DIY boat cover???

[Twister_Ken]

Anybody made their own boat cover?

Wasn't thinking of anything ambitious. Buy a tarpaulin which already has eyes on the edges. Measure the beam of the boat every couple of feet, allowing 6" inches extra each side to go over top guard rail. Peg out shape on ground. Lay tarp over it and fold 'darts' into it to match template. Glue and tape darts closed. Cut a slot in to the mid point in the way of the mast and close it with Velcro tape. Stitch on webbing loops midway between bow and mast and midway between mast and stern to hold up cover with halyards. Put pipe lagging on top guard rails to prevent chafe. Maybe cut and Velcro close an access flap near the cockpit, to climb aboard easily. Fit tarp, by lacing onto lower guard rails.

Would this work? Have I overlooked anything? Anyone done this or similar? BTW, I'm trying to avoid loads of sewing.

 

[Guest]

Would give the access hatch a miss.

More work + another hole to leak through.

Ian D

 

[charles_reed]

I tried the same thing with reinforced polyvinyl, only to find that when the first big gale came along the eyelets all pulled out and the damn thing took off, trying, the pwllheli staff said, to take the boat with it.

I would suggest to prevent a similar occurence you tape/tie some 4" diameter logs down the sides - that seems to prevent the attempts to emulate a bird.

 

[Danny]

Am I missing something. I thought boats were supposed to be waterproof on top as well. Remember any cover will act in trapping any damp. The amount of work involved in securing avoiding chafe wondering if it has taken off in a stong would seem to outweigh any benefits. Even if you keep her covered you will still have to wash and clean down for the start of the season no matter what.

 

[BarryH]

mmmmm! Doesnt look to inspiring so far does it. Dont be put off though. I have made overall covers for nearly all the boats i have owned. Ok so Im in the trade so to speak, the only points that you havent covered is dont use velcro to fasten the slit around the mast, any natural fabric will give when it gets wet the velcro wont. use grangers seam sealant on any seams, and please dont use the cheap eyelets around the edges, use the heavy duty brass ones as these are much stronger and wont pull out when used with double thickness of fabric. Give Kayospruce a call in fareham in Hampshire, they sell all types of fabric and fittings for this sort of thing. just one last thing they do a nice line in vents for covers to stop the dreadded condensation

Good luck

 

[Twister_Ken]

Danny, she has a teak deck which is not in the first flush of youth. I'm keen to keep the teak dry, so that if it gets below zero, I don't get frost damage to the deck. My idea is not that the cover would completely seal, but would act to shed rain while allowing air flow underneath.

 

[steveh]

With my cover I hung plastic bottles/cans, filled with water, onto the bottom of the cover. In strong winds it allows the cover to move and not flap and tear.