Covers for wooden boats

General chat about boats
Nessa
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Covers for wooden boats

Post by Nessa »

Having spent more than is sensible getting Agamemnon restored to his/her former glory, I now need to protect my 'investment' with some sort of cover. I doubt he/she will ever spend long out of doors; we built a special shed years ago to accommodate his worship, and that is largely where the boat will reside, under a cyst cover.

So, any suggestions for what I should get sind where I can get it made? Obviously it will need to be made to measure.... :mrgreen:
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Chrisrjwood
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by Chrisrjwood »

Hi Nessa, same as you mine lives in the garage most of the time but I have a traditional cotton cover which I think is recommended fir wooden boats. Don't know if it's better than a plastic one or not, I'm sure someone will be able to advise.

I bought my new JB cover from Mark at Waveloft, made to measure and it is very good quality and fit and not expensive. Waveloft@gmail.com

Looking forward to seeing you all at Hunts, Chris
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Rupert
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by Rupert »

Polycotton seems to work well as a breathable cover. I always go for Sail Register, as they are cheap but good, but it may well be that it is worth spending more on such an amazing boat. I have heard good things about Wavelength, too, and I like Banks, but I suspect most of the well known makers would do you a good cover. Make sure they put extra long sides on it so the sunlight doesn't have its wicked way and turn her 2 tone.
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Michael Brigg
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by Michael Brigg »

I used Goldfinch. It was a beautiful cover but they got the mesurements a bit wrong and it Shrunk a bit. Well, more than a bit. Lovely "soft" breathable cover, but it wasn't as robust in the face of UV as I would hope. This is ultimately what does for most covers (a bit like skin really)

If you go for Goldfinch make the measurements generous and I would recommend a deep skirt that will shelter the whole boat.

You could try buying the material and talk to Ed (He has a sewing machine I believe!! :P )
Michael Brigg
alan williams
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by alan williams »

Hi Nessa
Rain and Sun brill covers best fitting one I've ever had . Very deep sides and covers the transom.
Cheers Al
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PeterV
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by PeterV »

Second that, Rain and Sun, lovely cover.
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neil
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by neil »

Rain and Sun, and Waveloft are good, have bought from both. One of the nicest covers I had made was the breathable for my Tideway from R&J sails in Bristol
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Obscured by clouds
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by Obscured by clouds »

Bought a sail register cover for the Merlin - very nice and seemingly quite robust. reasonably long sides but could be longer.
I also bought a slightly cheaper cover for the Finn from 'Jasper covers'. I could best be described as 'adequate'. not up to the standard of the one from SR, there seems to have been some skimping on certain things. We'll see how long it lasts.
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jonh
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by jonh »

I fitted a sail register cover on Ent 21351and it has lasted approx 4 season with a few repairs with my trusty ' handy stitcher',and a reproofing.Last year I made up a 'skirt' from some plastic tarp to extend the cover down over the chines which I fitted using zip ties. This has been really good at minimising the effect of the dreaded UV on the dark blue hull ,and cost pence.I am also trialling some lightweight frames to ensure that the cover does not bear directly on the side decks when the cover is really saturated ,as I found that the widely recommended water pipe insulation didn't really work.
Nessa
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by Nessa »

I have a sail register cover for the contender, it's great I bought one for a club Vago, it's awful. Probably the best club boat cover I bought was made by a local cover, sail, banner etc maker. There is also a small company in St Ives that makes covers, tarpaulins, banners, sunshades etc. Jonny took his French boat there and they measured it up and made hi a decent PVC cover. Maybe I should see if they can do it if they can get some decent fabric.
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Rupert
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by Rupert »

With sail Register I've found the Polycotton covers better than the PVC ones by a country mile.
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Michael4
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by Michael4 »

Proper cotton covers respond well to treatments when they get older...I poured Fabsil over an old weathered one two years ago and it it is still doing the job intended. There is probably something cheaper than Fabsil but the point that I am making is that their life can be extended.
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Pat
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by Pat »

We Fabsil our cotton and polycotton covers and our awning every year or so and it makes a big difference as the water just rolls off as if it was plastic. It's also effective on spinnakers! We used to use a pressurised garden sprayer which works well but now we use the proper sprayer on the compressor which is even better, as the pressure helps force the liquid into the fabric.
Point North (www.profabrics.co.uk) do various cover fabrics and will send samples and there's other places.
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chris
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by chris »

One feature I ask for on a cover for a wooden hull is that the straps that go under the hull are not attached to the edge of the skirt but attached one or two inches up from the edge on the inside. This then ensures that the edge is not held tight against the hull but is away from it so that all the rain will drip off well away from the wood. The first cover I ever had did not do this and by the end of the first season water had penetrated the varnish in a few places and had lifted the varnish just at the edge of the cover

As some one else has said make sure the skirt part is long.

I have one cover from Rain and Sun (made to measure) I took all the measurements very carefully and sent them off ( they have a sheet for this you can print off) Slightly disappointed with the fit but the material called Hydrosil or something is excellent.

I have someone coming from creation covers tonight who is going to take a template and measurements for my 14. I haven't used them before but the material sounds as good as the R&S stuff and he does seem very familiar with the requirements of wooden boats.
chrismartin3583
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Re: Covers for wooden boats

Post by chrismartin3583 »

Creation are very good. You're in safe hands.
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