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pram covers?

paulstoke1975

By paulstoke1975
in Living Afloat

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

Posted
Posted

just NO.

without the bridges and tunnels, no.

I had to move a boat from Coventry to Northamptonshire which had a pram cover which was impossible to remove - not only did TV and 240v cable-ing run round the struts, there were also live 240v sockets attached to the cabin top which it was not possible to isolate, and the boat had to be moved during a monsoon weekend.

I managed to get it to Braunston undamaged - the front screen wasn't visible through so i rigged up an umbrella over the front of it and raised the window.

I then discovered the tunnel light was not operable, along with most of the other 12v stuff so called the brokerage for further advice.

I was eventually instructed to continue....halfway through Braunston tunnel fighting a pram cover is not one of my favourite boating moments.

It also didn't quite make it under Long Buckby road bridge either.biggrin.png

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Guest

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....and what was the first thing I did when arriving to move your boat Martin....tongue.png

Lowered it of course but there was no need as regards the bridge heights till I guess you got to???

 

You were just too much of a 'pram hood snob' to truly realise the benefits of having one :)

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

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Lowered it of course but there was no need as regards the bridge heights till I guess you got to???

 

You were just too much of a 'pram hood snob' to truly realise the benefits of having one smile.png

probably Newark or Nottingham, however I like to enjoy whatever weather there is.

I see the benefits of mooring up in the cooler seasons and having an outside covered area - good.

I also see the benefits of having somewhere to hang the washing .#

However, once cruising, they should be down.(having been hit by a pram hood up boater who couldn't see where they were going)

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probably Newark or Nottingham, however I like to enjoy whatever weather there is.

I see the benefits of mooring up in the cooler seasons and having an outside covered area - good.

I also see the benefits of having somewhere to hang the washing .#

However, once cruising, they should be down.(having been hit by a pram hood up boater who couldn't see where they were going)

We always normally folded.it down when underway as the vision out the front was pants, especially if it was raining. If there had been a better way of the front folding up when it is raining we may have tried that, but there wasn't.

 

Moored up it made a great place to be when raining on a summers evening .. much like our new caravan awning....

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

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We always normally folded.it down when underway as the vision out the front was pants, especially if it was raining. If there had been a better way of the front folding up when it is raining we may have tried that, but there wasn't.

 

Moored up it made a great place to be when raining on a summers evening .. much like our new caravan awning....

ahhh, caravans......

ninja.gif

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Nightwatch Veteran II

NightwatchDonate to Canal World

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We always normally folded.it down when underway as the vision out the front was pants, especially if it was raining. If there had been a better way of the front folding up when it is raining we may have tried that, but there wasn't.

Moored up it made a great place to be when raining on a summers evening .. much like our new caravan awning....

we cruise with ours folded. However we rarely cruise of it's raining. When moored and the hood is erected is doesn't half give us more room.

 

Well worth the few quid it cost us!!!!

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GoodGurl Experienced

GoodGurl

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well you probably know how much I hate pram hoods but his in doors has decided we should have one GRrrrrr, anyway I am making it myself and it won't be the normal 7 foot high hood, it will not be used whilst moving and will only serve as a drying room and extra space for the winter months.

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Nightwatch Veteran II

NightwatchDonate to Canal World

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well you probably know how much I hate pram hoods but his in doors has decided we should have one GRrrrrr, anyway I am making it myself and it won't be the normal 7 foot high hood, it will not be used whilst moving and will only serve as a drying room and extra space for the winter months.

You have described a Pram Hood.
  • Greenie 1
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Guest

Guest

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You have described a Pram Hood.

We used to see some really well designed ones up here particularly on wide beams that kept the crew completely dry but on which the front section could be removed or rolled up on days like today.

 

Such was the height of the bridges as said above they could stay up. Ok they are not the most aesthetically pleasing of things but I would often be envious as they pootled past and waved from the dry, while I was getting soaked.

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RichLech Community Regular

RichLech

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We had one fitted in June and are delighted with it. Don't normally cruise with it up but have done so to keep dry on the Thames where bridges are plenty high enough (until you get to Oxford). Would be reluctant to cruise with it up on canals in case I didn't spot a bridge that was too low.

 

We have two Labradors so find the extra "indoor" space useful when moored up.

 

We specified that the front screen can be completely removed (zipped along the top) and the hood just held up by a couple of straps. Makes forward visibility better in light rain and is better when just using for some shade when moored up.

 

Altogether a great purchase although I know it doesn't improve the overall line of the boat ! Practicality swung the decision for us.

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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We used to see some really well designed ones up here particularly on wide beams that kept the crew completely dry but on which the front section could be removed or rolled up on days like today.

 

Such was the height of the bridges as said above they could stay up. Ok they are not the most aesthetically pleasing of things but I would often be envious as they pootled past and waved from the dry, while I was getting soaked.

We do enjoy passing narrowboaters perched on the back of their boats in the pouring rain whilst we are warm and dry inside biggrin.png

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MEPitt Contributor

MEPitt

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On the subject of pram covers, the ones on the cruiser Im taking on used to be white. Currently they look a murky grey which when I paint the boat will look even murkier! I was going to just soap and water it but I have a feeling that wont be man enough for the job, whats the bets way to clean them?

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John V Veteran

John V

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The first boat I owned with a pram cover was a little Shetland. Coming back from a fishing trip in the dark when it was raining, trying to spot unlit buoys was a real nightmare, I ended up taking a knife to the thing so I could navigate. I swore then I would never ever go out in a boat with one again. I suppose moored up is ok, but what a palaver putting it up and taking it down !!!

When I was looking for a small cruiser for the canals I hunted for ages for one that didn't have one and I ended up with this, which has centre cockpit but with a sliding hard top.....much better smile.png15517946768_c09e941989_h.jpg

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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The first boat I owned with a pram cover was a little Shetland. Coming back from a fishing trip in the dark when it was raining, trying to spot unlit buoys was a real nightmare, I ended up taking a knife to the thing so I could navigate. I swore then I would never ever go out in a boat with one again. I suppose moored up is ok, but what a palaver putting it up and taking it down !!!

When I was looking for a small cruiser for the canals I hunted for ages for one that didn't have one and I ended up with this, which has centre cockpit but with a sliding hard top.....much better smile.png15517946768_c09e941989_h.jpg

We had ours designed so you can roll up the section over the helm in difficult light conditions.

 

It's a small section so if its raining only the helmsman gets wet. I stay nice and dry behind the rest of the covers biggrin.png

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nb Innisfree Veteran II

nb InnisfreeDonate to Canal World

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It doesn't stop leaks!

 

It keeps the canvas waterproof so that the water runs off rather than soaking in.

If we didn't Fabsil for a while the stitching would leak, that went on for about 3 years with no improvement but 5 years without Fabsil resulted in no leaking stitches. Maybe dirt blocked up the holes?

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