Front deck tarp

V

Volant

New member
I wish to buy, or have made, a water proof tarp that I can suspend over the front deck area to provide shade and rain protection for when I want the front hatch open. I have grab handles above the windshield and connections on the railing stanchions to do this, but I seek input on the best dimensions for the tarp and grommet locations. Some of you have already been down this path so let me know your thoughts. Also, if there is an on-line source for fabrication, that tip would be great.

John Buss
C-Dory 25: "Just Enough"
 
We have a house in the desert and find solid shade covers blow away or tear themselves up and without wind, the heat still comes though. The company link below leads to all kinds of shelter cloth/material one of which I really like is Aluminet. They custom cut and hem and will put grommets as you wish. Good folks to deal with. Be safe and cool!!! Bob
https://shadeclothstore.com/
 
I thought about doing the same thing, but never got around to it and haven't really missed it. I did add opening ports to the v-berth trunk. This helps with ventilation and cooling and could possibly be left open in rain situations (depending on the rain conditions). You could also put rain shields on the ports.
 
Horrible Fright (Harbor Freight) tarp, sometimes free or a only a dollar. Fold and staple till you are happy, then tape the final shape with doubled edges and mark the grommet holes. I put in two next to each other to allow for cross tightening/in and out bungee hook up - then look to a lift point in the middle, put a grommet and patch there and hole up with an adjustable painting handle. If all works as designed, you can take out the handle, insert a hose fitting in the grommet hole and collect rainwater into a jerrycan. If you want to have a cover made, send in the HF tarp as a pattern and consider having a two ply design with dark and light fabric opposite to each other, you can turn white/silver to reflect or darker color to bring in some heat. If you do the HF tarp, make a spare so you only measure/cut once, never use the spare till you make a new one. Want to get fancy? On the two ply method you can build in light weight battens that better define the shapes you want, stop wind flapping most of the time, reduce "sailing", and give you better water collection without spill over.
bob
 
John Buss,
I saw your desire and went to my boat this evening and installed my bow shade for photos. The wind around me was 10 to 30 with gust from the remainder of Sally. I have used it many times, but never though to take a photo of it.
This Sunbrella cover was done by this boat's first owner, so no credit to me... There are screws in the bow rail to keep the line, both port and starboard aft and near the top. When I purchased the boat, I scratched my head several times, to why anyone would install screws in the aft top end of the hand rail. Once I found this in the boat, it became clear as to their purpose.
See my photos album to see the shade.
 
Steve, Hope it's OK to post one of your photos here for you. (There are 3 total on Page 3 in the album.)

CapeCruiserBowShade1.sized.jpg

Looks like a really nice and functional cover. If you lay that out flat, is it a triangle shape -- base over the windshield, and tip at the bow rail point?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

1_10_2012_from_Canon_961.highlight.jpg
 
We copied one we saw on here. The triangle is the same green and white stripe of the camper back top. There is a channel running under the brow and the base slides into that. When we set it up it shades the cabin and covers the forward hatch. It can be lowered forward to cut down on the wind and or rain and the hatch can stay open. Don't have time to do more searching to find it for you but it is one of t he long timers on this site.
Benton
 
Sorry to have missed this. We have two of these. They both use the same attatcment points: SS eye bolts thru the eye brow, and the "eye" under the eyebrow. Thus we can open the front window or hatch and have no water enter. Also use the window air-conditioning in the heavy rain.

One is a translucent fabric, the other is "Shelter Rite" fabric which is glued with HL66. Buy the shelter rite fabric from Sail Rite. Cut the pattern (ours is made from scraps), and then buy pvc fabric "D" Ring patch from Amazon. Cheap fast and good.

This is one corner of the fly--top side, showing patch/D ring.

IMG_0984.thumb.jpg

The cover extendes over the entire foredeck. In the "high" position, it ties off to the bow pulpit. both sides and center. In the "low" position for heavy rain, it ties off to eye bolts just inside the first leg of bow pulpit and the foredeck cleat.

I am looking to see if I have any more photos of this "up". I just took it down because of the hurricane...
 
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