securing a boom tent to guard rail wires help

[tomboy352]

My daughter has recently bought a 31 aft cockpit , long keel s/y which has a nice, bespoke cockpit/boom tent. It fits around the topping lift, ties to the back stay with the 4 corners tied off to stanchion basses. The cover has eyelets at about 12" intervals which are loosely laced with a long length of 6mm shock chord and free floating, plastic karabeener hooks between each pair of eyelets.
The tent needs to be easy and quick to rig. It is used to protect the cockpit when the boat is left, but also rigged in harbour when the crew are onboard.

The shock chord was very badly stretched and chaffed. Looked if it had been in use for years. I found a long length of what appeared to be new, chandler supplied, shock chord in a locker. I re threaded using the same method as described above. Within 2 to 3 months, the shock chord looked in worse condition.
than the original, Stretched thin, chaffed through and broken.

I could try replacing the shock chord as before but using NEW chord. Although the chord in the locker looked and tested immaculate it could have been old and perished. Or I could try lashing individual chords with fixed ends to each eyelet. This would cut down the chafe but would be harder to Stowe and rig. Has anyone any experience with covers left in situate with shock chord ?

Chris

 

[johnalison]

Not long term but I used to have a cockpit cover attached with cord. Whether it chafes or not depends on where it goes. If the chafe is at the eyelets, this could be stopped by knotting it at each eyelet. I would stick with shock cord though. The cover will flog much less.

 

[Tranona]

The normal way of securing to the wires is to use hooks which are laced onto the shockcord between each eye. These are standard items in plastic with an eye at the top for the cord to pass through. available from any chandlers.

 

[duncan99210]

New shock cord should do the job. Either rigged as before on a running basis or by using a loop of cord through each eyelet led to a plastic hook. Don't expect much more than a season or two before the cord goes though, it doesn't last all that long before the rubber starts to break down and the cord looses it elasticity. The hooks, however, should last for much longer.

 

[Poignard]

I prefer to use individual, short length of shock cord with a hook at each end. That way the shock card is not in contact with the eyelet and doesn't get chafed. I have a pair of cheap hog ring pliers and I buy s/s hog rings. Each end of the shock cord is threaded through a hook, then folded back on itself for about 3/4" and crimped with a hog ring.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

And just to be different I preferred non-elastic cord without hooks for the guardrails and pushpit (had elastic on the backstay though) because it would allow a more exact fit when choosing to rig either side to the top or bottom guardrail, or the toerail depending on where the sun/wind/rain were coming from. Once you're used to it it the time difference is minimal.

 

[ashtead]

You don't say the distance between the cover and guard rail but could you not just attach with some form of carabiner hook or pelican hooks ? Clearly you could tie on to the cover by means of string guys lines like a tent with a slider to take up tension if shock cord is a no no for you. If looking for small hooks you might check out certain Swedish stores for ideas btw
You can also buy cable clips in plastic which might work which we use to connect power cables to the guard rail if required.

 

[tomboy352]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I Think I will try attaching the shock chord to the eyelets and the hooks to cut out chafe and perhaps the next size up of shock chord 8mm. On our yacht, I use standard type shockchord with the wire hooks at the mast to stop halyard rattle on the mast. The shock chord here, in this application lasts for years although it is not subject to constant movement and chafe.

 

[Capt. Clueless]

I'm kinda wondering if my boom tent is still in place since October, and now wonder if it is 1/2 way up Helvellyn.