Full cover for Tomcat?

M

matt_unique

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C Dory Year
2007
C Dory Model
255 Tomcat
Vessel Name
Napoleon
Has anyone ever had a full cover made for the Tomcat? Specifically something you may put over the boat when not in use on the slip or mooring?

My mooring (East coast reference...permanent anchor about 50 yards from shore) is near a coal power plant. When the winds are out of the west it blows the coal dust and it gets on everything. Even a cover would have a line of the blown coal dust around the lip. I'm trying to determine the best way to protect my investment while she's sitting on the mooring.

Thanks
 
During WWII my wife Dotty lived with her parents and three siblings on a salvaged 52 foot boat in the Harlem River, NYC. It was tied up next to a coal powered ConEd plant. When I read your post I asked Dot if they had coal dust fall on her boat. "Yeah" was her quiet response. "What did you do about it? "Nothing, we weren't that fastidious."
 
I lived near a crematorium once...always felt uncomfortable when I dusted off the furniture. :crook
 
The easiest cover would be for the cockit--a "slant back". When a boat is moored in the water, the problem is to keep the cover tight on the boat. On the trailer, one can use straps under the boat or to the trailer frame.

Many years ago, my father had full covers for his sailboat (self made out of heavy canvas--Navy life boat covers sewn on a treadle Singer machine). He tried many different ways to keep the cover down including sand bags every foot, and cup hooks under the toe rail on the outside with small loops of line thru each hook.

With the boat on the mooring, you have the same problems--you can put a number of the lift the dot fasteners around the boat under the gunnel--but these are somewhat subject to damage (I have these, and prefer them to the typical snaps for our camper cover).

The other problem is rolling up the cover and storing it. A cover for a C Dory is sizable. I have a fullSunbrella cover for my 19 foot Road Trek. Rolled up it is about 2 feet x 2 feet x 3 feet, and weight about 50 lbs--the Tom Cat's would be slightly larger. Putting any cover on when moored at a mooring and with the wind blowing is difficult at the best.

You might consider a partial cover which has Sunbrella loops around the bow rail and then goes all of the way aft to the start of the cockpit cover or camper back. The top sides would secure to the hand rails with loops of material also. This would give a cover for the vast majority of the boat, be easier to put on and easy to stow.
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

Good point about the problem with keeping it secure. A flapping cover will cause damage...there is not a single boat covered in the harbor but I'm in new boat mode and want to keep it pristine.

What would you suggest for chemicals to minimize UV damage?
 
Matt, are you talking about the boat or Sunbrella? I get 8 to 10 years out of a sunbrella cover. With the 303 for fabric it certainly helps to lengthen the life, and protects from UV. I don't use any fabric protector on Sumbrella for the first two years, then yearly. For vinly's I use the 303 from day one--I guess it might not be a bad idea to use it on the Sunbrella also. With Sunbrella, Gortex thread will usually last the life of the cover--but with dacron or monofiliment you will probably have to have it re-stitched a couple of times in its life.

For the boat--a good wax--Colinite Fleet wax or McQuires is what I use. A good coat of the Fleet Wax once a year and in between with McQuires Flagship boat wax. Woody wax makes a good non skid wax for the decks.
 
What is 303?
 
there are a series of products by 303 products inc. They are Aerospace protectorant, 303 high tech fabric guard, There are some cleaning, widow, windshield products. They are excellent at giving UV protection to vinlys (and multiple other surfaces). The fabric is specifically used for Sunbrella. There is also a cleaner specifically recommended for Sunbrella.
http://www.303products.com/

The products will also protect fiberlass gel coat, but it is not as durable as wax. I use the 303 Aerospace protectorant on my inflatables, power cords, fenders and hoses. It seems to decrease the UV damage to the plasticisors in PVC materials.
 
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