Boom cover - clips, zips, velcro or circus tent lacing?

[chrisbitz]

I'm thinking of getting a new boom cover, and can choose any fastening system.

Which one should I ask for?

At the moment, I have this sort of circus tent lacing, and it's A PAIN! it takes ages to do and if the wrong end comes undone, it totally unravels! Why would anyone choose that??

 

[nigelmercier]

Zip, with the open end on the end you can reach more easily.

 

[Tranona]

Take the opportunity to fit a stack pack rather than a straight boom cover. The extra cost is worth it for the comvenience

 

[vyv_cox]

Our mainsail is made in heavy Vectran, bulky and resistant to flaking. Consequently we have a quite large sail cover. We also have lazy jacks, so a zip is ruled out The current cover has the fastest fixing method we could think of within these limits, hooks and loops. It is OK but still somewhat slow to remove and replace, so we have bitten the bullet and bought a stack pack, currently sitting on the lounge floor waiting to be taken out to Greece. Hope it works out, although we still have some doubts.

 

[NormanS]

Our main rolls up into the mast, but the mizzen has a stack pack with a top zip. Excellent piece of kit.

 

[chinita]

I have just had one made by Schultz in Denmark for an LM.

Zip fastner at the mast, Tenax fasteners under the boom. Tenax are brilliant.

Edit: Forgot to say, I had it made slightly oversized to accommodate whisker pole stored on boom and also to make it easier to fasten.

 

[alahol2]

Zip has to be the easiest answer but get them to make the cover with a flap (or flaps) that keep the zip and its sewing out of the sun. We've found the fabric of the zip is the most likely point of failure due to UV.

 

[prv]

Zip along the top of a stackpack is great. I've never encountered one on the underneath of a conventional cover, though, so I don't know how well that would work. Obviously you'd need gaps for the kicker and (probably) mainsheet, which probably means three separate zips and knocks out a lot of the convenience. I reckon fastex buckles (the type where you squeeze the sides to release it) are probably best for a conventional cover. That's what we have on our "horse rug" (the family term for the short cover that goes around the mast with a stackpack main) and they're handier than the hooks, velcro, etc I've used in the past.

Pete

 

[viago]

Zip along the top of a stackpack is great. I've never encountered one on the underneath of a conventional cover, though, so I don't know how well that would work. Obviously you'd need gaps for the kicker and (probably) mainsheet, which probably means three separate zips and knocks out a lot of the convenience. I reckon fastex buckles (the type where you squeeze the sides to release it) are probably best for a conventional cover. That's what we have on our "horse rug" (the family term for the short cover that goes around the mast with a stackpack main) and they're handier than the hooks, velcro, etc I've used in the past.

Pete

is this the sort of thing you mean?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-New-COUNTOURED-FASTEX-BUCKLES-FOR-PARACORD-BRACELETS-/360318434433

 

[mrming]

Zip at the mast, hooks / elastic loops underneath works well for me.

 

[xyachtdave]

How about a park avenue boom?

http://www.offshorespars.com/booms/park-avenue-booms/

 

[prv]

is this the sort of thing you mean?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-New-COUNTOURED-FASTEX-BUCKLES-FOR-PARACORD-BRACELETS-/360318434433

Yes.

(Although those specific ones might be a bit small.)

Pete

 

[simonfraser]

I have an old fashioned cover, with Velcro, all the way along.
Does not come loose, despite having slits for the lazy jacks, on a swinging mooring.
Tied it on once, for an autumn storm.

 

[alan_d]

Remember that the purpose of a sail cover is primarily to protect it from ultraviolet radiation. A standard over-the-boom cover should allow air to circulate around the sail so that it dries out and is less likely to go mouldy. Thus a series of straps and clips is preferable to a continuous zip, quite apart from allowing access for the kicker, reefing lines, lazyjacks etc.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Don't know, but not hooks and a continuous piece of shockcord laced under the boom to go into the hooks. I have that and it's awkward (mild) or a PITA (less mild).

 

[Daydream believer]

deleted

 

[michael_w]

Zip at the mast. For under the boom, turn buttons with velcro in between. The turn buttons located so they don't interfere with the mainsheet and kicker. The lazy jacks are lead forward to the mast.

Looks neat, doesn't flap.

 

[akyaka]

We also have lazy jacks, so a zip is ruled out

Why Viv ? We have lazyjacks with a full length zip and it works a treat . The end fits around the mast and has a vertical downward closing zip so all done in seconds.

 

[vyv_cox]

Why Viv ? We have lazyjacks with a full length zip and it works a treat . The end fits around the mast and has a vertical downward closing zip so all done in seconds.

Meaning that the lazy jacks have to be pulled all the way forward to lie against the mast? Where they bang and frap in the wind? We prefer to leave them where they are, which a cover over the boom with clips below will allow.

 

[akyaka]

Meaning that the lazy jacks have to be pulled all the way forward to lie against the mast? Where they bang and frap in the wind? We prefer to leave them where they are, which a cover over the boom with clips below will allow.

We have a boom cover which sits in the groove and leave our lazy jacks in position.