Pleas see: "Help from 290 Owners" Mid-size boats Thanks if you have given me an idea/answer all ready.
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That wonderful cover!
I have the delightful cover on my 320. At first I had all the problems you describe then I worked out a system. I climb the mast all the way to the top and then slide down the topping lift head first until I reach the traveller. Then I pull the zipper on with my teeth and do a back flip into the water for a finale! What MORON at Hunter keeps shipping these out?!?!? Not only can't I reach it (and I'm over 6 foot) bu the cover is not big enough to handle a properly flaked sail! You just have to crunch it in there. This is the one thing I HATE about my boat. Ok - I have to cool down now. That's better. There is a trick that actually works for me. First, I pull the traveller all the way to port. Then I stand outside the arch with one knee kind of holding on to the arch. I reach up with both hands (I'm tied to a dock thank God!), utter every curse I know, and start the zipper. Note that this is done on the port side. For weeks I tried it on the starboard side and I could not get it to work. Something about where my hands are I guess. Switch sides and It might help you. Of course, if I was an inch shorter I'd be out of luck. Someone should send these threads to Hunter. They need to be aware of it. Can you believe someone actually had to put a harness on in order to zip up their sail cover? Something wrong here. As for me, I am replacing the (&*^*$%$ lazy jacks (designed to optimally catch those battens on the way up and down) with a Dutchman system. At the same time I having the cover replaced with a custom one with the zipper starting at the mast. Look towards Chicago tomorrow and you will see the smoke from my ceremonial burning of tyhe Hunter cover. This rant is now concluded.
I have the delightful cover on my 320. At first I had all the problems you describe then I worked out a system. I climb the mast all the way to the top and then slide down the topping lift head first until I reach the traveller. Then I pull the zipper on with my teeth and do a back flip into the water for a finale! What MORON at Hunter keeps shipping these out?!?!? Not only can't I reach it (and I'm over 6 foot) bu the cover is not big enough to handle a properly flaked sail! You just have to crunch it in there. This is the one thing I HATE about my boat. Ok - I have to cool down now. That's better. There is a trick that actually works for me. First, I pull the traveller all the way to port. Then I stand outside the arch with one knee kind of holding on to the arch. I reach up with both hands (I'm tied to a dock thank God!), utter every curse I know, and start the zipper. Note that this is done on the port side. For weeks I tried it on the starboard side and I could not get it to work. Something about where my hands are I guess. Switch sides and It might help you. Of course, if I was an inch shorter I'd be out of luck. Someone should send these threads to Hunter. They need to be aware of it. Can you believe someone actually had to put a harness on in order to zip up their sail cover? Something wrong here. As for me, I am replacing the (&*^*$%$ lazy jacks (designed to optimally catch those battens on the way up and down) with a Dutchman system. At the same time I having the cover replaced with a custom one with the zipper starting at the mast. Look towards Chicago tomorrow and you will see the smoke from my ceremonial burning of tyhe Hunter cover. This rant is now concluded.
Watch that zipper!
If you're making a sail cover, you may want to pass on the zipper, too, especially if it zips from the top down. Depending on your height, you can still find yourself using all three hands and teeth, even with that setup. My next boat will buckle, snap, twist, or do anything other than zip from the top!
If you're making a sail cover, you may want to pass on the zipper, too, especially if it zips from the top down. Depending on your height, you can still find yourself using all three hands and teeth, even with that setup. My next boat will buckle, snap, twist, or do anything other than zip from the top!
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