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General Upholstery Questions and Comments => General Discussion => Topic started by: jojo on February 03, 2013, 01:33:03 pm

Title: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: jojo on February 03, 2013, 01:33:03 pm
Hi guys,
I'm attempting my first cover with a webbing ratcheted perimeter under the rubrail.  It's a 19' Malibu Skier.
How many ratchets should I use on this? The owner has access to both sides of the boat and the stern when it is in the slip.
Is one enough?
Thanks!
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Mike on February 03, 2013, 01:49:25 pm
 I never used a ratchet but I will use one buckle  what ratchet will you use?
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: jojo on February 03, 2013, 02:28:35 pm
Mike, like a ratcheting tie down buckle for 1" webbing.
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Mike on February 03, 2013, 02:51:21 pm
are you going to use a normal one like off a strap? I know june found a source for a stainless one but I don't think it was cheap
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: jojo on February 03, 2013, 03:30:08 pm
That's also the kind of advice I was hoping to get....I think I can use the regular kind as opposed to stainless because the boat will only be used on a lake and not the ocean?
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: JuneC on February 03, 2013, 03:47:27 pm
Just one ratchet on a strap for a boat that size should be more than enough.  The SS ratchet buckle isn't terribly priced - I REALLY like the Steritool ratchets :

http://www.steritool.com/tools/tie_down.htm#oneinch

The standard buckle is just $12 which I think is really reasonable for the quality.  Of course, every time I get on their website I start looking at all their SS hand tools and want to get something else.  In another life I must have been a gear-head  ::)

June
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Mike on February 04, 2013, 08:19:48 pm
june wich one do you use I was looking at
#10407   1" Overcenter Buckle. 304SS    
260 lbs working load  

$8.00      

look good enough to do the job foot a 20-25' cover but them I put it in my cart as if to order and it daid there is a $20 charge for orders under $150 that a bummer. I want to make a cover for my center console and its  lift is postitoned that I couldn't have access to straps under the hull this would be good

but withy shipping it was $21+ change then add a $20 surcharge I hate to add $40+ to each cover if I did all like this so $41  for one buckle is this the way it is for you june?
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Mike on February 05, 2013, 01:32:11 pm
June you don't have a closup pic of how you do the buckle do you ?  do you have a hook and d ring> it yis hard to insert the webbing into the barrel of the ratchets I have used before I would think you would have about a foot to crank    then a hook of some sort.
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: JuneC on February 05, 2013, 03:23:14 pm
The minimum order thing is new.  There never used to be any charge for small orders.  The heck with that.  I like them better than the Strapworks buckle, but I'm not going to pay that much of a premium. 

   http://www.strapworks.com/Ratchet_Buckle_p/ssrb.htm

No hook or d-ring.  The end of the webbing strap just feeds through the buckle and you wrench it in just like the tie-downs on a boat trailer.

June
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Darren Henry on February 05, 2013, 05:11:29 pm
It took me a while to find these pics, I hope I'm not too late. Here's what I do with my ratchets and the ratchet that I get from J.Ennis fabrics[ one U.S warehouse in Indianapolis].

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe216%2Fdjh_64%2Fth_traveltiedown.jpg&hash=ee71ac738a4738aa484adeb5216dd1d4) (http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e216/djh_64/?action=view&current=traveltiedown.jpg)

I have also padded underneath the ratchet with piano felt and Vintex (aka herculite,gladiator,et al) on request. Once it's tied up you just flip the flap over onto the corresponding velcro to keep the crud and rain out.

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe216%2Fdjh_64%2Fth_traveltiedownclosed.jpg&hash=d46f0d072fa35210d55e2c61bed28f10) (http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e216/djh_64/?action=view&current=traveltiedownclosed.jpg)
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Mike on February 05, 2013, 06:18:12 pm
I deal with enjis ill have to see if thoose are stainless or not.
How do you all deal with a strap pocket do younjust make it with sunbrella on a sunbrella cover.
Wieh i make a cover  under the bow i dont just let it gather the pocket under the rubrail i pattern it with flat planes against the hull.  So ive have good results without a pocket forthe strap. And once its on it aint comming off.  See
http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/covers/100_1421.jpg

So im thinking this would still work but raher the. A derlin buckle a ratchet would be much better.
Espicialy as i only have acces to the rear port corner running strap inder the boat id have to go swiming.

http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/seacraft/90c0fad5.jpg
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Darren Henry on February 06, 2013, 04:21:57 am
That first pic may be a little deceiving. The webbing is sewn into the hem all the way around the boat instead of the the usual rope or shock cord. That piece hanging down is just the free end. It isn't attached to anything.

I don't need stainless up here. Fresh water and very dry compared to coastal areas.
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: jojo on February 06, 2013, 07:15:22 am
No it's not too late....thank you Darren! And June and Mike. Exactly the info I was looking for. I'm starting it next week, and will keep you posted.
Thanks again!
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Mike on February 06, 2013, 12:14:56 pm
Darren is rhe web inv loose in the hem a pocket   0r lile mine pic the red one the web ing was seen in with binding as a snap on cover is. No movement of the webing.
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: jojo on February 06, 2013, 01:22:37 pm
Never thought of that possibility Mike. Yet another decision to make. I see the advantage of sewing the webbing onto the sunbrella, as you wouldn't have chafing of the webbing against the fabric.
But Darrens does look loose in the hem. That's the way I would have done it, but now not so sure.
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Darren Henry on February 06, 2013, 04:25:03 pm
Mine are loose in a pocket made by hemming the edge of the cover just as you would do with a rope normally. The only difference being the last couple of feet on which ever side of the transom you you want the ratchet on. As you can see; there I cut it long enough to  pass behind the ratchet and fold over to the velcro strip above.

I've never tried sewing it into the hem;but physics would be in favour of it moving independently from the canvas.

Quoteyou wouldn't have chafing of the webbing against the fabric.


There is no chafing. This method draws the hem of the cover far tighter than any two people standing on dry ground behind the boat could ever draw a rope and tie it off on the opposing handles,and poly web doesn't stretch like rope over time. Once you cinch that bad boy down; it ain't goin' nowhere. That's why I use this in applications like Mike's second picture, you don't require straps under the boat.
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Mike on February 06, 2013, 08:21:30 pm
let me ask you this Darren on that red cover I did being tight form fitting  to the hull the cover cant rise up off the bow due to the angle but at the transom of a boat with a flat transom  the cover could rise up unless tied down or under the boat .
unlike the red stern angled lso securing the cover from rising

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi782.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy102%2FMike8560%2Fcovers%2Fth_100_1418.jpg&hash=63f571404510447bed2654f628ef66d8) (http://s782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/covers/100_1418.jpg)


I want to make a cover in mine the seafoam green boat I posted before full to covering the full side of the hull. normaly I don't cover the full hull and with a few strap midship at the stern I run the strapthrough the two tie down rings on the transom of the boat generally about 6" or so down below the rubrail securing positivily the cover as on the centerconsole on this lift

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi782.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy102%2FMike8560%2Fcovers%2Fth_photo2-28.jpg&hash=41a3e916aaf266b524fa9469cc275988) (http://s782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/covers/?action=view&current=photo2-28.jpg)
so what im asking is if a make a cover covering the full hull side like the red cover on mine not being able to run the strap through the tiedown rings do you think the ratchet dtrap would hold the cover down tight to the bottom not sneaking up the side in the wind without me at least having one strap under the boat right at the back where I have to only access to do so with my dock

(https://forum.upholster.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi782.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fyy102%2FMike8560%2Fseacraft%2Fth_5099e53c.jpg&hash=ec61d0a1dd259d0de095896fa4951aad) (http://s782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/seacraft/5099e53c.jpg)
Title: Re: Ratcheted Boat Cover
Post by: Darren Henry on February 07, 2013, 03:22:41 pm
I hadn't ever worried about the stern as my strap generally fits just under the motor mount so can't go anywhere.

Where the circumference of the boat is so much less down at the hem [because of the taper on the bow and sides] I can't see how it could creep up. You could always put a strap where you dock is---wouldn't be too awkward to do up if you had a pole and hook to reach under the boat to grab it--- just to be sure.You folks get a little more breeze than we do up here. Anything over 50 MPH is front page news around here.