Boat Cover

[Connor_Ruf]

Just need some tips or photos on how you guys have your boat covers setup. Been using PVC poles straight up in the boat but tend to fall over, looking for more of a stable system with little cost. Being 17 i am broke. Thanks!

 

[Brine]

2 x 4's and a tarp

 

[Bad Wolf]

Do you already have a cover or are you using a tarp?

Drawing on my Boy Scout background I would make a couple of inverted "T's" out of 2x4's place them at 1/3 and 2/3 the way down the center of the boat. Run a line from the bow up over your two poles down to the stern and run two lines side to side over the tops of the poles.
You have now made a tent frame that should let you tie down a tarp and shed water. Hang milk jugs of water from the tarp to keep it tight.

 

[Connor_Ruf]

I am currently using a tarp

 

[Ranchero50]

I just used my seat pin bases and slid 1.5" PVC over them. Stupidy simple and even effective at keeping most of the water out.

I have less than $100 in the whole contraption.

 

[BigTerp]

Ranchero50 » Yesterday, 6:14 pm[/url]"]I just used my seat pin bases and slid 1.5" PVC over them. Stupidy simple and even effective at keeping most of the water out.

I have less than $100 in the whole contraption.

Genius!! Been thinking of how I was going to do mine when the time comes. This seems like the simpliest/easiest way to go.

 

[chevyrulz]

i did mine from rail to rail on the boat, i had seen a picture of someone else on the internet who did it, so i can't take credit for the idea. I think I used (6) 1.5"x1" PVC T-fittings that i cut to fit the rails of my boat, & (2) 8' 1" PVC pipes to make 3 curved, hoop style supports for my jon boat cover on my 1436. the t fittings might have been 1.25" by 3/4" or something similar, but I'm sure you could make these from several different sizes with the same result. the idea is to get the supports to be small enough to bend so they clamp to the side rails & stay put. the t fitting should be able to be cut so that it will match closely to the diameter of the rails of your boat in order to clamp onto or straddle the rails. i cut the supports long, & cut them down a couple inches @ a time until they fit perfectly. i thought i was going to have to take a heat gun to them to get em to keep the curve, but i left em in place for a day in the sun under the cover, & they held their shape. the rear hoop is much longer than the others, just because my cover was too big there & it always pooled water there before i made the supports. the front hoop is the smallest because the boat narrows @ the bow. what i did to get my rough measurement, was just stick the 8' stick of PVC on one side, bend it to make a hoop, then mark the other side for my cut. then cut it down from there to fit the cover height. it takes like 3 seconds to put them up & take them down, & they take up almost no space in my shed while i'm out on the boat.

total cost was under $20

it keeps even torrential rain from pooling, & keeps the cover from coming off due to wind. it's trailerable too with the cover strapped down.

now water just sheds off the cover :mrgreen:

i'll try to get a picture to put up here later tonight or tomorrow so you can see what i'm talking about

 

[FerrisBueller]

I did similar to what chevyrulz did, using 1" pvc bent between the rails using modified T's to grab each side. After they are on for a day they bend nicely and hold the bend making it easier the next time. also very very inexpensive. Basically you just make support pieces and try it out and move them around or add more where needed. Keeps the rain off and helps while trailering as well!

 

[chevyrulz]

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Ive used both chevy's concept and an a-frame concept similar to Ranchero's. The A-frame is by far the best way to go from my experience.

 

[FerrisBueller]

If you're going strictly for structure then yes it's easier to build it up and create a big structural frame like Ranchero's, but if you are looking to trailer it as well then going with something like Chevy's concept is slick, because it trailers well and it breaks down easily and can all fit into the truck.

 

[chevyrulz]

there's plenty of ways to do it, i chose the one i did because of cost & ease of storage. i didn't want some big frame to have to leave in my yard while i'm out on the boat

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

I liked the a-frame option better. In my experience it was easier and faster to deploy, sturdier and shed rain and snow better. The other design would collapse because it has no longitudinal supports and relies on tension to stay upright. I got tired of dealing with that and went to an a-frame setup.

My original setup was just like chevy's. I mean exactly.

 

[chevyrulz]

yea if you're trying to hold up a bunch of snow, my setup is not going to be ideal unless you put some Ts at the top of the hoops and attach the 3 ribs together with PVC, otherwise might fall over under the weight of snow piles. you'll need a frame style to hold up that much weight. mine stay put well because the tension of the cover being strapped down holds them in place. mine sheds the water so it never ends up with a puddle so weight is a non-issue for me, it also doesn't snow much around here. the frame style is definitely going to be faster to put up just like mentioned above