Boat cover for 19 foot Cape Dorey Typhoon weekender

[glennprentice]

Hi,

Does anyone have any idea where I might find a winter cover for my boat, or suggestions on how to make one?

I appreciate any help you can give me.

Thank you,

Glenn

[David van den Burgh]

I imagine there's someone out there who can offer Typhoon-specific advice, but here's what I did for our CD36.



You can read my notes at our site: Winter Cover

[Joe Montana]

Hi Glenn, I have a day sailer, but I think this would work for a weekender. This very simple and inexpensive system has worked well for me for years: I have a long (about 19') board (about 1x3) that runs from stem to stern. It's flexible and when I tie it down at the bow and afterdeck, it creates a nice smooth arc, with the highest point at the mast step. My mast is keel stepped, so I put a 2x4 up through the deck where the mast would be for the central support; you might only need a cushion on your mast plate. I have another vertical support in the cockpit area.

I reuse the same supports and lines every year, and the whole thing goes together very quickly. To hold it in place athwartship I use lines run to cleats on the cabin top and in the cockpit. I use a large (cheap) plastic tarp that wraps up the entire boat very neatly. A large tarp covers the entire hull, and even most of the bottom.

The first year I worried about not having ventilation, but I've been doing this for many years now and have not had any problems with mold or mildew. I make sure that I cover the boat on a dry, sunny day. Each spring, the boat is as dry as a bone and the only real cost has been to replace the tarp every few years (for under $20). I have no enclosed cuddy, so maybe you would want to give more thought to ventilation.

Good luck.

[glennprentice]

David and Joe,

Thank you so much! Great ideas! I'll get to work. :D :D

Glenn

[Paul McCary]

We covered our typhoon weekender with the mast unstepped and a cheap tarp from a hardware store or wherever. I lay a 2 x 6 board from the stern to the cabin top (about 7 feet) to make the peak of the enclosure. To prevent the sides of tarp that cover the cockpit from getting weighted down with snow and forming pools, we use 2 of those white plastic resin chairs (super cheap) and lean them toward the 2 x 6 "spine." The chairs form a perfect support system for the tarp. No ice/snow pools in the spring!

Re ventilation, just leave the companionway boards out; we never had a problem.

[Maine Sail]

Hamilton Marine sells the good heavy duty green poly tarps that blend in a lot nicer than the bright blue ones. Buy a tarp, some 2X4's and some strapping and you'll have a fine little cover. You can place pipe insulation over the toe rail to prevent chafe of your toe rail and your cover..

[bhartley]

Miranda was covered for the season last October 1 and was finally uncovered in mid-August. Granted there wasn't lots of snow in eastern Massachusetts this winter, but the cover served well nonetheless.

The frame was made from CPVC and was just press-fit (the end piece sprung when I removed the cover). There are 3 vertical pieces - cockpit, mast step and stem from 2x4's with notches. The stemhead piece was bolted in place.

Although it was a silver tarp, it was a very low-end model. Two grommets ripped during summer storms.

[Appleton68]

I run a board from the stern to the top of the companionway hatch; at the stern I have an X shaped cross which holds the board at the same height as the hatch. I then take a common tarp and put it over the board & the boat and secure it with line tied to the trailer. Works great.