Towing- with or without cover?

About the important piece of kit under your Cape Cutter 19 when on the road.....

Towing- with or without cover?

Postby erbster » Tue Jun 26, 2012 10:09 am

Hi folks,

Opinions please: do you tow with or without the cover?

I collected my boat from HM with the cover; Bob and I fitted it. I drove it approx 120 miles home. Seemed slightly "billowy". I fitted the cover a little snugger (I thought), but during its next journey, the tail end of the cover had shredded itself- anyone else experience similar? Was I not supposed to tow with it? The only downside to towing with cover on seems to be to prevent encrusting by squashed flies....
erbster
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 712
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:57 pm
Location: Midlands

Postby Ru88ell » Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:49 am

I towed with mine for the first time on Friday, and it has so many rips that I'll need to get it repaired now. I won't bother in future - just use it for storage.
Ru88ell
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 598
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:48 pm
Location: Stourbridge

Postby Dennis » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:17 pm

I tow without the cover if I am going to launch the boat at the end of the tow. I travel with the mast supported by the tabernacle and a simple mast/boom crutch resting in the outboard well.

However, when I am taking the boat to it's winter storage or maybe to HM for TLC, I usually leave all the spars in my garage and fit the HM cover. I also usually fit a boom subsitute (part of an old mast from a previous boat) to the tabernacle gooseneck mounting and support it on the simple boom crutch at the aft end. The cover goes over the top, forming a tent shape, allowing rain to freely run off. Otherwise I end up with gallons of water lying on/in the cover over the cockpit.

I have not experienced any billowing of the cover whilst towing, But I always make sure that it is tight and cannot flap.

Hope this helps.
Cheers

Dennis

CC19 #100 Mary Ann
User avatar
Dennis
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 1146
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:29 pm
Location: Northumberland

Cover

Postby seasickwhale » Wed Jun 27, 2012 12:43 am

Hi all,

what are your covers made of? I am surprized you have rips when towing. I had mine made of the material used for truck covers - I have towed for appr. 6000 miles without any damage.

My cover has a ratchet-type fastener going through a "tunnel" around the bottom of the cover. This pulls the cover tight under the rubbing strake all around the hull (see http://www.capecutter19.org/forum/album.php?albumid=16&pictureid=57 - the ratchet is right at the bow). Also I use the fastening straps under the cover as support against excess flapping.
Happy Sailing

Stephan Radke
CC52 "Herr Nilsson"
User avatar
seasickwhale
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 71
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 8:51 pm
Location: Germany

Postby Dennis » Wed Jun 27, 2012 8:51 am

Hello Stephan

The HM supplied covers are made from PU coated Acrylic Canvas weight 520 grammes per square metre. This is very heavy and tough.

I also am amazed that anyone could manage to shred such material. :eek:
Cheers

Dennis

CC19 #100 Mary Ann
User avatar
Dennis
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 1146
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:29 pm
Location: Northumberland

Postby Ru88ell » Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:00 am

The issue seems to relate to a) how you tie down the back, and b) if you have any sharp edges. Stephan's cover was tailor made to suit his towing arrangement, yet the standard cover is more random and doesn't dictate where the mast lies.

Also, as I tow regularly I fitted a stubby VHF antenna so that I didn't need to keep making the screw connection each time. I also have protruding bolts where the NASA wind instrument fits, and these were on the top and rubbed through.

I learned my lesson now and won't ever use the cover other than for storage. I'm hopeful that Zephyr is resistant to rain water anyway.
Ru88ell
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 598
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:48 pm
Location: Stourbridge

Postby Dennis » Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:10 am

Ru88ell wrote:I'm hopeful that Zephyr is resistant to rain water anyway.


Only if you tow it upside down on the trailer! :D
Cheers

Dennis

CC19 #100 Mary Ann
User avatar
Dennis
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 1146
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:29 pm
Location: Northumberland

Postby Ru88ell » Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:20 am

Dennis wrote:Only if you tow it upside down on the trailer! :D


I have changed a few deck fittings and need to add a skim of Sikaflex to seal them, but other than that the hatch doesn't leak in a Gale 8 with very heavy rain (last Saturday). There's only the gap between the hatch and perspex panel to consider, and at 60mph I doubt that much rain will get in through it!

Zephyr is also cleaner after a journey in the rain. :)
Ru88ell
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 598
Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:48 pm
Location: Stourbridge

Postby erbster » Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:12 pm

My cover was tied as tightly as I was able to get it when I towed. Had no trouble with my previous boat.
Charles Erb
CC86 Aurora
travellingaurora.wordpress.com
erbster
CC19 Association Member
 
Posts: 712
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:57 pm
Location: Midlands


Return to Trailers and Towing

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

cron