Advice for how to fit the cockpit cover.

[sven@tryding.se]

Hi,

While mooring in a marina, how should I best use the cockpit cover?
Fit it over / ontop of the boom?  Or just flat over the cockpit? Have the boom held up by the main halyard?
All different advice of fitting the cover are welcome, pictures are really welcome.

Regards
Sven

[Graham W]

Sven,

Here's a picture of my cockpit cover, attached quite high up on the mainmast and mizzen mast so that it forms a taut tent over the cockpit.  That way, there can be no puddling in the cover fabric and water can't collect (it can cause damage because it's heavy) but runs straight over the sides.

The plastic catches securing the straps around the masts weren't strong enough and broke soon after this photo was taken.  I've now replaced them with stainless steel versions.

I don't think you can see it in the photo but the boom is held up horizontally by the main halyard and by my double topping lift.  It is also strapped to the mizzen to stop it flapping about.

[sven@tryding.se]

Great with your picture and your description. Thanks Graham.
It was somewhat like this I have been trying to do last summer but I failed with the mizzen part.  I didn't manage to attach the cover close upto the mizzen. I will try set it up like this on land quite soon. When the sun is more permanent on a weekend here .    then I can remove the winter awning and fit the cockpit cover.

[sven@tryding.se]

Graham,
When I study the picture I take it that you keep the boom in the boom cover above the cockpit cover tent?
Together with the topmast? And with sail attached? 
The cover tent,  do you have anykind of string/rope/line/wire between the main mast and the mizzen mast? Or is the cover just attached at the ends?

[Graham W]

Sven,

Correct, everything to do with the mainsail is bundled under the sail cover when at the marina.  It's much too much work to disassemble everything, although I think some owners do.  There are also covers over the jib and mizzen. It's only to stop UV and seagull damage.  Unlike Chris, I never suffered any sort of seagull damage at Pwllheli Marina.  There might be something about the way the boom and covers were rigged that discouraged them from perching.  Or perhaps the staff there had orders to shoot on sight?

I don't have a rope stretching under the cover's ridge, although that might help to keep tension.  I do stretch the end catches hard around the masts, which explains why the plastic versions broke.  The worst places for cover sag (and water accumulation) seem to be towards the back.  I've seen it suggested that placing some sort of metal frame (like an old clothes rack) underneath there would stop this from happening.  I don't think it's necessary as long as you put sufficient tension on all the fastenings.  And I have quite enough gear on my boat already without trying to find somewhere to stow a clothes rack!

[david]

Hi Graham,
                    What do you have along the rub rail that is holding down the cover. Any chance of a close up?

Regards,

[Graham W]

David,

In the UK they're called lacing buttons and are made from black nylon.  They're fixed to the underside of the wooden rubbing strake at regular intervals, facing downwards, using countersunk M4 or no.8 stainless steel screws. They need to be placed with enough space between the inboard side of each button and the hull so that stout bungee cord can be slipped over them. I think they're called something different in the US - maybe bungee buttons.  The ones that I have are probably made by Osculati and have a nice wide base so that not all the bungee stress is put on the screws http://osculati.com/en/cat/Scheda.aspx?id=16310

On Turaco, the same buttons, once installed, have multiple uses - to secure the boat cover, to hold down the net that I use over the boat when trailering and to secure the official cockpit tent, all of which have bungee cord laced into their sides. Photo of one of them in use below.

[jonno]

And not only black. Ella's are white which means they don't show up against her white hull.

I'd worried that they would catch or otherwise be damaged against pontoons, etc. but they've been fine: no problem. On Ella, they secure the cockpit tent.

John

[Tony]

Hi, Graham.
Re: Tarpaulin sag and water pooling.
I have this problem, too. After rain, the weight of water was enough to tear the reinforced tarps I use  to cover "Four Sisters" on her trailer at the yacht club  (I don't keep her on a mooring.)
On my allotment I use blue water pipe https://www.pipestock.com/mdpe/mdpe-pipe-lengths-blue as a support for anti-carrot fly netting. It's cheap, tough and lasts for ever. I use a couple of lengths, spaced to hold up the tarp over the CBLs cockpit. I tie some cord to the stern, then to the tubes and finally to the foredeck. This stops the tubes collapsing when I drag the heavy tarp over them. I find I do not need any permanet fitting to hold the "feet" of the tubes in place, even in a gale of wind. The friction between tube and WR Cedar seating is sufficient. They take up very little room in the cockpit when sailing. I also use one of them to hold up the rear of the cockpit tent. The front is draped over the spray hood.
I will search out some of those buttons you are using. They'll replace the nasty, sharp metal hooks i'm using at the moment!

[david]

David,

In the UK they're called lacing buttons and are made from black nylon.  They're fixed to the underside of the wooden rubbing strake at regular intervals, facing downwards, using countersunk M4 or no.8 stainless steel screws. They need to be placed with enough space between the inboard side of each button and the hull so that stout bungee cord can be slipped over them. I think they're called something different in the US - maybe bungee buttons.  The ones that I have are probably made by Osculati and have a nice wide base so that not all the bungee stress is put on the screws http://osculati.com/en/cat/Scheda.aspx?id=16310

On Turaco, the same buttons, once installed, have multiple uses - to secure the boat cover, to hold down the net that I use over the boat when trailering and to secure the official cockpit tent, all of which have bungee cord laced into their sides. Photo of one of them in use below.

Hi Graham, Well phew, what a journey around the internet looking for these! I could find in the U.K. and OZ easily. The U.S. proved to be a little more challenging. I found some at http://www.hookandcord.com/SURFACE-ATTACHMENT-BUTTON_p_173.
The cost for 10 is $5.80 and the shipping is $7.40. I have to pay the shipping not matter the size of the order, I tried that route also They will accommodate 1/4 inch bungee. Thanks for your help with this.

[Graham W]

Those should do the job.  Expensive!

[Peter Taylor]

I thought I'd just stress that, if a boat is being left covered, how vital it is that the cockpit cover is taught enough and sloped enough over a high boom so that no rain water can pool in it. Sadly I can illustrate with two recent examples.

First, a neighbour covered his boat at his jetty just down river from where I am. Like so many people around here who have bought cheap second hand boats (often off ebay) he has little boating experience. He used a sheet of plastic "tarp", of the sort you get in B&Q, to cover the boat. The photo shows the result. I assume that some water seeped through the cover into the boat and a lot more water pooled in the cover. As a result the boat capsized. Admittedly, once heeled, the boat may have caught on the jetty to finally capsize it.

Second a Seafly racing dinghy which, sad to say, some years ago belonged to me. I part exchanged it for a new Seafly and the boat builders sold it on to a family in Scotland. Eventually it has ended up abandoned on its trolley in the Royal Forth Yacht Club boat park. Under the weight of water pooling in the cover the GRP/foam composite hull has been bowed in and on one side has cracked. Repairable, but I suspect no one will think it worth the effort and the boat will be broken up. The Yacht Club are presently trying to find someone who might want it. It was a fine racing dinghy when I had it, sad.

Peter

ps (advertisement!) my Seafly web site: http://seaflymemories.uk

[plasticpaddy]

Sven,

Correct, everything to do with the mainsail is bundled under the sail cover when at the marina.  It's much too much work to disassemble everything, although I think some owners do.  There are also covers over the jib and mizzen. It's only to stop UV and seagull damage.  Unlike Chris, I never suffered any sort of seagull damage at Pwllheli Marina.  There might be something about the way the boom and covers were rigged that discouraged them from perching.  Or perhaps the staff there had orders to shoot on sight?

I don't have a rope stretching under the cover's ridge, although that might help to keep tension.  I do stretch the end catches hard around the masts, which explains why the plastic versions broke.  The worst places for cover sag (and water accumulation) seem to be towards the back.  I've seen it suggested that placing some sort of metal frame (like an old clothes rack) underneath there would stop this from happening.  I don't think it's necessary as long as you put sufficient tension on all the fastenings.  And I have quite enough gear on my boat already without trying to find somewhere to stow a clothes rack!

Hi Graham

Where did you get, or did you make the mizzen and Jib covers? I have a mooring in SW ireland where I keep the boat for some weekends to save me getting Meg on and off the trailer during the summer and Have been looking for something exactly like this. for sun and wind protection.

Sean

[Graham W]

Hi Sean,

It's going back a good few years and I had to search for the answer, but here it is http://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/smf/index.php/topic,489.msg2894.html#msg2894.

I don't know if Walrus are still in business but if not, any half-decent sailmaker should be able to run up some covers for you.