Looking to make a frame from ??. to cover My 28 OI., She's on the hard and the snow(4 letter word) is on the way.. I sure would like to work on Her this winter..
Thank You,
Ray Roberts
R.I
Thank You,
Ray Roberts
R.I
Frame
- Thread starter morgan out island
- Start date
- Status
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
Depending on how much you want to spend, you could purchase one of those temporary garages made from polytarp material and a steel structure. The mast would have to come down. Otherwise, you might consider a 'one off' design using PVC tubing and fittings to build a frame over the deck only. Not sure how the latter would handle a snow load however, especially a wet one like you might experience in your neck of the woods.
A PVC arched frame covered with Shrink wrap is strong, but not inexpensive. We have rolls of the shrink wrap here:
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detail.htm?fno=400&group=1230
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detail.htm?fno=400&group=1230
Cheap solution. Build a wooden ridge out of 2x6s supported at either end and the middle. Use some lines ties down to the toe rail to hold it in place. Use pvc electrical conduit to place bowed ribs every 1 1/2 ft. over the ridge(attached with screws) and outside of the lifelines(bow them enough to clear the lifelines). Start by placing the first ones where you have stanchions to attach to and then fill in. You will need to use a couple of conduits attached together to make the spread. Attach stringers of same pvc running lenthgwise on the inside of the bows to keep them in line when weight is on them. Secure them with wire ties. Also place conduit along the gunwhale to hold the bottoms in place.
Easy to assemble and sturdy. I use this method on my dad's pontoon boat and it stood up to last year's Maine winter which had record snowfalls. I also used it on my Ericson 35 the first year I owned her.
Or you could go the expensive but more economical route and buy a custom frame/cover from Fairclough.
Easy to assemble and sturdy. I use this method on my dad's pontoon boat and it stood up to last year's Maine winter which had record snowfalls. I also used it on my Ericson 35 the first year I owned her.
Or you could go the expensive but more economical route and buy a custom frame/cover from Fairclough.
Attachments
When i was working on Bietzpadlin I set an oak 4x4 at the bow and another at the stern and stretched a 3/4 rope between them. I put a couple of props under the rope and draped a tarp over the rope and sandbagged in down. Pad the stanchions and you can be nice and dry all winter.
Tim R. man does your boat look like mine ,right down to the color ,Islander 36 go to sailsalem .com to view . I just got a fairclouth cover ,and love it ,looks like the frame on the boat in photo.
If you want a bunch of free PVC pipe, contact a local well service company. When my well developed an issue they had to pull up 200 feet of inch and a half pvc, which they replaced with a single flexible line. They wouldn't dispose of it and I gave it all to a friend. They said it was a common occurrence. You would still need to buy connectors to build a frame, but it would save you quite a bit I should think.
Bob
Bob
Yup. Ericsons and Islanders have very similar lines. I sometimes confuse them when out on the water. Different portlights though.
I would stay away from white pvc. It is very brittle. The gray electrical conduit pvc flexes very nicely and you do not need any connectors.
I made mine
out of 1 1/2" grey PVC conduit. It has male/female ends that fit together snugly. For the ridge pole I seat 8' sections together and insert 12' sections of 3/4" galvanized metal conduit inside for stiffness. Each cross arch is joined at the ridge with a 90* fitting which by nature has a gradual bend radius. The cross sections terminate with 45* fittings that slip over the stanchion bases. I heated and bent the cross sections to give them a bit more arch. The cross sections are fastened to the ridge by flush mounting brackets (made for the conduit). The ridge is taped to the bow pulpit forward. The aft end terminates with a 90* fitting to a vertical pole of conduit that is fastened to the gudgeon's with angle brackets. All of the snugged fittings are wrapped with gaffer tape (Permacel product). It holds well, is strong but leaves no mess like duct tape. It's not cheap but one roll will last forever. This set-up has worked great for me.
out of 1 1/2" grey PVC conduit. It has male/female ends that fit together snugly. For the ridge pole I seat 8' sections together and insert 12' sections of 3/4" galvanized metal conduit inside for stiffness. Each cross arch is joined at the ridge with a 90* fitting which by nature has a gradual bend radius. The cross sections terminate with 45* fittings that slip over the stanchion bases. I heated and bent the cross sections to give them a bit more arch. The cross sections are fastened to the ridge by flush mounting brackets (made for the conduit). The ridge is taped to the bow pulpit forward. The aft end terminates with a 90* fitting to a vertical pole of conduit that is fastened to the gudgeon's with angle brackets. All of the snugged fittings are wrapped with gaffer tape (Permacel product). It holds well, is strong but leaves no mess like duct tape. It's not cheap but one roll will last forever. This set-up has worked great for me.
Simple Frame for Cover
I built a very simple frame that I have used for the past 5 yrs. First step was to purchase 3 saw horse kits. One for the cockpit, one just forward of companionway, and one on the fordeck. I made the legs the appropriate height so that the top of the saw horses were about 6 feet above deck level. I reinforced the legs of the saw horses with cross pieces to stiffen them.
For a Ridge pole, I use the mast or if the mast is standing, I use 1" x 3" screwed together. The wooden ridge pole is placed on the saw horses with the 3 inch face vertical. The wood is taped to the saw horses, mast, back stay and forestay. I build a simple A frame of 1" x 3 " and place it just aft of the forestay, and one just forward of the backstay. I used to take duct tape and go from the ridge pole to the aluminum toe rail, but found this unnecessary.
I remove my stanchions and place a poly tarp over the frame. If the mast is down, 2 tarps joined by the mast.
This has worked well for me, despite the minimalist approach even during winters with serious snow. The key is the steepness of the tarp due to the stanchions being removed. I pad the saw horses with carpet.
I built a very simple frame that I have used for the past 5 yrs. First step was to purchase 3 saw horse kits. One for the cockpit, one just forward of companionway, and one on the fordeck. I made the legs the appropriate height so that the top of the saw horses were about 6 feet above deck level. I reinforced the legs of the saw horses with cross pieces to stiffen them.
For a Ridge pole, I use the mast or if the mast is standing, I use 1" x 3" screwed together. The wooden ridge pole is placed on the saw horses with the 3 inch face vertical. The wood is taped to the saw horses, mast, back stay and forestay. I build a simple A frame of 1" x 3 " and place it just aft of the forestay, and one just forward of the backstay. I used to take duct tape and go from the ridge pole to the aluminum toe rail, but found this unnecessary.
I remove my stanchions and place a poly tarp over the frame. If the mast is down, 2 tarps joined by the mast.
This has worked well for me, despite the minimalist approach even during winters with serious snow. The key is the steepness of the tarp due to the stanchions being removed. I pad the saw horses with carpet.
Here's my plan this year
I've been thinking about it for a while and I think this is the year to do it. My cover was a disaster last year. This website http://framemakerclamps.com/
sells inexpensive clamps for use with 3/4" steel electric conduit, about $5 for a 10' piece at Home Depot.
Check out the website, they have several examples of boat cover frames in their pictures section.
I've been thinking about it for a while and I think this is the year to do it. My cover was a disaster last year. This website http://framemakerclamps.com/
sells inexpensive clamps for use with 3/4" steel electric conduit, about $5 for a 10' piece at Home Depot.
Check out the website, they have several examples of boat cover frames in their pictures section.
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