installing cockpit cover

[pumy]

I just recieved my new cockpit cover from Great Lakes company, I also purchased the snap tool, has anyone installed a cover and the snaps? I noticed some of the snaps will need to be screwed into the fiberglass. Is it something I should get an experienced person to do? I have a 1998 290 da and it did not have a cockpit cover so there is nothing to measure snap placement by.
Pumy

 

[rcknecht]

I just installed one this past summer... I started by installing the stern snaps on the cover. Start from the middle out. After I installed all the snaps, but the ones I needed to drill in, I layed the cover over the windshield under the wippers... I marked the spots on the fiberglass where I would drill and screw in the snaps... I put a small piece of masking tape on the fiberglass then marked and drilled the the holes. Make sure you use a sealant on the threads of the screws... If you don't you will get a leak... I went through three defective snap tools before Great Lakes sent me the profesional tool... It made a world of difference...

 

[Lazy Daze]

Above is good advice - start from the middle and work out. Personally, I prefer to do both the rear and forward middle first, but that's me. That way I know the cover isn't being installed crooked. Minor point, though.

Go to Post #4 (it's specific to installing screws - same thing for snaps): http://clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17850&highlight=drill

 

[sbw1]

I would do the side fiberglass male snaps first and seal the holes with 4200 as you screw the snaps in through some blue painter tape. Then the windshield and transom. Once those are in I would start at the center of the windshield and install the small female snaps that have the sharp spikes on the end and position the canvas over the places where the spikes penetrate the canvas marking the correct location of the female snap. Place a final female snap at each spike hole and secure that to the canvas. Do the same thing working out and around the boat. Do a snap on one side and then the other to keep the tension balanced. I would also use all stainless steel snaps so the fasteners do not fail. (the canvas will fail eventually but snaps will not pop off.) Make sure you allow for any tent pole in the cockpit that will be used to support the cover and cause water to run off instead of ponding.