Companionway Cover

[tgrass462]

This is, quite possibly, a really dumb question ... Regarding the Companionway and Slider Covers sold elsewhere on this site - there seems to be two versions - one if you have snaps already installed and a 2nd if you don't. I'm in the second category - no snaps on my boat ... how is this held in place? Would I install snaps - or is there another way.Thanks,Tom GrassGrasshopper II

 

[Rick Macdonald]

Good question

I asked a ton of questions about the companionway cover last year. Fortunately the gang here was patient and I got enough info and confidence to do it. My turn to pay back now...I hope this helps.I had no existing snaps on my boat. Be sure they send you the optional little snap tool. It's just a little base and punch that you hammer on the snaps with. I was short a few snaps but found some locally that were the same.The cover came with black dots indicating where to place the snaps. After a few hours of sliding it around I finally settled on the snap locations (I moved them a bit). The cover could have been an inch or two longer in my case.Search the archives for last year. Here are some important installation tips:- Folks said not to pull it too tight when installing. One reason is that you'll want to make it peak in the middle so the water doesn't sit on it. I make a ridge with a kid's pool noodle and/or a spare fender underneath, down the centreline.- After deciding on snap locations, install the "female" snap parts on the canvas. - You can mark the deck location by placing the canvas in place and tapping the snaps lightly with a hammer to smudge the deck enough to show the location.- Drill a pilot hole for the snap screw, but drill with the drill running backwards to avoid chiping the deck.- Sorry, I don't remember the drill bit size. I think I started small and went increasingly bigger until I could screw the snap in without cracking the deck.- Sorry, I don't remember how deep I drilled or if the drill bit actually pushes through to air on the other side.- apply 3M 5200 to the snap screw threads before inserting. Use enough to ooze out when seated; wipe off the excess right away.- As I installed each snap to the deck, I actually snapped the canvas to it so that the cover was in it's proper place and straight as the next snap was added.It was all scarey at first but after the first couple of snaps the fear subsided....RickM...

 

[pablo]

Companionway Cover- HEY RIC

Ric, Great tips on the cover. We are getting ready to install our new cover this weekend. The snaps are already on the boat. We just have to match them up. Any other tips on lining the snaps on the cover with the snaps on the boat. Do you stretch it out and then make a hole in the cloth for your stud to go through? Use the drill or an awl? We made the cover about three inches longer at the companionway so that the hatch cover could be pulled all the way forward. I'm thinking this will vuirtually eliminate any water seeping in through that area. I siliconed along the forward portion of the cover(where the wood stop is).Now al I have to do is figure out how to bend my lock hasp to match the new configuration of the hatch. Would appreciate any help on the cover. Thanks Paul HS/V Linda Belle95 H26

 

[Rick Macdonald]

Hola Pablo

Somebody on another forum:http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums/pviewall.tpl?fno=122&uid=73209970012&sku=2004159061734.7&rid=2004161063901.95had this advice:"Place the canvas over the snaps. Using a crayon or pencil, lightly rub the area over the snap. It will reveal the spot where you place the snap on the new canvas."To hammer the snaps onto the canvas you need a solid surface, most likely _off_ the boat, but perhaps a portable anvil or something would do.I'd be afraid to mark all the snaps and then hammer them all in at once. I think you might not get it smooth no matter how many hands you had to hold the canvas in place. Perhaps I'd try marking two at the top end (forward end of hatch), then hammering on the smaps, then snapping it into place and smoothing it out, and _then_ mark and install two snaps at the other end of the canvas (bottom of companionway door). Now the canvas would be locked in place and not move around as all the rest of the snaps were marked. Then install all the rest of the snaps or, if you're still worried, a few at a time. The idea is to anchor the end points first to avoid buckling and humps between the snaps along each side and the forward edge.That's what occurs to me, but since I had no snaps on the boat I haven't exactly done what you need to do. I installed all snaps on the canvas, but then marked and installed just the end ones on the deck similarly as described above so I could snap it in place, and then I finished all the rest of the middle ones....RickM...

 

[pablo]

Gracias, Señor Ric

Appreciate the quick response.

 

[Ashley]

hole punch

To make the holes for the snaps, I use a hole punch the kind that looks like pliers. I think it is 1/8", same size as the stud on the snaps. Was about $1.50 at a fabric store.

 

[Rick Macdonald]

Making holes

I forgot to mention that I just used a tool that was in my drill bit set to poke the holes in the canvas. I don't know what it's called! It's flat and cuts a 3/4" round hole through wood, but has a narrow point to it to start the hole going. It's like the square end of a ruler with a pointy "^" on the end. I just poked it through by hand and twisted it a few times to make the hole big enough for the studs. It didn't actually remove any material....RickM...