Cratch Cover

[Daftmare]

We are about to order a new Cratch Cover for our boat, from Wilsons of Kinver.

 

Although we can of course have whatever we like, Wilsons seem to favour not having two zips on each side and are steering us towards only having one, thereby having to unhook the cover from the boat when we want to roll up the sides. They say that a two zip cratch cover is mainly suitable for boats with large front well decks.

 

Our front well deck is not huge but not particularly small either - seats 4.

 

I would appreciate any comments, or a steer in the right direction if there is a previous thread?

 

Many thanks

Jo

[Ally]

Depends how you want to use it......

If you will have the cratch up to board at all, especially while cruising, it is a lot easier boarding with it right up, i.e. one zip. Of course, if you have two, you can still roll the whole thing up onto the cratch board! We went for one, and I was quite happy with that.

[dor]

Two.

 

Two. With a clear section. Lets light in, easy to roll up.

[Neil TNC]

We are about to order a new Cratch Cover for our boat, from Wilsons of Kinver.

 

Although we can of course have whatever we like, Wilsons seem to favour not having two zips on each side and are steering us towards only having one, thereby having to unhook the cover from the boat when we want to roll up the sides. They say that a two zip cratch cover is mainly suitable for boats with large front well decks.

 

Our front well deck is not huge but not particularly small either - seats 4.

 

I would appreciate any comments, or a steer in the right direction if there is a previous thread?

 

Many thanks

Jo

 

Earnest's well deck is medium sized. We were advised to have no zips and no plastic side windows. The logic behind this was the zips or the stitching to the zips always fails first and plastic windows will inevitably be effected by the ultra violet radiation from the sun. I find this no great hardship and can clip up the side faps easily from inside the boat.

While on the subject of cratch covers, Beatty's and Earnest's were made by Terry Clapham, you used to work off his pair of narrowboats (lived on the Butty, NB Ely). He was unconventional and used lorry side sheet re-inforced material with all the exterior seam heat bonded. Unfortunately he has now packed uo. Rather predictably, due to what Earnest's cover has been through it has just been replaced. Beatty's was OK after 9 years when we sold Beatty and Earnest's was OK, but battle scared after 10 years.

Last year I could not find anyone at the time that used this heavy guage re-inforced material and no-one that heat bonded seams. Does anyone know of any trimmers that do? I won't mention the well known cover maker we did use, but after 2 seasons in Ireland it is falling to bits!

[Daftmare]

Earnest's well deck is medium sized. We were advised to have no zips and no plastic side windows. The logic behind this was the zips or the stitching to the zips always fails first and plastic windows will inevitably be effected by the ultra violet radiation from the sun. I find this no great hardship and can clip up the side faps easily from inside the boat.

While on the subject of cratch covers, Beatty's and Earnest's were made by Terry Clapham, you used to work off his pair of narrowboats (lived on the Butty, NB Ely). He was unconventional and used lorry side sheet re-inforced material with all the exterior seam heat bonded. Unfortunately he has now packed uo. Rather predictably, due to what Earnest's cover has been through it has just been replaced. Beatty's was OK after 9 years when we sold Beatty and Earnest's was OK, but battle scared after 10 years.

Last year I could not find anyone at the time that used this heavy guage re-inforced material and no-one that heat bonded seams. Does anyone know of any trimmers that do? I won't mention the well known cover maker we did use, but after 2 seasons in Ireland it is falling to bits!

 

 

Thanks for this. Just so long as the well known cover maker you used, is not the one I am just about to use!

J.

[Neil TNC]

Thanks for this. Just so long as the well known cover maker you used, is not the one I am just about to use!

J.

 

No

You will be OK with Wilson's. AFAIK the kind of material they use is a bit "strechy", so it will always look smart. I don't suppose you intend your cratch cover (with internal bracing) to hold up to this kind of treatment.

Just as well Earnest is retired form all that kind of stuff.

[Daftmare]

No

You will be OK with Wilson's. AFAIK the kind of material they use is a bit "strechy", so it will always look smart. I don't suppose you intend your cratch cover (with internal bracing) to hold up to this kind of treatment.

Just as well Earnest is retired form all that kind of stuff.

 

Doubt we will be doing much of that!

We have decided on no side windows though. They seem to split so easily and we will get light in through the front cratch windows anyway.

J.

Edited February 10, 2009 by Daftmare

[Steve3]

Doubt we will be doing much of that!

We have decided on no side windows though. They seem to split so easily and we will get light in through the front catch windows anyway.

J.

 

Hi

We had a cratch cover by Wilsons nearly 5 years ago, they advised us on 1 zip but we insisted on 2 and have been very happy with it.

Also had side windows but with covers on the outside for privacy(glass front doors with no curtains).

Still in good condition although we did rip a zip out in wide locks but they took it away and repaired it, and at a very reasonable price.

To avoid it ripping again we no longer have it hanging over the side but have had a lip of steel welded around the inside of the gunwhale and the cover now fixes to this with press studs. This to me looks better and allows access to the front deck in an emergency, again the cover was modified by Wilsons for next to nothing considering they took it away, modified it and refitted.

The cover is fabric which needs cleaning and waterproofing once a year but is lasting very well.

Hope this helps

Steve

No connection with the above company.

[David Schweizer]

Personally I would go for no zips and no windows. As someone has already suggested it is the stitched areas which tend to fail first, so the more stitching you have, the greater the potential for failure. The cover on our boat has neither zips or windows. It was made by AJ canopies of Braunston 11 years ago, and is just about ready for replacement this year.

 

One thing we did discover quite recently is that the best stuff to stop any minor seepage through the stitching is good old fashioned Dubbin, (still availabe from Rugby kit shops). It is cheap, and easy to apply, and far more effective than all these modern expensive seam sealants.

[Daftmare]

Goodness - now I've got to choose between 1 zip, 2 zips or NO zips! I can feel a headache coming on..

 

At least we have agreed on no windows.

Good idea about the Dubbin though.

 

J.

[David Schweizer]

Goodness - now I've got to choose between 1 zip, 2 zips or NO zips! I can feel a headache coming on..

 

At least we have agreed on no windows.

Good idea about the Dubbin though.

 

J.

Sorry about that, I should perhaps explain that the cover on our boat is always down unless thare is no chance of rain, or if we are working through locks with "leaky" walls, as we have no scuppers in the front well, and it is a pain mopping it out if it gets much water in it. If the weather is fine, we roll it right up, in one piece.

 

When the cover is down, it is quite easy just to unclip the edge, and fold back a triangle for access. It could be suggested that Zips would make this easier, but we would be doing it all the time in rainy weather, and I am not convincved that either the zips, or the stitching would survive that long under those circumstances.

Edited February 10, 2009 by David Schweizer

[T.A]

I would seriously give the windows a bit more thought! I have had a cratch cover from Wilsons which was bought with the boat (new build) it is now 3 years old it has one zip and elasticated pull cords to the cabin. Last year a tunnel jumped out on me and tore my cratch cover I took it back to Wilsons they repaired it while I had a cup of coffee in Kinver just over an hour they charged me £22 excellent, I thought so,if you need repairs replacements then this is not going to cost a arm and a leg! My windows are still ok and the light they let in and also enable you to see out when it's raining etc is worth consideration.

[MikeV]

I would seriously give the windows a bit more thought! [ ..... ] My windows are still ok and the light they let in and also enable you to see out when it's raining etc is worth consideration.

I agree. Our cratch cover came with the boat when we bought it so I don't know how old it is, but I would not be suprised if it was the supplied when the boat was new making it almost 10 years old. It was made by Wilsons.

 

There were a few tears in the main fabric which I have stitched up myself to keep it together for a little longer. However, I would say the parts that are in the best condition are the windows! So I would have no hesitation in having windows again!

[dor]

Agree with Mike here. My last boat's cover was at least 12 years old when I sold the boat. The cover has rubbed through on one corner of the cabin but apart from that I had no problem with either the zips or the windows. Not sure of the make but it wasn't a Wilsons. AJ or Coverit.

[Machpoint005]

Two zips each side, for me. With a single zip you stand a chance of straining or breaking it when wriggling out under the cratch cover in darkness (I shall not specify the reason ... but it's connected with the filling rate of the Portapotti).

 

Our old cover was from Wilsons - and probably 10 - 12 years old - and our brand new one is a Coverit with two zips.

[johnjo]

We've inherited, two zips, windows with roll up covers help up/down with velcro. Rolls up out of the way when putting stuff on the boat or when it hot.

 

I would definitely have the same again.

 

If you've got it, you can use it, if you ain't, you can't.

 

Full privacy with the window covers and they also help prevent damage to them, and if you don't want to use two zips, don't, just use the one.

 

As for weak points I took mine to a Marine Machinist in Maldon and she replaced two zips, reinforced all seams and where zips were fitted, repaired some small holes, and charged less that £60.

 

If you know it's a weak point reinforce it!

[Pie Eater]

Our boat is a 40ft cruiser with a small well deck - we opted for no windows but went for 2 zips as it makes it easier when getting on and off the boat. Just roll the section up and clip it in place.

 

Giles and Gill from Camberwell Covers made ours.

 

Steve

[Daftmare]

Thanks for the ideas.

 

I was thinking of no windows because those on our existing cratch cover are all split and taped up with sellotape. But I suppose the boat is 13 years old now and the cover was probably supplied at the time it was a new build.

 

We are having a new cratch made, which will be glazed, so I was thinking that windows would not be required in the cover, if we had a glazed front to the cratch.

 

J.

 

 

Decided on 2 zips.

J.

[Naughty Cal]

Could be worse. You could have 16 zips and 7 windows like we have!!!!!!!!

 

Not much fun after too much ale

[T.A]

Thanks for the ideas.

 

I was thinking of no windows because those on our existing cratch cover are all split and taped up with sellotape. But I suppose the boat is 13 years old now and the cover was probably supplied at the time it was a new build.

 

We are having a new cratch made, which will be glazed, so I was thinking that windows would not be required in the cover, if we had a glazed front to the cratch.

 

J.

 

 

Decided on 2 zips.

J.

Quote: "Two zips each side, for me. With a single zip you stand a chance of straining or breaking it when wriggling out under the cratch cover in darkness (I shall not specify the reason ... but it's connected with the filling rate of the Portapotti)."

 

If you have the elasticated loops to the cabin side then it is just as easy to disconnect these from the inside. My cratch frame has a glazed front but the windows allow more light and give you side visability which can be useful.

Edited February 11, 2009 by T.A

[turnbuttonboy]

Interesting reading this thread - if you are concerned about the stitching failing then buy a small bottle of seam sealant (available at any outdoors store) and run this over the threads. It is less of a problem if the thread used is acrylic but as this costs three times as much as cotton (actual cost per cratch mere pence) few cover makers seem to favour it.

 

Also windows will last a lot longer if they are stitched in rather than welded - have a look, welded windows usually fail where the window material meets the cloth. If you want to extend the life of the window material, have covers made for the outside that you can leave down when not on the boat - with this they will last as long as any cover.

 

Giles.

[dor]

It is less of a problem if the thread used is acrylic but as this costs three times as much as cotton (actual cost per cratch mere pence) few cover makers seem to favour it.

 

And dubbin will accelerate the rotting of cotton thread.

Edited February 11, 2009 by dor

[David Schweizer]

And dubbin will accelerate the rotting of cotton thread.

Dubbin does not rot cotton, it is an historic Myth which has it's roots in Military anecdotes.

 

The myth originated from the use of Dubbin on Army boots being worn in desert and very dusty areas, where the sand or dust adhered to the Dubbin left in the welts. It was the abbrasion of the sand that wore away the cotton stitching, not any rotting caused by the Dubbin. It is however probably one of the reasons why the Army used polish rather than Dubbin to waterproof their boots.

 

My former Office was located in an Outdoor Education Centre, where all the boots were Dubbined after every use, we had no exoperience of rotting stitching as a consequence of using it.

[johnjo]

Can't help feeling that there's a lot of people talking of 'weak points' and putting stuff onto stitchings etc: surely just get a well made one in the beginning, stipulate you don't want any 'WEAK POINTS' Can you make my cratch cover properly or not.

 

We inherited ours and I would say looking at it its got another 5yrs left now we've had some work done on it, and I think [not confirmed] that it is about 15yrs old, but it was obviously well made to a good standard using quality kit.

 

Why would/should anyone settle for anything less than well made and suitable kit for the job.

[turnbuttonboy]

Can't help feeling that there's a lot of people talking of 'weak points' and putting stuff onto stitchings etc: surely just get a well made one in the beginning, stipulate you don't want any 'WEAK POINTS' Can you make my cratch cover properly or not.

 

We inherited ours and I would say looking at it its got another 5yrs left now we've had some work done on it, and I think [not confirmed] that it is about 15yrs old, but it was obviously well made to a good standard using quality kit.

 

Why would/should anyone settle for anything less than well made and suitable kit for the job.

 

Johnjo,

 

You do have a point of course but should you ever be stood next to a cover made by AJ of Braunston , and a cloth of the same age and fabric made by another well known midland company, (they need to be a certain age - say five years plus) you will note that AJ's cloth is holding up rather better. In part this is because it is better made in the first place (have a look at the work in the zips) but, as they state on their website "All seams on appropriate hooding materials are stitch sealed with sealant." The difference it makes, particularly on hooding cloth, is considerable.

 

And no, I don't work for them.

 

Giles.

Edited February 11, 2009 by turnbuttonboy