Pools of rainwater!

[OldGoldy]

Hi all,

 

My boat has a cruiser stern with a steel safety rail (taff rail?). This is at more or less the same height as the cabin top, so that the cover that has been made (as a gift) is almost horizontal in both planes and tends to pool water (lakes even, after a heavy downpour!)

 

What I would like to do is have the ability, when the cover is put on, to have say, two or three sprung steel rods that I can spring into position onto the side rails, which force the cover to dome upwards and run off ALL the water which lands on it.

 

Apart form changing the boat to a trad (which is my intention in a few years time) does anyone have any ideas and or know a stockist for suitable fittings to achieve this?

[PhilR]

Hi all,

 

My boat has a cruiser stern with a steel safety rail (taff rail?). This is at more or less the same height as the cabin top, so that the cover that has been made (as a gift) is almost horizontal in both planes and tends to pool water (lakes even, after a heavy downpour!)

 

What I would like to do is have the ability, when the cover is put on, to have say, two or three sprung steel rods that I can spring into position onto the side rails, which force the cover to dome upwards and run off ALL the water which lands on it.

 

Apart form changing the boat to a trad (which is my intention in a few years time) does anyone have any ideas and or know a stockist for suitable fittings to achieve this?

 

I wonder if those rods used in igloo tents might do the job? Are the rails substantial enough to drill holes to take the ends of the rods? You would probably also need to fix pockets or tapes in the centre of the cover to hold them at the correct angle. A cheaper and simpler method might be one length of timber resting on the roof and stern rail to form an apex running lengthwise.

 

I'll be interested to hear how you get on as I have been thinking of doing something similar with my cover.

 

Phil

[5thHorseman]

You could try stitching a loop into the centre and tying it up to you tiller.

It has the advantage that you are not working against anything when you are pulling the cover over the press studs.

 

5th

[OldGoldy]

I wonder if those rods used in igloo tents might do the job? Are the rails substantial enough to drill holes to take the ends of the rods? You would probably also need to fix pockets or tapes in the centre of the cover to hold them at the correct angle. A cheaper and simpler method might be one length of timber resting on the roof and stern rail to form an apex running lengthwise.

 

I'll be interested to hear how you get on as I have been thinking of doing something similar with my cover.

 

Phil

 

Excellent idea! The rails are substantial but I have had to use extendable 3/4" tent storm poles between the rails and the cabin top corners. What dia. are the igloo tent rods? I wonder if they'll fit over nylon lacing hooks affixed to the storm poles? A length of timber is ineffective (but better than nowt) because of the stern rail being almost the same height as the side rails and cabin top.

I think maybe a photo may help here, poss tomorrow evg.

 

You could try stitching a loop into the centre and tying it up to you tiller.

It has the advantage that you are not working against anything when you are pulling the cover over the press studs.

 

5th

Yes there is already a loop stitched in, but tiller is really not high enough to create that 'tent' effect. The loop is really too big/loose so some adjustment here may help. At the mo' there are no bottom fixings as replacement of the coaming all around the stern is the next welding job. The old has been cut off, but only part of the new added as yet.

 

Thank you, both. Definitely food for thought!

[ChrisPy]

I was surfing a few cratch cover and pram hood websites. Some of them use springy timber battens for that purpose, exactly as described.

[OldGoldy]

I was surfing a few cratch cover and pram hood websites. Some of them use springy timber battens for that purpose, exactly as described.

Any idea how they support the ends?

[weeble]

I sit on a bar stool when cruising, and when I put the cover on the stern I just place the stool on the centre of the deck in a position that supports the canvas at a suitable height.

[Guest User]

With a similar problem I used one of these microfibre floor mops with a telescopic handle Clicky.... turn it upside down, press the flat mop head against the inside of the cover and extend and lock out the handle once it's raised the cover sufficiently ... the head is soft and flexible so it won't damage anything, and it has the added bonus that it doubles as a ... erm ... mop

[FORTUNATA]

If you're not fussy on appearance a couple of poles jammed under the cover do the job. That's what I do. It looks a bit crude but the stakes stay in place under pressure.

I have the same issues with my cruiser and concluded the whole cruiser ideology is massively flawed. I see scores of cruisers with soaking wet bilges all around the engine. I can only conclude there are a lot of boatbuilders about who must be clueless although it seems to be the older era boatbuilders who had this attitude over open sterns.

I've been considering some kind of deck drainage system. After all water can be channeled off once it collects.

 

Hi all,

 

My boat has a cruiser stern with a steel safety rail (taff rail?). This is at more or less the same height as the cabin top, so that the cover that has been made (as a gift) is almost horizontal in both planes and tends to pool water (lakes even, after a heavy downpour!)

 

What I would like to do is have the ability, when the cover is put on, to have say, two or three sprung steel rods that I can spring into position onto the side rails, which force the cover to dome upwards and run off ALL the water which lands on it.

 

Apart form changing the boat to a trad (which is my intention in a few years time) does anyone have any ideas and or know a stockist for suitable fittings to achieve this?