Boat covers...

wilddog · 29 Oct 2017 5:45 pm

Long time no post...and I confess that i missed the whole summer's sailing due work commitments...grr!

I am wondering about a really decent cover for my Skerry.

The last two winters she's been in the garage, but I may need to move her outside. She'll be next to the house, so I hope that would keep her free from frost...

Will a decent cover do the job over the winter or is this a terrible idea...

Andy

Jan · 30 Oct 2017 1:50 am

Got the same problem and took pieces of round insulation for heating pipes. Cut to 1 feet long pieces and put them over the rails.
Between each piece of foam stays a gap of about half a feet. To prevent the cover from hanging into my skerry, i took two battens of 6 mm ply, 8 cm wide and cut to length so they form an arc between the rowlocks. With an ordinary dowel of Nylon and a wood screw, these battens were fixed into the rowlock. The Nylon dowel doesn`t harm the beautiful Davey bronze. A tarp of 2.5 X 5 m covers the boat and is fixed to the trailer. The tarp has no contact to the boat and the gaps between the foam enables sufficient airflow to prevent mildew or rot. Works since 2009 with best results.

wilddog · 9 Nov 2017 3:15 pm

Thanks. Where did you get the tarp?

CrimeaRiver · 9 Nov 2017 5:58 pm

A just bought (and awaiting delivery of) a made-to-measure boat cover for my NE Dory from these people:

http://www.kustom-covers.co.uk/

It's being made out of 900gsm PVC, the spec used for drop-side lorry curtains. Mine came in at £279 all inclusive.

They also do made-to-measure rectangular tarps in 610gsm or 900gsm, which are a bit cheaper than a proper boat cover.

Their detailing is very good - proper tape-reinforced perimeters, real brass eyelets and high quality durable materials. The company have made stuff for the All England Tennis Club (Wimbledon) in the recent past. Their prices are very competitive and they were also prepared to negotiate a little, too.

(Edit: 14th May 2019)

Had the cover on the boat for two winters now and this is what it looks like. A little dust and muck has accumulated on the surface thanks to nearby trees. Overall, really pleased with it. Picture below:-

Last edited by CrimeaRiver (14 May 2019 11:16 am)

wilddog · 30 Mar 2018 8:05 am

Thanks! Sorry I have only just come back to this thread...!

oliviaivy337 · 26 Aug 2019 7:38 pm

Dose anybody now about how it work!!!!

robxl43 · 18 Nov 2019 2:02 pm

I had bespoke cover made by Trident (the Dinghy shop on the web)
Not a brilliant fit as this was based on my measurements filled out on a sheet provided by Trident.
Had lived closer to Newcastle, I probably would have got a better fit but as it stands the cover is adequate and breathable for a boat that lives outside.
Cost around £320 in breathable Hydrogaurd but about half that if you want plastic.
Sorry website won't allow me to upload a photo.

wilddog · 26 May 2020 12:27 pm

Been away from this thread for some time, but I am still looking for a cover. CrimeaRiver, what did you use to hold the cover up through the centre line? The mast I assume....

CrimeaRiver · 20 Jun 2020 8:05 pm

(Bit late replying. For some reason I am not getting notifications for threads I've posted on. Maybe need to check my Spam folder?)

No, it isn't the mast holding up the cover along the centreline of the boat.

I made what could loosely be called 'trestles' that fit between the seats, mast step etc and each trestle has a long gently curved protruding spine - which you can see underneath the cover in the photo. The trestles were built from scrap wood I had lying around but the whole set up works really well. The boat is stored outside and sheds Scottish Highlands rain or snow pretty effectively!

When trailering the boat the trestles are left at home and the cover is cinched a little tighter during the road trip.

MatthewP · 18 Nov 2020 6:19 pm

For short-term use I have an inexpensive tight fitting boat cover. It is effective keeping UV off the boat and the worst of rain and dust but for long term storage I prefer my boat to be undercover with good ventilation and no points of contact where rain-water can collect.

Cost and planning restrictions put me off a simple carport type structure so I've bought a second hand Clarke Portable Garage, sold new from Machine Mart.

Second hand cost was £250 from Facebook Marketplace (but see eBay too) for a reasonable one 3M X 6M, less than a year old. They appear to sell quickly when they are advertised and condition is of course very variable.

I've tied it down well in a sheltered position and covered it with a large inexpensive and sacrificial PVC tarp to protect it against UV damage, so I'm hopeful of getting 3 or more years life out of it.

Any other ideas or experiences?

Matthew
Hilda - a Northeaster, built 2020

wilddog · 20 Apr 2021 5:23 pm

I can mark my own homework here - I bought a cover from the Fyne Boat store for the Skerry and it's great. Not used it in anger yet as I off games for a few weeks follow a minor op, but soon...soon.

wilddog · 1 Sep 2021 7:37 am

Here are some pics of my Skerry cover made by Goacher in Windermere, but purchased through the FB shop. I am very impressed. The boat has been bone dry, even after all the summer storms we had down here in Devon.

The downside to the Skerry design is of course that any tarp will sag in the middle so I have designed a set of props that hold the boat's mast in place to create a peak and stop any rain pooling on the cover. I do get a little at the bow, but none has squeaked through to date...

#1 29 Oct 2017 5:45 pm

Boat covers...

#2 30 Oct 2017 1:50 am

Re: Boat covers...

#3 9 Nov 2017 3:15 pm

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#4 9 Nov 2017 5:58 pm

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#5 30 Mar 2018 8:05 am

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#6 26 Aug 2019 7:38 pm

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#7 18 Nov 2019 2:02 pm

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#8 26 May 2020 12:27 pm

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#9 20 Jun 2020 8:05 pm

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#10 18 Nov 2020 6:19 pm

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#11 20 Apr 2021 5:23 pm

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#12 1 Sep 2021 7:37 am

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