Airborne instrument covers

little_roundtop

little_roundtop

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It's flippin' gusty in Agios Nikolaos marina on Crete at the moment and the wind direction is such that the plastic covers over my wind, depth & speed instruments are being sucked off by the wind and scattered far and wide. Fortunately they've all landed on the boat somewhere rather than in the drink. So far......

These are square instruments (Simrad IS12) and before I resort to nailing them down (which I'm pretty sure will work) does anyone have a ready-made solution to airborne instrument covers?
 
Be aware that replacements cost and arm and a leg. You'd really think at the price they should clip on adequately! Agree that surgical tape is the best adhesive method, but again rather costly if you're tacking them down every other day.

I would consider drilling a very small hole through the side and out the front on the bottom edge to attach a light lanyard. Another possibility would be to rig some way of dropping in a batten across the front of all the instrumnets to hold the covers.

Rob.
 
little_roundtop said:
It's flippin' gusty in Agios Nikolaos marina on Crete at the moment and the wind direction is such that the plastic covers over my wind, depth & speed instruments are being sucked off by the wind and scattered far and wide. Fortunately they've all landed on the boat somewhere rather than in the drink. So far......

These are square instruments (Simrad IS12) and before I resort to nailing them down (which I'm pretty sure will work) does anyone have a ready-made solution to airborne instrument covers?
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leave them off until the wind dies down.
 
Thank you for the suggestions so far. I appreciate the "stick them on" approach but I was hoping to avoid that. I quite like the "lanyard" idea though.

What I was hoping for was whether someone has come up with a neat permanent solution. I was wondering whether something could be attached to the top (outside) of the covers to destroy the airflow over them and thus kill the suction tending to lift them off?

Any ideas?
 
I have two little squares of velcro either side of my Contest compass to keep the cover in place. It might look a bit naff on your instruments but it's OK on the compass and works well.
 
pvb said:
Is that a seriously valid concern? My instruments don't have covers, they're 20+ years old, and I can still see the displays. Have LCDs got worse over the years?
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Well, all my instruments (especially the chart plotter) come with warnings to keep them covered when not in use. So, Raymarine think it's a valid concern.

I have observed that LCD's deteriorate with time; for example, a rather elaborate clock I have is much fainter now than it was 5 years ago. As the stuff that turns black is an organic compound, I think I'd expect some deterioration from UV exposure.

I've just had a look at Wikipedia and it looks as if there was a change in the technology about 20 or so years ago.
 
prv said:
Even if it's not in the UK (and my ancient instruments still seem ok), the OP is in Greece where sun damage is more of a consideration generally.

Pete
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It's not just to protect the display it's also to protect the black plastic surround to the display which both fades and becomes brittle after long exposure to sunshine.

I'm still working on breaking up the laminar airflow over the covers which is what (I think) sucks them off......
 
What about sticking something inside the cover to increase the amount of tightness/friction? Don't quite know what, maybe some layers of insulating tape?? Would probably only be needed along one side?
 
Don't know the layout of the instruments but would some thin Velcro attached (permanently at one end?) to the boat at each end and laid across the covers with a small piece of the opposite type on each cover work?
Or attached permanently to the covers and Velcro either end?
 
little_roundtop said:
sucks them off......
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You lot are losing it. Tony has said this twice now, and none of you have risen to the occasion :D

When I leave my boat, or if the weather warrants it, I fit a cover that goes over the entire table that the instruments are mounted on. The original was custom made, the latest one is a BBQ cover.

Another suggestion would be to fit eyes either side and use hooked bungee cords.
 
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I too have binnacle cover and therefore no problem:) - but imagine these instruments to be mounted otherwise. Thus disclaimer in my post.
My compass cover has a lanyard - most annoying as it hangs down and rattles against the console.
 
nigelmercier said:
You lot are losing it. Tony has said this twice now, and none of you have risen to the occasion :D
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I'm still working on breaking up the laminar airflow over the covers which is what (I think) sucks them off......
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He's right.... :eek: Please replace the phrase "sucks them off" with the phrase "causes them to be come airborne" wherever necessary. Thank you. :o
 
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