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Semi trad pram hood


rustydiver

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Thinking about getting a rear pram hood made for the boat later in the year. So we can use the rear more to get in and out of the boat. I reverse into the mooring and this wet weather is better getting in that end. 

Now any recommended manufacturers. I’m in Gloucester area?

if you have had one made would you have anything done differently?

Are they easy to fold down when you want to use the boat?

I except I’ll have more questions when I think about it. 

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56 minutes ago, rustydiver said:

 

if you have had one made would you have anything done differently?

 

 

Our semi trad had a pram hood but it only had two 'hoops' to support it. As a result it used to sag when wet and rain would collect in it.

If you get one insist it has three hoops or ensure the maker finds another way to avoid this.

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You need to ensure that when folded down towards the front of the boat the hoops do not obstruct the hatch. On ours that is achieved by having the fixing points on the sides of the semi trad mounted on sliding rails. Hence as you fold it down you also slide the hoops forward to clear the hatch. 

I would also recommend a front screen that has a top zip and is completely removable. This avoids restricting visibility with a rolled up screen and also facilitates use as a simple canopy to provide shade or shower protection.

I find it very easy to fold down/up once you have done it a few times. 

If it would help I am going to the boat next Friday and could take pictures. 

Ours was made by AM Marine Trim of Windsor Marina. 

 

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1 hour ago, RichLech said:

You need to ensure that when folded down towards the front of the boat the hoops do not obstruct the hatch. On ours that is achieved by having the fixing points on the sides of the semi trad mounted on sliding rails. Hence as you fold it down you also slide the hoops forward to clear the hatch. 

I would also recommend a front screen that has a top zip and is completely removable. This avoids restricting visibility with a rolled up screen and also facilitates use as a simple canopy to provide shade or shower protection.

I find it very easy to fold down/up once you have done it a few times. 

If it would help I am going to the boat next Friday and could take pictures. 

Ours was made by AM Marine Trim of Windsor Marina. 

 

Thanks that would be great.

I’m thinking about having it extended to cover the hatch runners. But not sure if it will make it look to big. 

Just want to cover as many avenues before I get one made. 

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Our cruiser stern nb has a Pram cover from A J Canopies in Braunston and works well. It is well designed and can be folded down in 30 secs - and 3 mins to put back up. Ok - its a cruiser stern not a semi-trad. Our cratch cover from A J Canopies expired in October this year so we ordered a new one - but ended up going to Kinver Canopies, Kinver as A J were quoting 6 months waiting list to get  one made. Kinver fitted it the week before Christmas and it looks really good. On balance I would therefore try Kinver as they are not too far from you. I am sure their design would work. They also had a 10 week waiting list.

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....just an add on. We are new to nb's and when we bought our boat in May, SWMBO hated the pram cover - she thought it looked awful. We took it down the hour we bought it. It went back up end of Oct and SWMBO now loves it. It is not totally dry inside - condensation etc, but it is really good to transition from cold, wet and windy into the rear of the boat in the dry - and store stuff like lecky radiators etc. We will take it down for the summer but for the colder part of the year it has now become an essential - for us.

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3 hours ago, rustydiver said:

I’m thinking about having it extended to cover the hatch runners. But not sure if it will make it look to big. 

If you're worried how it looks, you shouldn't get one.  Once you've decided to have such a (admittedly somewhat useful) monstrosity that doesn't belong on a narrowboat,  you might as well make the fugly thing do the best job it can. :D

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2 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

 Once you've decided to have such a (admittedly somewhat useful) monstrosity that doesn't belong on a narrowboat,  you might as well make the fugly thing do the best job it can. :D

.....I guess once you have put a couple of solar panels on, history has gone out the window so might as well have a pram cover?

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4 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

.....I guess once you have put a couple of solar panels on, history has gone out the window so might as well have a pram cover?

Nah.  You mean once you've put wheels on it and a baby in it - then you might as well have a pram cover. :D

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28 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

.....I guess once you have put a couple of solar panels on, history has gone out the window so might as well have a pram cover?

Solar panels????

Got to wait to see how big the canopy is going to be first. Might be no room left after. 

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Two narrowboats over 15 years with pram covers, and wouldn't be without them. Owing to circumstances we are living aboard in a marina this wet winter, where the cover has been a true asset. A couple of people have asked, "what do you do with it when cruising?" I point out that it folds down to virtually nothing in a minute.
I agree that 3 loops are better than two.
I really like the idea of a removable front panel, and wish I had thought of that.

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11 minutes ago, catweasel said:

 really like the idea of a removable front panel, and wish I had thought of that.

Yes this too.

Our ability to use the boat underway in heavy rain was severely compromised by the fact the front of ours couldn't be rolled up properly or removed.

It was often safer to fold it down if underway and just get soaking wet.

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4 minutes ago, jddevel said:

Yes please certainly for me as Kinver are supposed to be doing mine in March

I’ve just contacted kinver knowing there’s a while to wait to get the ball rolling. 

what sort of figure did they quote for the rear pram hood. 

 

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A raised semi trad with sliders retails at £1395.77 in PVC and £1508.22 in HW acrylic canvas. Not sure how many hoops and whether that includes a removable front panel. It`s something I`m going to ask for when we meet to measure up having learnt this since from the forum.

There were others less expensive but Kinvers seem the most professional in their approach. Whether I get what I pay for will have to wait and see.

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1 hour ago, jddevel said:

A raised semi trad with sliders retails at £1395.77 in PVC and £1508.22 in HW acrylic canvas. Not sure how many hoops and whether that includes a removable front panel. It`s something I`m going to ask for when we meet to measure up having learnt this since from the forum.

There were others less expensive but Kinvers seem the most professional in their approach. Whether I get what I pay for will have to wait and see.

Go for the HW acrylic - we did for our cratch. It looks built to last. I reckon you will get a few years more life out of it. The fabric is covered on the inside with a polymer layer that must help in waterproofing.

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Thanks from £1300 is what they told me. I thought it was going to be a lot more. I expect it will be when I finished with my wish list. 

Ive asked for them to bust and price it up for me. Acrylic roll up front window. Thinking about a small frame to to cover the sliders. That’s where we seem to get a leak. 

Edited by rustydiver
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Innisfree is a cruiser stern with semi trad 'wings'. Wilson made PH to my design, it can be dropped 2 secs before a bridge and re-erected in the same time. Don't go for a screen that rolls up instead have it so that it's zipped across the top and down the sides, then the zips can be opened and the top of the screen left hanging enough to see through, better visibility. 

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I've sent you some pictures of my pram hood.

For better visibility I really recommend having a front screen you can completely remove rather than roll up. 

I think roll-up sides would make it difficult to fold the "roof" section up and down easily. 

Mine is canvas and cost just over £1500.

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  • 2 years later...

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