Looking for some ideas for using ripstop material for cover to keep rain out of boat and store easy.

[musicmanx2]

I need to think of a way to go around the mast maybe bungee cord it to the masts. I can clip it to the gunnel around the edge of the boat. Ripstop material doesn't take up much room when I store it too.

[Andy B]

I don't understand--are you looking to tarp it up with the masts laying down, like in this picture?  Or with the masts up?

[musicmanx2]

I would like to have mast up sometimes while out on a beach and maybe on the boat lift too. I might lay

them down while on the lift for a longer period of time if not using it.

Would be nice to be able to do it both ways. Sometimes I will have tent in front deck while camping on beach if not on land with tent. If I was on land camping I could lay the mast down and cover whole boat in rain storms.

[Andy B]

Here's my best idea.  String a rope between the masts to get a little pitch in the structure.

 

Take the long piece of material and cut two slits, one from the front to the main mast, and one from the back to the mizzen mast.  Now you can get the cover on around the masts.  As for the slits, the fabric I had once would probably take some adhesive velcro.  I would use that to seal up the slits.

 

Not perfect, but probably good enough.

[Don Silsbe]

When I owned a Wayfarer, many years ago, I bought a commercially-made cover for it.  It had a zipper down the front, from the mast to the bow.  It also had a long strip of fabric sewn in at the back of that zipper, which wrapped around the mast several times.

 

I would not use rip-stop nylon.  It is too flimsy and stretchy, and will not last in the Florida environment.  I would use Topnotch from Sailrite.

[musicmanx2]

6 hours ago, Andy B said:

Here's my best idea.  String a rope between the masts to get a little pitch in the structure.

 

Take the long piece of material and cut two slits, one from the front to the main mast, and one from the back to the mizzen mast.  Now you can get the cover on around the masts.  As for the slits, the fabric I had once would probably take some adhesive velcro.  I would use that to seal up the slits.

 

Not perfect, but probably good enough.

 That is a good idea. I like that. Yes some adhesive Velcro would work nice on the splits to hole them together. Thankyou for your idea.

[Don Silsbe]

This is how ripstop behaves in a 15mph breeze.

[Steve W]

I'm in the "don't use ripstop for a tent" camp. In an actual tent, you have the luxury of pitching to avoid the wind. Unfortunately, even on a lee shore, you can be in the wind, and that ripstop is going to drive you nuts. 

 

I've rigged many boats over the years, but all were different. Imagine what you want and then pattern it with a roll of paper. That's what I did in most cases. I then used the paper as a pattern when cutting the pieces. About the only thing I've done with my CS20 Mark III Skeena is to make this fly. the only reason I am showing this is that the poles across a ridge rope really do a great job of supporting the top.  

[PadrePoint]

10 hours ago, Steve W said:

the only reason I am showing this is that the poles across a ridge rope really do a great job of supporting the top.  

Steve, I likely asked you before… what works well for the poles?  I might cannibalize an old tent for the poles but maybe there are some better options.  

[Steve W]

These are the ones I bought.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GBY77WV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

 

They are pretty stiff. For the application, I was convinced I needed collapsible poles. Truth is that I roll up the tarp with the poles still in the sleeve and store it below in one long package along the starboard bunk. 

[musicmanx2]

On 3/19/2024 at 3:35 PM, Don Silsbe said:

This is how ripstop behaves in a 15mph breeze.

IMG_6350.mov

I might be better with some other material but I need to be able to store it.

[musicmanx2]

On 3/21/2024 at 11:16 AM, Steve W said:

I'm in the "don't use ripstop for a tent" camp. In an actual tent, you have the luxury of pitching to avoid the wind. Unfortunately, even on a lee shore, you can be in the wind, and that ripstop is going to drive you nuts. 

 

I've rigged many boats over the years, but all were different. Imagine what you want and then pattern it with a roll of paper. That's what I did in most cases. I then used the paper as a pattern when cutting the pieces. About the only thing I've done with my CS20 Mark III Skeena is to make this fly. the only reason I am showing this is that the poles across a ridge rope really do a great job of supporting the top.  

 

1 minute ago, musicmanx2 said:

I might be better with some other material but I need to be able to store it.

What type of material is that and where did you buy it and can it  store away small size.

[musicmanx2]

On 3/19/2024 at 2:26 PM, musicmanx2 said:

 That is a good idea. I like that. Yes some adhesive Velcro would work nice on the splits to hole them together. Thankyou for your idea.

Im looking for some clamps that I could clamp the ripstop or light canvas to the cowling along the edge which mine

has about a 4" lip running all around the boat which is nice.

[Don Silsbe]

Sailrite (https://www.sailrite.com/search?keywords=Snaps) offers many snap options.  The Lift-a-Dot and Twist Lock fasteners are the most popular.  I like the most expensive ones, of course.  The Loxx Pull It Up fasteners are cool.  Haven’t tried them yet.  A friend of mine made a tent for his Core Sound 17.  He used Twist Lock fasteners.

[musicmanx2]

On 3/19/2024 at 2:26 PM, musicmanx2 said:

 That is a good idea. I like that. Yes some adhesive Velcro would work nice on the splits to hole them together. Thankyou for your idea.

Im looking for some clamps that I could clamp the ripstop or light canvas to the cowling along the edge which mine

has about a 4" lip running all around the boat which is nice.

 

Looks like I found tent tarps that will work and heavier then ripstock but not to heavy.

[Don Silsbe]

Sailrite (https://www.sailrite.com/search?keywords=Snaps) offers many snap options.  The Lift-a-Dot and Twist Lock fasteners are the most popular.  I like the most expensive ones, of course.  The Loxx Pull It Up fasteners are cool.  Haven’t tried them yet.  A friend of mine made a tent for his Core Sound 17.  He used Twist Lock fasteners.

[Don Silsbe]

Here’s a basic snap kit from Seachoice, available through Amazon.  https://a.co/d/frhgz7m
 

 In the long run, though, these snaps will be the most troublesome.  twist-lock fasteners are easier to remove.

https://a.co/d/cBhbkQe

 

Sailrite’s products are more expensive, but may be of higher quality than stuff ordered off Amazon.  Just my gut feel.

[Don Silsbe]

I use 16 mil poly tarps to cover my boats.  I weigh them down with gallon water jugs filled with water, and attached with S-hooks. The 16 mil tarps are heavy, but last longer than the thinner models.  Even these are only good for about three years, before they start leaking.   This is why I recommended Top Notch.

[Don Silsbe]

The subject mentions keeping rain out.  You will not keep rain out of the boat with the masts so low to the boat.  Been there, done that.  You need to devise a way to prop those masts up high enough to keep the water from puddling.  For me, that means at least 12”, and more like 18”.  Everybody has their own special way of doing this.