Well for the 3rd time in a row the 'trucker hitch' tiedowns on our Seafarer 30 have slipped loose under 40 inot winds, resulting in a cover that is blowing around and generally not working well. Does anyone have some ideas for attaching the winter cover so it will withstand heavy gusts ? Currently we tie lines through the grommets of the cover directly to the custom-made heavy rectangular welded steel boat support frame ( boat is not supported by jackstands.) I have contemplated the following : 1) heavy 1 gallon orange juice bottles, filled with sand, suspended at the bottom of each tiedown line by tieing a bowline/ clove hitch through the handle of the OJ jug etc; 2) 2 long horizontal 2x4s running longitudinally on port and starboard at ground level waist- high, each bolted to the boat stand frame, with eyebolts installed thru which I can place a number of bungee tiedowns running up from each of the the horizontal 2x4s to a cover tiedown. It is driving me nuts to keep driving 2 hrs each way to windswept Erie PA to tighten the 'trucker hitch' kayak style knots to keep this cover tight .... I think what is happening is that any knot will loosen under the wind stresses of heavy gusts and the cover gradually works loose. I'll welcome any and all suggestions !! Thanks, *cry MitchM
Help! Need good winter cover tiedown ideas...
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Net over tarp.
I use a plastic tarp with a heavy net holding it down against the wind. I put a few lines through the tarp's grommets just to hold it in place until the net is secure. The tarp was cheap but my 15X30 foot net cost $96 Cdn. (about US$78) The net I bought was the same type used to cover loads on trucks or wrecked cars on flatbed tow trucks. It's a green poly (around 1/8") with a 4-5" mesh. Mine is 20' X 30' and is tied down to the trailer frame every foot or so. At the bow I gathered in the extra and wove it tightly together, working down from pulpit to trailer. Others who use it tell me it should last forever and will protect my tarp from the winter storms. Last year one boat had it's guardrail stanchions bent by the pressure of the wind on it's tarp. I've removed my stanchions and run pvc pipe from side to side like a covered wagon. I bought my net at the attached link. For your area you could ask a tow truck/auto wrecker company as they likely use a similar net to keep things together.
I use a plastic tarp with a heavy net holding it down against the wind. I put a few lines through the tarp's grommets just to hold it in place until the net is secure. The tarp was cheap but my 15X30 foot net cost $96 Cdn. (about US$78) The net I bought was the same type used to cover loads on trucks or wrecked cars on flatbed tow trucks. It's a green poly (around 1/8") with a 4-5" mesh. Mine is 20' X 30' and is tied down to the trailer frame every foot or so. At the bow I gathered in the extra and wove it tightly together, working down from pulpit to trailer. Others who use it tell me it should last forever and will protect my tarp from the winter storms. Last year one boat had it's guardrail stanchions bent by the pressure of the wind on it's tarp. I've removed my stanchions and run pvc pipe from side to side like a covered wagon. I bought my net at the attached link. For your area you could ask a tow truck/auto wrecker company as they likely use a similar net to keep things together.
No Problem MitchI have a Newport 30 so our boats are about the same dimensions.I Duck taped a 14' 2x4 to my cradle on both sides and used 1/4 poly rope the yellow stuff that comes in a roll and I looped it thru the gromet and then down and around the 2x4 and back up to the next gromet and so on and so on then tie it off to the cradel. I also throw 3 lines over the top of the cover to help hold it down when wind gets under it.I've had the cover now for 3 seasons and it's held up against the winds coming off lake Erie. Look at the pic and see if you can see the placement of the 2x4, Give me your E mail and i can send you more pics if you want. Good luck think spring 62 days
Thanks for the Ideas!
Well thanks for all the good ideas. we have a bolted-togetheraluminum frame with 10 horizontal ribs supporting this custom-made Boattop cover but haven't found a satisfactory way to keep cover tied down to the ribs, Lake Erie keeps blasting us with 40-70 kn gusts and the old Boy Scout tiedown methods just don't wokr too well! I am off to redo this cover AGAIN ......as soon as the snow lets up .... fair winds to you all, MitchM
Well thanks for all the good ideas. we have a bolted-togetheraluminum frame with 10 horizontal ribs supporting this custom-made Boattop cover but haven't found a satisfactory way to keep cover tied down to the ribs, Lake Erie keeps blasting us with 40-70 kn gusts and the old Boy Scout tiedown methods just don't wokr too well! I am off to redo this cover AGAIN ......as soon as the snow lets up .... fair winds to you all, MitchM
ye olde square knot
Diana's winter cover. With the rig off the boat I stood a dummy 2x4 mast screwed into the mast step and made a 2x3 A-frame in the cockpit, connecting them with 2-inch PVC pipe as a ridge pole and draping the 10x20-ft tarp over it. I drilled 1/2" spade-bitt holes through the upper side of the PVC and actually screwed the lower side down to the wood, thus eliminating the possibility of the tarp tearing on the screwheads if otherwise. The tarp's edges come right down to the toerail where I lashed it with square knots in small bits of line at every grommet, about 12 inches apart. To keep it tight I rigged the dummy mast with a 'forestay' of sheetline and hooked the vang between the backstay-adjuster tang and the A-frame. The forward end tended to balloon up and I put a cheap rachet-webbing thing over it. To date we have had snow and 60-mph winds and it hasn't moved. Best if all it covers the whole cockpit and makes it very cosy to work inside the boat-- warm enough to let 5200 kick off and comfortably out of the rain and wind. Everyone's got a solution to this issue. I've always been fond of the one-gallon milk jugs filled with (freezing) water myself... but they swing wildly and you don't want to catch one in the head! JC 2
Diana's winter cover. With the rig off the boat I stood a dummy 2x4 mast screwed into the mast step and made a 2x3 A-frame in the cockpit, connecting them with 2-inch PVC pipe as a ridge pole and draping the 10x20-ft tarp over it. I drilled 1/2" spade-bitt holes through the upper side of the PVC and actually screwed the lower side down to the wood, thus eliminating the possibility of the tarp tearing on the screwheads if otherwise. The tarp's edges come right down to the toerail where I lashed it with square knots in small bits of line at every grommet, about 12 inches apart. To keep it tight I rigged the dummy mast with a 'forestay' of sheetline and hooked the vang between the backstay-adjuster tang and the A-frame. The forward end tended to balloon up and I put a cheap rachet-webbing thing over it. To date we have had snow and 60-mph winds and it hasn't moved. Best if all it covers the whole cockpit and makes it very cosy to work inside the boat-- warm enough to let 5200 kick off and comfortably out of the rain and wind. Everyone's got a solution to this issue. I've always been fond of the one-gallon milk jugs filled with (freezing) water myself... but they swing wildly and you don't want to catch one in the head! JC 2
What marina
Mitch. whereabouts is your boat located. I have a 30 CAt at Bay Harbour. Now you have made me decide to go check on my cover. I tie it like you do. Good luck on a fix. I like the idea of the bloke in NY.
Mitch. whereabouts is your boat located. I have a 30 CAt at Bay Harbour. Now you have made me decide to go check on my cover. I tie it like you do. Good luck on a fix. I like the idea of the bloke in NY.
Tie downs
Lots of good ideas. Net sounds good as does the OJ containers. Fella I bought 'Rocky Too' from used 1 gal. milk containers filled with water and tied to the tarp grommets. Good Luck, those winds can be nasty !!! Bill
Lots of good ideas. Net sounds good as does the OJ containers. Fella I bought 'Rocky Too' from used 1 gal. milk containers filled with water and tied to the tarp grommets. Good Luck, those winds can be nasty !!! Bill
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