the weather, took a broom and a plastic bucket and got the majority of the snow off and recovered. The sun (the very occasional sun we get here in December) warmed the tarp enough to melt away the remainder.

[John]

As I was recovering, I kicked some of the white stuff off. Especially around the hatches and the mast step. Ah well, you have to be crazy to keep a boat in these climes?:p: