Pram Hoods and Canvas covers

[CJR]

Hi everyone. We are thinking of getting some sort of wheelhouse canvas cover for the cruiser stern of our widebeam, as the inclement weather draws in so that we can do some cruisng in the rain...does anyone out there have any pictures of options we could consider? We are a bit stuck for ideas as there are not many boats like ours over here. Thanks.

Edited November 16, 2009 by CJR

[floatingphil]

Have a look at Canvasman web site, Otley,west yorkshire. Not sure if they would travel to Ireland but maybe get some ideas

 

Phil

[david and julie]

I'd have a chat with Giles (a forum member who works from his barge) he's in Ireland cruising and according to his blog he's currently moored between Lowtown and Hazelhatch (wherever that is )

 

He'll definately be able to help you and his work is both first class and reasonably priced.

http://www.camberwellcovers.com/component/...tpage/Itemid,1/

 

He did the covers on my boat.

[Nickhlx]

I'd have a chat with Giles (a forum member who works from his barge) he's in Ireland cruising and according to his blog he's currently moored between Lowtown and Hazelhatch (wherever that is )

 

He'll definately be able to help you and his work is both first class and reasonably priced.

http://www.camberwellcovers.com/component/...tpage/Itemid,1/

 

He did the covers on my boat.

 

 

 

 

 

I just had a quick look at his website and covers for the stern of the narrowboat start at £2400 - that seemed a bit steep to me.... how much was yours and for what ?

 

 

Nick

[david and julie]

I just had a quick look at his website and covers for the stern of the narrowboat start at £2400 - that seemed a bit steep to me.... how much was yours and for what ?

Nick

Nowhere near that much, but my boats a semi-trad narrowbeam so would be cheaper than a wide beam cruiser as its much less work.

 

Have a look at the bottom of this page.

http://www.camberwellcovers.com/content/view/19/23/

[Big COL]

Hi everyone. We are thinking of getting some sort of wheelhouse canvas cover for the cruiser stern of our widebeam, as the inclement weather draws in so that we can do some cruisng in the rain...does anyone out there have any pictures of options we could consider? We are a bit stuck for ideas as there are not many boats like ours over here. Thanks.

 

 

Try

Wilsons of Kinver they were the cheapest out of 4 quotes I had.

[Nickhlx]

Nowhere near that much, but my boats a semi-trad narrowbeam so would be cheaper than a wide beam cruiser as its much less work.

 

Have a look at the bottom of this page.

http://www.camberwellcovers.com/content/view/19/23/

 

 

OK - thanks

 

Nick

[Naughty Cal]

I just had a quick look at his website and covers for the stern of the narrowboat start at £2400 - that seemed a bit steep to me.... how much was yours and for what ?

 

 

Nick

 

Dont know. New hoods alone for ours are £2k and thats keeping the existing framing system. £2.4k for framing and hoods on a wider boat sounds quite cheap.

[AndyM]

Try

Wilsons of Kinver they were the cheapest out of 4 quotes I had.

 

Whoever you choose to do the work, don't expect the work to be done in any great hurry!

 

I obtained a quote and after being warned that, at the very worst, it would be five weeks before the job was completed due to a recent boat show and subsequent orders. I accepted this and paid the deposit requested - that was two months ago, one visit to measure up for the frame since then - nothing!! Not even a date set to meet and discuss my requirements. But then this was better than the previous company who quoted £1200, couldn't come out for two weeks as he was going on holiday, I phoned him again after three weeks to arrange a meeting for requirements and measurements to be told that he wouldn't be able to come out yet as he was going on another holiday! He would ring me when he returned - he didn't ring. Neither did I.

 

I don't understand what has happened to customer service, I was under the impression that there was a recession and that companies would value your custom and money, seems they just can't be bothered, strikes me as a very strange attitude!

 

Sorry to rant, but I must admit I am disillusioned, it has taken the shine off my expensive purchase, can only hope that it will be fitted before Xmas!!

 

Andy.

[Naughty Cal]

They must all be busy. The chap who works on our canopies cant do our latest batch of work/improvements for at least 4 weeks. It doesnt matter to us as we are in no major hurry to have the work done and we know he will do a good job when he does do it.

[wirren]

Coverit http://www.coverit.co.uk/ completed my cratch cover yesterday, their service was excellent . This time of year the weather does play a big part when it comes to measuring up & making a template etc., today it would be impossible !

[GRPCruiserman]

Dont know. New hoods alone for ours are £2k and thats keeping the existing framing system. £2.4k for framing and hoods on a wider boat sounds quite cheap.

 

This seems a lot of money to me, this is a regular 'need' on a GRP cruiser and there used to bea guy called Steve on the Lancaster Canal used to do large GRP Cruiser covers, with rails etc, for about £500.

 

Even if you add in a windscreen and higher prices of today, I cant see it being over £1000.

 

He is still about, and although BW evicted him from his boat sales business to build some residential moorings; I bumped in to him once and he said he was still doing canopies.

 

The standard of his work was always very well thought of and he was much respected. I once bought a boat on which he'd fitted a canopy and it was excellant.

 

I dont seem to have any current contact details for him, but I'm sure someone will know how to get hold of him??

[Naughty Cal]

This seems a lot of money to me, this is a regular 'need' on a GRP cruiser and there used to bea guy called Steve on the Lancaster Canal used to do large GRP Cruiser covers, with rails etc, for about £500.

 

Even if you add in a windscreen and higher prices of today, I cant see it being over £1000.

 

He is still about, and although BW evicted him from his boat sales business to build some residential moorings; I bumped in to him once and he said he was still doing canopies.

 

The standard of his work was always very well thought of and he was much respected. I once bought a boat on which he'd fitted a canopy and it was excellant.

 

I dont seem to have any current contact details for him, but I'm sure someone will know how to get hold of him??

 

I would rather pay the 2k and have the chap we know and trust do the work, plus he is on site at the marina should we have any issues with it. We know he uses top quality materials and fittings and he also knows the boats inside out, having made and fitted many of the hoods to other S23/25's in the area.

 

Have seen too many people try penny pinching on hoods and it doesnt pay off. You certainly get what you pay for.

[AlanH]

Hi everyone. We are thinking of getting some sort of wheelhouse canvas cover for the cruiser stern of our widebeam, as the inclement weather draws in so that we can do some cruisng in the rain...does anyone out there have any pictures of options we could consider? We are a bit stuck for ideas as there are not many boats like ours over here. Thanks.

No-one around my way cruises with their canopy up even in the worst weather. This is because some of the bridges are too low and, unless you have a solid sreen with wipers you can't see where you are going in the rain anyway.

A pram hood does give you some shelter when moored but personally I wouldn't want one. Many of the boats that we regularly cruise with have one and I'm oftem amused by them mooring up, spending at least ten munutes raising the hood only to take it down again in the morning before moving off.

 

I wouldn't have a cratch and cover because they make getting on and off the boat difficult and make it extremely awkward to get to the gas locker or water tank. We had a boat with a cratch once and it became a "shed" full of junk.

[Naughty Cal]

There is a limit to their usefullness on narrowboats/fat narrowboats. But they do give you extra outside space in foul weather.

[AlanH]

There is a limit to their usefullness on narrowboats/fat narrowboats. But they do give you extra outside space in foul weather.

They do but when the weather is foul I'd rather be inside the boat than in a tent. I suppose they are good in that they provide shelter when down the engine 'ole but I don't need to go down there all that often.

[Naughty Cal]

They do but when the weather is foul I'd rather be inside the boat than in a tent. I suppose they are good in that they provide shelter when down the engine 'ole but I don't need to go down there all that often.

 

We live in our tentcanopy when aboard. Its nice to watch the scenery and talk to people as they pass. Plus we generally end up having guests around for beers and the fridge is in the cockpit. It does help having heating up there though.

[Chertsey]

Wide beam with a cruiser stern... be more of a marquee wouldn't it?

[Strads]

Probably room for one of those green and white stripey gazebo's.... put the window panel to the front and sorted...

 

but otherwise by a decent cag for all weather moving... and an umbrella with stand...

keep it simple... also a tadge cheaper...

 

[nb Innisfree]

A well designed pramhood is very convenient, ours drops in 5 secs max and erects likewise, when bridge is 10' away we drop hood and erect as soon as boat is clear, just a few spots of rain on us. Screen which has negative rake can be partly lowered to keep rain out and give good visibility.

 

Feel sorry for all those drowned cruisers while we are warm and dry

 

Edited to add we do have wheel steering, makes all the difference.

Edited November 19, 2009 by nb Innisfree

[Naughty Cal]

A well designed pramhood is very convenient, ours drops in 5 secs max and erects likewise, when bridge is 10' away we drop hood and erect as soon as boat is clear, just a few spots of rain on us. Screen which has negative rake can be partly lowered to keep rain out and give good visibility.

 

Feel sorry for all those drowned cruisers while we are warm and dry

 

Edited to add we do have wheel steering, makes all the difference.

 

Yep, we know that feeling,we have a good laugh whilst sat warm and dry under the hood.

[tomsk]

They must all be busy. The chap who works on our canopies cant do our latest batch of work/improvements for at least 4 weeks. It doesnt matter to us as we are in no major hurry to have the work done and we know he will do a good job when he does do it.

 

 

 

I thought Tupperware always came with a tight fitting lid.

[Naughty Cal]

I thought Tupperware always came with a tight fitting lid.

 

[heyjude999]

I am impressed with The Canvassman, some different ideas and most convivial.

I shall be getting him in to do a quote for our wide beam.

Thanks you for the pointer.

[GRPCruiserman]

No-one around my way cruises with their canopy up even in the worst weather. This is because some of the bridges are too low and, unless you have a solid sreen with wipers you can't see where you are going in the rain anyway.

A pram hood does give you some shelter when moored but personally I wouldn't want one. Many of the boats that we regularly cruise with have one and I'm oftem amused by them mooring up, spending at least ten munutes raising the hood only to take it down again in the morning before moving off.

 

I wouldn't have a cratch and cover because they make getting on and off the boat difficult and make it extremely awkward to get to the gas locker or water tank. We had a boat with a cratch once and it became a "shed" full of junk.

 

You've obviously never had a GRP Cruiser.

 

The Canopy is the best part of having a GRP Cruiser over a steel narrow boat, you can travel withour getting wet. When it rains it's somewhere to take off your coat without getting the inside of the cabin wet, and when cold it provides a warmer environment to cruise in. The aforementioned coats can then be hung up to dry in the canopy.

 

I often used to smirk slightly in the height of a rainstorm when a narrow boat came the other way and I was cruising along nice and dry under the canopy in my t shirt.

 

In the middle of summer when it's roasting hot but pouring with rain, you can sit out and enjoy the countryside without getting wet.

 

They are the best thing ever, and if I ever had a steel boat, I would HAVE to have a canopy, with windscreen, and wipers.

 

As regard getting in and out, this depends on the design of the canopy; on my Norman and on the Dawncraft there were wide openings in the side which made it very easy to unzip and get in and out, but on my Yeoman the cockpit was very small so it was much more difficult and a rear access was used over the engine.

 

Also the canopy gives wind protection as well as rain, so you can sit under it when it's warmish but windy in the Spring and Autumn and enjoy being outside but out of the wind.

 

They are the best part of a GRP cruiser and I cannot understand why more narrow boat owners don't have them; unless you just like to show how hardened you are? I suppose they dont look very traditional on a Woolwich Copy or Shiney Washer Josher, but on a cruiser sterned narrow boat (or widebeam) that's not any kind of replica. I don't see why not??

 

It was nice to put it down when the weather was nice, but like most convertable cars, it was up much much more than it was down,