Getting worn out taking canvas on and off!

[skibum]

I have a cockpit cover for my 280DA. 2 min to put it on or take it off. The only time i put up the glass is when it's raining.

+1

The cockpit cover is a wonderful thing. :smt038

I'm still trying to figure out the "one way" for my camper top. I usually end up unzipping one or two zippers and unsnapping a few snaps, then re-snapping and zipping up in a different sequence to get it done. I'm getting close, but I'll need to install it a couple more times before I get the sequence down pat.

Michael

 

[Cincy Aquaholic]

I have a 380 dancer. The best thing is ever did on the the boat was to have a canvas made to put up instead of the 3 eisenglass panels on the windsheild area which were designed by sadists. I still have the eisenglass panels in case of rain when I have to run the boat(used them once in 3 years) The three pieces in the aft take me about 3 minutes to take down/ put up. I don't see the big issue here on the aft curtains

Hmm, I like this idea! >95% of the time my front eisenglass goes up is when we aren't moving and the boat is being put away or we are going to sleep. No need to have clear there. Would be nice to have a one piece canvas piece there. Especially since I keep my 3 pieces connected. Heck, it would be nice to have it go all the way around to my side "triangle" pieces and negate the use of those as well except when cruising in the rain.

 

[skolbe]

The rear slant back is pretty quick to install - once you learn the trick of not zipping everything tight until each zipper is started. The cockpit cover takes a bit longer - because you have to go around the bimini poles and the arch. Wife packs things up on the boat and I start the front part of the cockpit cover. By the time she has everything on the dock. I have the boat covered. Never timed the cockpit cover - but from unfolding to closed up is probably 5 minutes max. The key is to fold the cockpit cover nicely with the front part easy to get to. Mine has a white Great Lakes tag in the front - so it is easy to reference when folding and unfolding.

 

[rhodyboater]

Thank you guys. I have never even seen a cockpit cover on a Sea Ray...and there are five of them at my club, as well as dozens of others docked around Narragansett Bay. I didn't even know I could get one....but I will now. Great solution!
Also, there were comments about the windshield eisenglass I related too as well. As much as I'd like to have a one piece (custom) curtain, I would think it would let too much wind in while underway.

 

[Dancin Dave]

Tony, I hope your canvas is on right now, your going to get hammered. I just sat through a carwash(boatwash) here on block. wicked.

 

[JCSAM]

Its pouring at this end of the state also.

 

[rhodyboater]

It is Dave, but after reading the benefits of a cockpit cover which covers the windshield, I think I would have been better protected with one of those, as there are indeed some gaps under my stretched out windshield canvas eisenglass.
What a boating season so far! Record rain in New England

 

[Dancin Dave]

I dont know Tony, I've had the covers, never really had one long enough to see how it handled torrential rain. And I wouldn't want to see the results if it somehow failed, collapsed etc.