Ebay cheap sail covers
- Thread starter fifer
- Start date
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Guess you get what you pay for. Given that they are about one fifth of the price of even the cheapest ready made "proper" covers unlikely that they will give very good service! Interesting that you can get a small discount if you buy 3 which might give you a similar overall life to one proper one.
HissyFit
Well-Known Member
If you had sewing skills you could knock up one from appropriate material for cheaper than that. Then again, I doubt that you need much by way of sewing skills.
The title on eBay says it's a boom cover, not a sail cover. To me it doesn't look like there's a sail on that boom.
The title on eBay says it's a boom cover, not a sail cover. To me it doesn't look like there's a sail on that boom.
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Biggles Wader
Well-Known Member
I had one about seven years ago when my old cover disintegrated and I needed something quickly. It was OK but came up small so hard to get all the sail inside the cover. The fittings were basic and not very robust. It faded in the (UK) sun badly. I bought a used good quality cover about six months later and gave the cheap one away to another boat owner who needed one so I dont know how long it lasted
Gixer
Well-Known Member
I'm on my second one of these.
Sail Cover - Mainsail Boom Cover 9-10ft **Brand New** | eBay
First one lasted a good number of years.
Sail Cover - Mainsail Boom Cover 9-10ft **Brand New** | eBay
First one lasted a good number of years.
Fantasie 19
Well-Known Member
I've had two - first one lasted 6 years (so on prices at the time a little over a tenner a year) which I thought was exceptional - I bought a new one from the same company (same company as the link in Gixer's post), and my perception is that this one is of a far better material...
Rappey
Well-Known Member
I once bought a cheap plastimo boom cover. The material was super thin and wore through in no time and the plastic hooks were not uv resistant
Tranona
Well-Known Member
These are very different from the ones the OP linked to - and nearly twice the price!
Gixer
Well-Known Member
Correct, but still a bargain compared to a bespoke cover.
I thought the OP might find my input useful.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Yes to both - but the £30 one will probably last as long as a Lidl carrier bag as it is made out of a similar fabric! At the other end of the scale my top of the range stackpack lasted nearly 20 years, which is why I have bitten the bullet and ordered a similar one for my new project.
fifer
Well-Known Member
Yes, I've just been looking at them - seems a much heavier cloth. Might end up going for the slightly more expensive option!
Gixer
Well-Known Member
I've just ordered a bespoke sail cover from Hyde. Not that there's anything wrong with the Ebay cover, it just doesn't match the UV strip on my Genoa.... I'm such a tart.
LittleSister
Well-Known Member
I bought a cheap sail cover from (IIRC) eBay some years ago, but different design (and probably supplier) than the one linked. I have a vague recollection it came from somewhere in the West Country.
It wasn't very thick, but that did mean it folded away compactly when not in use (important in a small boat) and it wasn't so thin it looked a mess or flapped around. They did have a wide range of sizes available so it fitted better than its higher quality predecessor. I really liked the closure arrangements - a series of plastic buckles on one side and webbing straps on the other - much tidier, faster and easier on cold hands than tying knots in cords. The cover quickly faded to pale blue, and disintegrated after not many years, but considering the modest price I paid for it I was well satisfied. I think I may have purchased the same again, but I certainly considered it.
It wasn't very thick, but that did mean it folded away compactly when not in use (important in a small boat) and it wasn't so thin it looked a mess or flapped around. They did have a wide range of sizes available so it fitted better than its higher quality predecessor. I really liked the closure arrangements - a series of plastic buckles on one side and webbing straps on the other - much tidier, faster and easier on cold hands than tying knots in cords. The cover quickly faded to pale blue, and disintegrated after not many years, but considering the modest price I paid for it I was well satisfied. I think I may have purchased the same again, but I certainly considered it.
HissyFit
Well-Known Member
Do you actually want a waterproof material as a sail cover? I think you need something breathable, otherwise one could end up with a mouldy mess.
doug748
Well-Known Member
I would do that, or use acrylic if you want very long life.
The original link, seems to be to a cover made from a cheap nylon material. I believe I bought some of this stuff once, at about 5 quid a metre, it fades badly and goes brittle. OK for prototyping or making patterns but not for long term use.
Not a bad deal if you just want something to fill a gap, do keep us informed if you go for it.
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Stemar
Well-Known Member
Another vote for DIY. It's a simple shape, and you could knock up a pattern from paper or, perhaps a cheap dustsheet from Toolstation.
A "stackpack" with lazyjacks is on my to do list for when Jazzcat's mast goes back up with all the shiny new rigging, and I have no pretensions to expertise in sewing.
My tip is to be a bit generous with the sizing, especially if your sails are of a certain age and likely to be replaced in the foreseeable future - new sails are a LOT stiffer, hence bulkier, than old ones.
A "stackpack" with lazyjacks is on my to do list for when Jazzcat's mast goes back up with all the shiny new rigging, and I have no pretensions to expertise in sewing.
My tip is to be a bit generous with the sizing, especially if your sails are of a certain age and likely to be replaced in the foreseeable future - new sails are a LOT stiffer, hence bulkier, than old ones.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Quite right. my new sprayhood and stackpack are colour co-ordinated. unfortunately the genoa that game with the boat is cream Hood Vectran with red UV strip - and even I balked at the cost of replacing the UV strip to match the silver grey of the new stuff. No doubt it will annoy me once the boat is complete and I will relent and pay the price.I've just ordered a bespoke sail cover from Hyde. Not that there's anything wrong with the Ebay cover, it just doesn't match the UV strip on my Genoa.... I'm such a tart.
Daverw
Well-Known Member
We’re on the same path, new genoea last year with change of uv strip to mid grey from dark blue, then doggers, just had stack pack delivered and left now with spray hood, don’t think that will be long. Slippery slope comes to mind
