New cockpit cover ideas

[LDB270]

We leave our 270 in the slip from about April to November. We only keep the camper canvas on early in the season and later. The rest of the time we have the cockpit cover on. It’s getting old and when thinking about replacing it I’m trying to think ways to make it better work for our situation. My wife likes to go hang out at the boat in the slip sometimes when I’m at work. I’d like to make the cockpit cover a little easier and quicker for her to enter the boat by her self or with one of the kids. I had some ideas like securing it to the top of the windshield frame rather than the bottom(covering the windows). Also making sure I can leave the biminis up with the cover on. And for entry I was thinking about a zipper or something else. I dunno, still a work in progress. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[KevinC]

Going over the windows provides sunshade to protect the interior. As far as entry goes a zipper will work but it just gets you in. You still need to remove the aft portions anyway. You could always split the cover around the windshield so that it becomes two pieces. if you add gypsy studs and caps you could keep the windshield portion on while removing the rest of the cover around the top of the windshield. Unfortunately your going to need to extend one piece to do this. Since this would require some custom canvas work I am not sure if want to take this path.

-Kevin

 

[CliffA]

I have found that if I leave the front snaps of the cover fastened all the way around the windshield I can unfasten the rest of the snaps and roll up the cover from the back towards the front...then it is a simple task to unroll the cover and fasten the snaps when ready to leave the boat...

cliff

 

[JimG]

I have found that if I leave the front snaps of the cover fastened all the way around the windshield I can unfasten the rest of the snaps and roll up the cover from the back towards the front...then it is a simple task to unroll the cover and fasten the snaps when ready to leave the boat...

cliff

That works for me also... just roll it up.

 

[bbwhitejr]

I have found that if I leave the front snaps of the cover fastened all the way around the windshield I can unfasten the rest of the snaps and roll up the cover from the back towards the front...then it is a simple task to unroll the cover and fasten the snaps when ready to leave the boat...

cliff

This is exactly what we did on our 260DA. Simple and easy to unsnap and roll rear to front. The windshield snaps were the tough ones anyway. The only thing about adding a zipper...be careful where you put it as it will leak...

Bennett

 

[CliffA]

I forgot to mention my double bimini top stays up all year...it never comes down...the cockpit cover can be made to fit around the bimini frame poles....

cliff