How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

[swhobie]

I am posting this as I am rather proud of the inexpensize cover system I made for my Catfishing 14 ft Starcraft with 15 HP 4-stroke Yamaha. I park this in my yard and my wife has several bird feeders and there are lots of overhead power, tv, and phone lines. You can imagine why I want to cover up.

I bought 2" PVC tees with 1/2" inlets and then bought 1/2" PVC pipe cut to length and then cut slots out of the tees to fit the shape of the gunnels and presto. They snap in place and the bend keeps them in place without fasteners. Pull the tarp on and hook up bungee cords to snug up under trailer. A 12 x 16 tarp covers the boat and motor and has enough overlap on sides to protect the tires from sunlight damage.

The whole thing costs about $40, not bad huh? I share this idea in case you have a need to keep the bird droppings, leaves, tree sap, or just about anything out of your boat.

 

[4runneradam]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

I am looking to build something simmilar. $40 huh? Do you think something like THIS would work better, and cost a few bucks LESS?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

this works great for me, simple, easy to put on. i think you would need 2 people to get those straps in place. i have also just taken the bowline over the windsheld. down the center of the boat, and tied off on the motor.

 

[swhobie]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

This looks good as well. Maybe I should have mentioned that the $40 included PVC fittings, pipe, and the tarp....... all from Loew's

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

this is one of my new projects, bow line just stretched back over the seat and tied off on the motor. 12x20 tarp, 50 ft of tied down rope, i prefer rope over bungee. does not hold any water. boat is clean and ready to go in 5 min.

 

[KewlBird]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

Nice, kind of looks like mine .

 

[njlarry]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

Like the use of the 2" tees-Genuis Time!!!!
I use 1x3 wood strapping, $10 for the wood and
$15 for the tarp for a 20' bowrider.
Like your system better.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

You might save a bit more by cutting 2" cross in half too.
Ask your local billboard company for an old vinyl billboard. They last a lot longer than the blue tarps.

 

[arboldt]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

Wow. This is great. Special thanks to kewlbird.

We've tried several things like this, but none were terrible successful Like Kewlbird's, ours is a fiberglass hull with nothing really to brace the PVC pipe against. I'd tried putting rubber 'feet' on the ends (like the rubber tip on a cane) but they kept sliding around.

Kewlbird, can you give a better idea on the size of those wood brace / brackets? Are they basically a plywood 90* butt joint? How do you anchor the PVC to them? Do you put any kind of rubber padding to keep them from sliding around?

Thanks.
Al

 

[swhobie]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

Great idea on the Billboard Company, I am checking that out tomorrow. I have several projects that I could use those covers for. Thanks.....

 

[KewlBird]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

Wow. This is great. Special thanks to kewlbird.

We've tried several things like this, but none were terrible successful Like Kewlbird's, ours is a fiberglass hull with nothing really to brace the PVC pipe against. I'd tried putting rubber 'feet' on the ends (like the rubber tip on a cane) but they kept sliding around.

Kewlbird, can you give a better idea on the size of those wood brace / brackets? Are they basically a plywood 90* butt joint? How do you anchor the PVC to them? Do you put any kind of rubber padding to keep them from sliding around?

Thanks.
Al

The wood was a 1x3 strip that I cut into pieces and screwed them togethern to form the "L". In one of the two pieces of the "L" I drilled a vertical hole (I can't remember the exact size). In the hole I stuck a 45 degree elbow the elbow is snug in there so no glue/screws neccessary. I used cross tees to connect the individual runners together to make the whole structure very sturdy. We've had a lot of snow this season (100+ inches) and the structure didn't shift. or sag. The feature I like is that it takes me less then 5 minutes to assemble/dissasemble (pipes aren't permanently attached to anything). There is a little tension from the pipes that keeps it from shifting so no need for padding, but once the boat gets a new paint job I will put some padding to prevent scratches. Here's a better close up.....

 

[swhobie]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

KewlBird,

I especially like the use of the ell fittings into the wood, gives a good solution to the wider gunnel. My stargraft has a narrow gunnel, so I did not have to thing that one out. I have saved a copy of your rig for future use. Did you use and glue joints or does the whole support system pop apart for storage if you want to take it with oyou on a road trip?

Good job.... I did not realize my posting would generate this much activity. I found this site by looking for a fix for a leaky two line gas tank and got great success with that. iboats.com has this Captain hooked...

 

[KewlBird]

Re: How to make a cover with supports - inexpensize

KewlBird,

I especially like the use of the ell fittings into the wood, gives a good solution to the wider gunnel. My stargraft has a narrow gunnel, so I did not have to thing that one out. I have saved a copy of your rig for future use. Did you use and glue joints or does the whole support system pop apart for storage if you want to take it with oyou on a road trip?

No glue, I take it apart in less then 5 minutes and it all fits inside the front compartment in the boat .