Need suggestion for boat cover support bows

[Cooler]

3/8" diameter fiberglass pultrusions cost between $0.90 per foot to $0.060 per foot, depending upon the quantity.

http://www.eplastics.com/Plastic/fibergl...hgod00MAwQ

Fiberglass rods would probably be my only choice for this application.

[Herebrooks]

How about pvc with a wooden plug to enter your hardware correctly. It would have very little spread pressure for your boat.

[Cliff Ober]

I use ash, and don't bother with any finish. It's under the cover and protected.

[barnowl]

Hi All. 

  I'm looking for suggestions as to which wood to use for the wood slats that are used to support a boat cover over winter.  They will need to fit a mount on either side of the boat.  The wood needs to by very straight grained and "springy".  Any suggestions?  Thanks.

Why not just do what all the shrink wrappers do, and put support "posts" in the center, a spine running the length, screwed to the posts, with non stretch twine to the sides?

[EvilTwin]

Why not just do what all the shrink wrappers do, and put support "posts" in the center, a spine running the length, screwed to the posts, with non stretch twine to the sides?

I tried doing something like that last winter.  I used PVC and some 1" webbing going out from the center to all corners and in between.  Water still pooled on the cover with rain.  Plus the PVC cracked where the stress was too great.

FYI, this is the boat in question, no issue with the bows pushing out too much, they will mainly be mounted on the railing:

[Steve N]

I don't see a picture, and when I try to quote you to see what the link for it is, it's HUGE.

This is what Google said about it.


It's so big it won't wrap on this site.

Where is the pic posted?

[barnowl]

I tried doing something like that last winter.  I used PVC and some 1" webbing going out from the center to all corners and in between.  Water still pooled on the cover with rain.  Plus the PVC cracked where the stress was too great.

FYI, this is the boat in question, no issue with the bows pushing out too much, they will mainly be mounted on the railing:

...

Your picture didn't show.

IMHO, your cover wasn't tight enough, or your spine wasn't high enough, if you had pooling water.

I used to have pooling water when I used a tarp, for a number of reasons, so I hired shrink wrappers since.

But.... one thought.... when we had an above ground pool years ago, we would hang gallon milk jugs from the tarp grommets to keep the tarp taut.

But make sure your webbing/twine is not nylon.... it stretches and does not remain tight.

[Boatman53]

The pic is gone for me also but I did see it earlier. It is your basic aluminum pontoon floating platform.
Jim

[Cliff Ober]

How much time does it take to rig all that up? With the bows it takes me about 5 minutes to cover it up...

[EvilTwin]

I don't see a picture, and when I try to quote you to see what the link for it is, it's HUGE.

This is what Google said about it.


It's so big it won't wrap on this site.

Where is the pic posted?

Ever since google did away with Picasa, trying to link the photos I have is a nightmare. Used to be so easy, now, it took several tries to get that one to show. Probably has to do with their sharing settings. Just like lots of things, they took something that was simple and worked and replaced it with "improved" that doesnt work.