Tonneau / Cockpit cover - boat on mooring

[gregcope]

Hi All,

Advice from forum/intertubes welcome.

Thinking of a Cockpit cover to protect the cockpit teak/seats/sprayhood from worst of summer UV and gull poo.

Any advice on Tonneau, or cover? Boat is on a mooring. Easy to remove is essential, so was thinking of clips to the toerail would be good.

Was also thinking of a cockpit tent, but this seams over the top for something that is just there for protection.

Thoughts?

 

[ashtead]

Any clue as to boat? Might help with suggestions?

 

[gregcope]

Any clue as to boat? Might help with suggestions?

Starlight 35.

 

[FWB]

I have one on my gaffer. It clips to the bulwarks ( your toe rail) and has a loop in the middle for string to go around the boom. That way it can't fill with water. Works well. Mine is black, I've noticed over the years that the Gulls like to settle on blue covers !

 

[gregcope]

I have one on my gaffer. It clips to the bulwarks ( your toe rail) and has a loop in the middle for string to go around the boom. That way it can't fill with water. Works well. Mine is black, I've noticed over the years that the Gulls like to settle on blue covers !

Thanks for the colour hint!

 

[marchhare]

I had my tent for the 35 made by TEC SEW who are at Gosport. They have the template on a cad drawing if you are interested. Excellent product and they do the work in tne time given.

 

[doug748]

Cockpit covers are the absolute tops - esp when mooring away from a marina.

Mine is fixed with lacing hooks fixed to the deck - bad idea, some of the screws go through, and can leak. Fix to the toerail or bulwarks instead.

Use short lengths on bungee cord or inner tube to cringles around the edge - allows a bit of give and is quick to fix in position.

I have a winter one and a newer one for use in the season. I find plain off white canvass colour is best. I made a new one in cream but it actually just looks like manky khaki.

Get good acrylic canvas but make sure it is protected from chafe on the underside. Leather is best esp at points like the tops of winches and other lumpy bits.

A tab brailed up to the backstay and one to the boom, gives a good shape for shedding water. If the main sheet is in the way remove it each time and fasten the boom end with a line to the guardrails. Don't be tempted to have a hole in the middle like a dinghy cover.

Lift-a-Dot fasteners hold down the front in the same style as many sprayhoods. I fold my hood away and it is protected by the cover. This means less windage and extends its life, I have had the same sprayhood for 20 years.


I regret that Flickr have simplified posting pictures again so I am unable to make it work. If you would like to see a snap let me know and I will work on it. The cover is worth doing, in my view simply the best thing for a boat on an open mooring.

 

[gregcope]

I had my tent for the 35 made by TEC SEW who are at Gosport. They have the template on a cad drawing if you are interested. Excellent product and they do the work in tne time given.

Tent or tonneau?

Greg

 

[gregcope]

Cockpit covers are the absolute tops - esp when mooring away from a marina.

Mine is fixed with lacing hooks fixed to the deck - bad idea, some of the screws go through, and can leak. Fix to the toerail or bulwarks instead.

I was thinking of a few simple clips to the toerail. My toerail is ali with holes along it, so lots of options. Easy to remove. I dislike dotfixings or white toggle things. Places to catch feet or break.

Use short lengths on bungee cord or inner tube to cringles around the edge - allows a bit of give and is quick to fix in position.

I have a winter one and a newer one for use in the season. I find plain off white canvass colour is best. I made a new one in cream but it actually just looks like manky khaki.

Get good acrylic canvas but make sure it is protected from chafe on the underside. Leather is best esp at points like the tops of winches and other lumpy bits.

A tab brailed up to the backstay and one to the boom, gives a good shape for shedding water. If the main sheet is in the way remove it each time and fasten the boom end with a line to the guardrails. Don't be tempted to have a hole in the middle like a dinghy cover.

Lift-a-Dot fasteners hold down the front in the same style as many sprayhoods. I fold my hood away and it is protected by the cover. This means less windage and extends its life, I have had the same sprayhood for 20 years.

I regret that Flickr have simplified posting pictures again so I am unable to make it work. If you would like to see a snap let me know and I will work on it. The cover is worth doing, in my view simply the best thing for a boat on an open mooring.

Thanks for the tips - confirms allot of my thinking.

One question - does yours fit tight over coamings, or does it have room for ventilation?

 

[Poignard]

I have a tonneau, made by Tec-Sew. It zips onto the sprayhood and covers the cockpit. It doesn't fit tightly over the coamings so as to give some ventilation. It has anti-chafe patches in way of the sheet winches.

 

[William_H]

Well my experience is that a cover will have a lot of flapping in a strong breeze and tewnd to destroy itself if not really well made fitted and attached. If there are any gaps then gulls ro other brids will tend to get in to make a nest. I have settled on a tight cover around the mainsail on the boom and I just pout up with UV damage to halyards etc. It also means it is easier to get on the boat and quicker to ready for sailing and packing up before leaving the boat. Just my experience olewill

 

[doug748]

I was thinking of a few simple clips to the toerail. My toerail is ali with holes along it, so lots of options. Easy to remove. I dislike dotfixings or white toggle things. Places to catch feet or break.



Thanks for the tips - confirms allot of my thinking.

One question - does yours fit tight over coamings, or does it have room for ventilation?

God alone knows how you post a photo from Flickr. This link may get you there:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/25720405@N02/8237030481/

It you can see it, don't be alarmed, this is the many patched winter version.

It is tight fitting but the breeze still gets in, I would not fit any additional ventilation.



I don't like deck fittings either, turnbuckles always seem to break, but at least the lift a dot things have lasted. The spikes are not happy things to stand on but there are few other ways to get a good tight fit across the front.

PS,

I think I only have 6 of the dot things and 4 of them are on the vertical upstand at the front of the hatch garage and thus tucked out of the way and difficult to sit on, etc.