Recommendations requested - boat covers

Deadline · Sep 10, 2010

Too Tuff tarps are 8 mil and will last 12-14 months. Murphie's in Philly. Great bargain too.

esterhazyinoz · Sep 11, 2010

Wanting some protection for my New H15's first winter but wincing at the cost for a custom cover manufactured and shipped to Australia from the USA I looked at what was available on Oz Ebay. What I found was a local cover made for aluminium dinghies. I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of this $US 135 equivalent cover. It is waterproof, breathable and trailerable. As my H15 is fibreglass and not ACP I went for a darker colour but they are available in the light grey sunbrella fabric colour that is recommended for the ACP H146/170's. The brand was Ocean South and might be available in the USA.
I Have attached a grab from their catalogue and a picture of mine. Note, I put a simple 'spine' underneath made from rainwater pipe to help the rain run off and it works a treat.

Ed Schenck · Sep 11, 2010

Very nice. I bought two for my Highlander from Sailor's Tailor, one for the dock and one for the winter. Beautifully done but not cheap. My hope is that it might help resale. But who am I kdding?

esterhazyinoz · Sep 16, 2010

Re covers and stuff I was looking into reducing heat and moisture and found what looks like a good item to do just that. Available on Amazon, eBay and not too expensive.
I have seen it named a few different things but search on boat vent ii. They also have adjustable poles that they fit on to hold the canvas up so the rain runs off.

yclaes · Sep 17, 2010

Look at Masteheadsailinggear

http://www.mastheadsailinggear.com/

I purchased a custom made cover for my Hunter 170 from them. It fits perfectly and it allows covering the boat while it's rigged. It has zippers to get the cover around the mast and the mainsheet while rigged. When I transport the boat, I use a different cover.

rgds,

BlueRunner · Sep 22, 2010

yclaes said:
http://www.mastheadsailinggear.com/

I purchased a custom made cover for my Hunter 170 from them. It fits perfectly and it allows covering the boat while it's rigged. It has zippers to get the cover around the mast and the mainsheet while rigged.

The website above doesn't have a picture of the "Deck cover-top gun" which is the one I assume you bought. I have no interest in fitting a cover while it's rigged. Do you know if there's an option to buy one of these with out the zipper that allow fitting around the mast?

Ideally, I would like a cover that would fit under the mast when it is in the horizontal position.

yclaes · Sep 23, 2010

I have another one to transport the boat, exactly what you are looking for but I did not find that custom made in a store. I made it myself. I used the kind of sail which is used on trucks. It took me many, many winter evenings.

I expect that you can find something right out of a store if you search around. The Masthead company might have something which comes close enough for you.

Let me know if you want some pictures from both cover sails and I'll post them.

rgds,

BlueRunner · Oct 12, 2010

My cover solution was a tarp from Home Depot for about $30. Since it wasn't quite big enough, I had to add the small blue tarp to the front to cover the boat. Right now I have the silver side out to reflect any heat from the sun as we're still seeing 60 degree days in mid October, but there won't be many more of those soon.

I plan to flip the tarp soon to the brown side out to attract what little winter heat we'll soon be seeing. The back end is open to provide a little airflow and the boat is on a slope so any water that did get in would drain out the back.

Other than cold weather cracks in the hull, my main concern is falling branches from a huge Douglas Fir (the limbs are like good size trees). However, I think I'm outside of the freefall area unless there were some pretty strong winds. I'm thinking of building a frame around the aft part of the boat to take the blunt of a falling limb.

esterhazyinoz · Oct 23, 2010

If it snows where you are how will you prevent the cover from collapsing ? I have seen some people put a frame beneath their cover to support even a high load of snow.
Also, I finally got two of those Boat Vent II’s I mentioned before. They were very easy to install. I stuck some old extension painting handles that I had laying around the garage underneath them to create a tent like effect. Works great! We had a little storm the other day. Not one drop of water pooled anywhere on the cover.

BlueRunner · Oct 23, 2010

esterhazyinoz said:
If it snows where you are how will you prevent the cover from collapsing ? I have seen some people put a frame beneath their cover to support even a high load of snow.

I'm in the Seattle area and we very seldom get snow of any amount other than a dusting. I'm more concerned with tree limbs falling as the boat is parked fairly close to a tall Douglas fir that sheds tree-like branches in strong winds (maybe 4-6" in diameter.) I think I'm just out of the danger area, but I'm thinking of putting up some kind of 2x4 frame to protect the perhaps 8' at the aft end of the boat that may take a hit. I don't think the boat would be damaged, but the mast could be messed up.

Last year I had another boat stored next to the tree in question that I thought was protected by some heavy lower limbs. One day I looked out and saw the boat was "turned a bit. When I went outside, I saw there was a heavy limb that cracked the top edge of the transom. Most cosmetic damage, but I still had it repaired since I don't like my "stuff" marred.

esterhazyinoz · Oct 23, 2010

Barring a cyclone I'm safe from falling branches even though my boat is parked in the corner of my driveway. I was looking at secure storage at the yacht club I used to race from but that will cost $1000pa (and they are the least expensive in the area). Also being only 5 minutes from one of the best launching ramps in the area I'm reluctant to forgo that convenience.

BlueRunner · Oct 24, 2010

$1000 US. That's my price for indoor storage Nov--Mar also. I paid it last year, but it seems a little much for a boat that might be worth $6000. My main concern is hull cracking in the cold weather. However, I don't think I've read anything about an '08 hull with this problem. Since I'm still under the factory warrantee, maybe Hunter will replace my hull with a Hunter 18 hull as another boat on this forum seems to have been done.

john6206 · Jan 13, 2011

I covered my 170 for a couple of years, but I heard stories about cracking, and many of the stories seem to be about thermal expansion of a covered boat. I have not covered it since. I lift the bow up enough that water can drain away, take all the canvas and hardware off of it and leave it out. It cleans up very quickly in the spring and I haven't had a bit of trouble with it.

BlueRunner · Jan 13, 2011

john6206 said:
I covered my 170 for a couple of years, but I heard stories about cracking, and many of the stories seem to be about thermal expansion of a covered boat. I have not covered it since. I lift the bow up enough that water can drain away, take all the canvas and hardware off of it and leave it out.

I would like to try that, but there's just too many trees where I store my boat. I would have pitch, dead leaves and other crap falling into the boat without the cover. We've already had at least 2 cold spells and will probably have a few more sub 32 degree days. I'm keeping my fingers crossed until the end of March.

American Marine and Sail · Jan 19, 2011

boat covers

There are two reputable sources for boat covers which is sailors tailor and masteheadsailingear. When ordering a cover, be specific for either storage with the mast up or the mast down. There is a big difference.

If making your own or using a polypropolyene tarp, never put it over the mast. Weight of the rain, ice, snow and so forth should ever fill up the cover with it sagging into the cockpit, it will bend the mast and then you will be looking at a replacement mast.

Always order in light covers to minimize the heat under the cover particuarly the ACP construction boats. The new 15 and 18 are solid fiberglass. I would suggest vents for any cover to minimize the heat.

One other thing gents. When storing on the trailer to help heat from building up inside the hull of any daysailor, leave the hull drain on the back of the boat open.

Tereza · Jan 24, 2011

Bostonian - I'm in CT, so have lots of the same weather issues as you...

My solution off-season is a tarp - I too am under trees. Have had the 146 for 6 years - no problem so far.
I keep meaning to build a frame to help eliminate sag, but haven't gotten around to it.
I drape the tarp from a coated cable that is wrapped (carefully) around the two hemlocks that I park the boat between. That way, no problem with bending the mast under the weight. The front and back are not sealed, so I believe it gets plenty of ventilation. The hemlocks actually help, in that they filter the light just enough. If a huge branch falls, well - that's what insurance is for...

Only challenge is getting the tarp tight enough - and with this winter especially...! I just go out there after each snow that does manage to weight it down and brush it off. Only one year did I get the tansion just right on it that neither snow nor rain accumulated.

As to storing at the dock, I gave up on a cover. I bought one of those 'custom-made' from the dealer, that is basically like a hug showercap...I could NEVER get it on the boat jsut right! I sent it back.
I just leave it open, and brush out the leaves that fall in fro the trees bordering the lake. When I (rarely) trailer it, I just do so open.

Good luck!!

txjim · Mar 3, 2011

yclaes said:
http://www.mastheadsailinggear.com/

I purchased a custom made cover for my Hunter 170 from them. It fits perfectly and it allows covering the boat while it's rigged. It has zippers to get the cover around the mast and the mainsheet while rigged. When I transport the boat, I use a different cover.

rgds,

Be a bit careful installing the snaps on the hull to secure the cover. The PO of my 170 had snaps mounted for and I had to repair cracks originating from most of the mounted snaps (plastic is pretty thin in the area snaps are required, no space to countersink).

Recommendations requested - boat covers

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