Support for a Boat Cover or Tarp

[kmclemore]

Hi folks.. I'm looking for good ideas for making a support of some kind for my boat tarp. Presently, it sags between the mast and the lifeline staunchions, leaving a 'slump', where water, leaves and ice accumulate constantly. The weight of these accumulations is causing my tarp to get punctured at the tips of the lifeline staunchions and I'm sick of buying tarps. Plus, it would be great if I could find a way to support the tarp high enough to go forward on deck with it installed.

So, I tried making a 'ribcage' out of pvc pipe, but when I tried bending it (with the tips placed at the bottom of the staunchions) the PVC just snapped - too much bending I guess. I'm thinking of making one of wood, but before I go off and create another disaster, I thought I'd ask the wonderful combined intellegence here....

Any other brilliant ideas for supporting a tarp?

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

I was impressed with a boat in my marina that has a custom blue wrap around canvas with brass twists that secure it. It even has custom flaps that cover "see thru" plastic viewing holes. I cant imagine what the $$$$ expense for this is...but its definately a solution. It fits the boat perfectly, with a thru hole for the mast.

Im also looking for good ideas to cover the Mac...but not as expensive as the above solution.

[Dannie]

I think the idea of the PVC pipe is a good one, my 26X is in a slip in Seattle area so I was just going to add a boom tent to help with some of the rain and weather.
Why don't you continue to use the PVC pipe but fabricate it with 45 degree elbows at the correct placement to build a wrapped frame but the vertical sections will not have the stress of an aggressive bed to them. This could then be built in sections to drop in place and then you can fabricate it for the full length of the boat. I would think this is a very in-expensive process and you can then even have lateral support with each of the ribbed sections.


Just an idea....

[parrothead]

I fabricated a tarp support "ribcage" last year for our 's first winter, and it worked just fine. Blue Heaven was just pulled for the season on Tuesday so is still without a cover at this point - hence no photos to share.

I used 10' sections of grey plastic electrical conduit (not truly PVC, I believe), secured to the base of the stanchions with zip ties on each side of the boat. They took the bend ok without breaking. I then tied them together with a longitudinal ridge pole of the same material -- creating a "covered wagon" sort of frame that stands well above the mast. Forward of the front stanchions the ridge pole incorporates a 45 degree bend (a standard conduit connector piece) downward so that it meets the mast about mid-way along the pulpit. Then I covered it with a 15'x30' white tarp. I do put rubber caps over the tops of the stanchions to help avoid tarp punctures.

The end result is a package that is laced together at the bow but open at the stern (closed off with a small vertical tarp that drapes over the rudders and the outboard motor). The snow slides off, and it is easy to board via the stern ladder to enter the cabin or even crawl forward above the cabin if desired. The white tarp transmits plenty of light for daytime visibility within and does not trap heat like a darker color would.

[Lorne Colish]

I've become so frustrated with attempts to cover the boat well,that I now simply remove the roller furling ,clean and wax the surface,adjust the trailer to tilt aft,winterize the motor and plug in my onboard "smart" charger.
I wash and wax in the spring and hope the boat doesn't deteriorate before I do. I'm 58,so you younger guys have more incentive to take better care.

[kmclemore]

Thanks, guys.... food for thought. I like the idea of using electrical conduit.. great idea.

Lorne, I wish I had the option of leaving it open, but here at our place we've got more trees than ants - and the leaves that fall make nasty stains on the deck, not to mention clogging the transom drain.

[parrothead]

I did find a couple of photos of my cover [from last year]. The method of securing the electrical conduit arches is pretty clear -- and the "ridge pole" was actually PVC, which I had forgotten.

[ronacarme]

No cage....Mast is sole support. Plastic blue tarps.
Front lifelines down, spreaders off mast and lying on cabin top.
Pad sharp stuff on the mast,etc.
Cabin top tarp, 6 ft fore/aft, extends laterally between stanchions so needs to be 12 ft or more laterally. Not a stock size, so I lashed 2 6x8 ft tarps end to end, the lashed together 6 ft ends extending along atop the mast.
Front tarp, sized to extend from bow pulpit aft to cabin top tarp, e.g.12 x14 stock tarp, lash the tarps together.
Cockpit tarp, sized to extend from cabin top tarp aft to stern, slit side edges to receive stanchion leg at front of cockpit and sew or duct tape across the outboard ends of the slit, side portions of the tarp extend outboard UNDER the cockpit lifelines.
Transom tarp, e.g. stock 6x8 tarp, hang diamond style, top corner tied to mast, left and right corners wrap around opposite sides of the stern, lash topsides to aft edges of cockpit tarp, covers aft end of cockpit and motor.
Lash all around to trailer frame.
Lasts 2 winters in SW MI, maybe 3. Cheap to replace tarps, tie downs reuseable.
Custom unitary cover would be quicker to install, but bulky to store and MANY more $.
One man's answer.
Ron

[R Rae]

Kevin,
Do you recall whether you were using schedule 20 or 40 PVC piping?

The sched. 40 with its heavier construction doesn't have any real flex compared to the 20 grade.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

I recommend to my customers not to cover their boat, except in a case like Kevin's

at our place we've got more trees than ants - and the leaves that fall make nasty stains on the deck, not to mention clogging the transom drain.

By not covering the boat, the UV degradation for the whole winter (in my area of the north coast) is about the same as one month in the summer ( + / - ).
I sell, on average, one replacement mast a year to someone who tarped over their boat, which lets the water and snow collect and freeze, and breaks their mast.

[kmclemore]

Kevin,
Do you recall whether you were using schedule 20 or 40 PVC piping?

The sched. 40 with its heavier construction doesn't have any real flex compared to the 20 grade.

No, I don't recall, Rae, but I suspect it was the heavier stuff, since I had used the same stuff to build a pneumatic cannon and I was concerned about it rupturing.

[kmclemore]

I sell, on average, one replacement mast a year to someone who tarped over their boat, which lets the water and snow collect and freeze, and breaks their mast.

Yeah, I was kinda worried about that, too, Bill, so my mast is supported in 4 places... so far, no problem with the mast sagging.

And thanks for the pics, PH. That's exactly what I was looking for!

[KayakDan]

We were faced with the same situation(tarp sagging spots),and I neded a quick solution. Took a piece of 3" PVC about 2ft long,and cut a "saddle" in the top to cradle the mast. I drilled through the base (had to drill off center to fit) and used the existing mast securing bolt to hold the base. End result was to raise the front of the mast level with the rear,making the angle of the tarp steeper,so the snow will slide off. I also made a quick center support with a piece of 2x4,with a notch cut in it for the mast,and it is seated on the mast step. The tarp is draped over the mast and secured to the trailer with bungees.
I invested about 15 minutes making this rig,as a last minute effort.
Kevin,no reason you couldn't just use a longer PVC section to make standing room.

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

I do put rubber caps over the tops of the stanchions to help avoid tarp punctures.
.

I use tennis balls. Simply cut (drill) a small hole to slip over the stanchions, and cut a short slice for the lines--they slip over the lines and stanchions well. $$ cheap too....

[kmclemore]

I do put rubber caps over the tops of the stanchions to help avoid tarp punctures..

I use tennis balls. Simply cut (drill) a small hole to slip over the stanchions, and cut a short slice for the lines--they slip over the lines and stanchions well. $$ cheap too....

Oooo... Good idea!