How To Approach This Boat Cover?

[Mike]

In the wayer i agree no cord snaps. I ised to have a shop on a lake across from a marina. Many boats had drawcord cover and the nex weekend they came to find the cover half blow off the boat and. Sme to me cor a snap on cover.   Ive done as dbr also with sections and it was alot easier to install
This was a silverton window back cover cabin top forward rnen frim the cabin base over the gunnels around the raling. With snaps
http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/covers/100_0363.jpg

[jojo]

Looks great, Mike, but I don't see the snaps?

[DBR1957]

Jojo - You don't want to put snaps anywhere they can catch on something. I've seen boats that had them
installed in the hull a few inches below the rub rail and were ripped out when the boat laid up against a dock.
Also when rafting together it puts them in a position to cause damage to another boat if the captain doesn't
get the fenders tied on before approaching. I know it sounds stupid but I've seen a lot of stupid stuff happen
on the water and in marinas in my time.

If you go the rubrail route they have to go on the underside only if the rail is thick enough. You don't want to put
them on the face of the rail because they can snap a line just when you're trying to land that big one. If the
customer is an avid fisher and you must do a snap on cover I would go a couple of inches above the rub rail.
That leaves a comfortable space to grab the edge of the cover when taking it off but low enough so it doesn't
put the snaps in the way of a fishing line just like on the face of the rubrail.

In cases like this I explain the pros and cons of each method to my customer and let them make the decision. 

[Mike]

Your right DBR i forgot this was about 5 years old.
Everything snaped on down tot he skirt that gyps snaped to the mIn.covers. Ut no snaps were used in the hull this wasnt to be used in the water i forgot.  But there could have been ive install them just under the rubrail
As this whaler. http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/covers/ttopmooring2s.jpg
I dont like itnas salt. Will mess them up. And i r install just s ove the rubrail  better.  But never on a fishing boat

[jojo]

M ike,

Is that cover secure enough for travel  (freeway speeds) with just the snaps alone, or did you also add something (like tabs with grommets) for extra security?

[Mike]

Jojo that cover was done in 3 parts one a normal. O kpit cover over thebglass to the stern. Then a cover that snaped on also covering the cabin. Tyen a skirt that snaped to thoose covers and  overed the gunnels down to tue rubrails that had ties to hols it down this was only for drystorage in the summer the boat would never be traileres it was 40+ feet.  Onnthe trailerei g point though i have made many cockpit cover that just snapped on then mid 90s ecerybody wanted to cover the glass also making the job more difficult and more money. The covers that covered the glass i found were more probe to come off at highway speeds so i began add g a couple
Locking fastners on them. I had a dealor delevering a new. Boat that lost i on the road somewhere. And had to make a new one.

[jojo]

Thanks Mike, that's a good idea...don't know why I didn't think of it!

[DBR1957]

M ike,

Is that cover secure enough for travel  (freeway speeds) with just the snaps alone, or did you also add something (like tabs with grommets) for extra security?

I never tell a customer they can tow a boat with a cover on. Especially one with snaps. I've seen boats that had the snaps ripped out of the hull because the customer towed with it on.

You have no idea how fast the customer will drive or in what weather conditions. Bad idea to tell a customer
they can tow with a cover on. I won't even tell them they can tow with a strap down storage cover on. I know
there are companies that offer trailerable covers but I've fixed a bunch of those.

[Mike]

Ya its never a good idea to trailer with a canvas on its like leaving your canvas on in a hurricane