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Slack in winter covers

 
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rebait
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Joined: 27 Oct 2006
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Location: Bayville, N.J.

PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 11:13 pm    Post subject: Slack in winter covers Reply with quote

I use low cost poly covers to cover my boats for the winter. These covers are not custom made, so they always wind up being loose fitting in areas such as the bow. Eventhough you tie them as tight as you can get them, the excess material in between the tie down eyes tranfers to valleys or low spots on the top side that collects water or the loose flaps on the side leads to self destruction from high winds. The tighter the cover, the longer it lasts and I am looking to get one season out of them. A good number of these cover get destroyed over the winter. Eventhough I support the tarps, excess material was always a problem. A couple of years ago, I took and twisted the excess to tighten it up to see if it tightened it up. It worked well. In order to hold it in place I took a zip or cable tie and looped and tightened it around the twisted material and trimmed the tie for neatness. I did not think much of this until tonight when I was at the firehouse and one of the guys asked me how I get tarp so tight on my Wahoo. I told him what I did and 4 other guys came over to look at it. One guy said that he never made it past a complete winter without the cover ripping because of the wind catching it. We went over and did his and he could not believe how fast and tight it got it. So I figured that I would share this with everyone. I do both boats with all material including covers, rope, and ties for under $70. A lot cheaper than shrink wrap. John
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merwin10
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Joined: 11 Oct 2006
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Location: Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good Idea! Now if you could tell me how to get the tarp up on the boat when on land without it becoming a parachute. Last time I used a tarp it needed to be 100x50 to cover over the bridge and the slightest breeze and off I went. Finally the best way I found was to unfold the tarp then roll it up and unroll it as I went along even then it was difficult!

Saw another guy and his two buddies take off this year before they let go and the tarp ended in the water about 100 feet offshore.

Mike - Evil or Very Mad
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leokow
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Joined: 12 Oct 2006
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Location: Osborn Island, NJ.(Little Egg Harbor)

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's a little trick , Mike. you get some empty gallon jugs, like the anti freeze ones you just emptied to winterize your boat. Fill them with water and hook a small bungee cord to the eyelets in a couple of ajacent spots as you are unrolling the tarp towards the stern . One jug about every 6 ft. seems to do the trick untill you can begin to tie it down permenantely.At almost 9lbs. a gallon it really taks a lot of wind to send you flying along with your tarp.
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merwin10
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Location: Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep I do that I even use a small rock instead of the eyelets to hold onto the tarp, eyelets just pull out!

If you guys have not tried this tie the small rope around the jug handle. Then take the other end and put a reverse slip Knot on the other end. That is one that tightens by pulling on the end that attaches to the jug. Then take a small rock, about 1 inch, put it under the tarp then give it a twist, take the slip knot and put it over the rock and twisted tarp and pull tight. Makes for a good quick hold down.

Watch out if you have a large tarp and a good breeze you will have a tarp with 9# objects hanging from it flying around.

Mike -
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rebait
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Location: Bayville, N.J.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I must be lucky, because whenever my neighbors and myself see anyone doing a project like covering a boat or camper, help just shows up. When I covered the Wahoo I had 5 guys plus my son to help. The same when everyone else does any project that needs a hand. We just automatically walk over and ask if they need a hand. If the reply is no I should be able to handle this on my own we just go on doing what we were doing. He knows that if he has a problem help is only a shout away.

John
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changeofpace
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Location: New Haven CT - Long Island Sound

PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll have to try that, sounds a lot easier than what I've been doing. I take the empty gallon jugs from the anti-freeze and cut them in half, then nail them to a piece of wood and then crawl under the tarp and push the setup up to take out the slack. gets so now I know where the slack is and just install them before the tarp goes on. they are all tied together with a good piece of old anchor line going from bow to stern and port to starboard. To take up the stack over the stern I have 2 of these jug/ wood poles setup and one on the bridge. This makes a good support for my 20 by 40 foot tarp. When covered, the only open area is just at the point of the bow and thats so I can check the drainage of any water. Since my pace is stored bow down cause the drain is forward, I seem to get a puddle right where the anchor rode goes through the hull
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