duck canvas cover

Building a rain cover is the last thing I need to do before I head to the Palooza Crooza.
I'd been messing with this one in my head for quite awhile, but hadn't made any final decisions until today.

I knew I needed good tension from to back. I toyed with the idea of putting rotating turnbuttons on the top of the cabin roof, but didn't like how that would look or how it could snag.

I came up with the idea to have a bungee in the hem of the cover that held it over the lip on the cabin top.
I attached small bronze cleats on either side of the cabin.

cabin side cleats

I also found some duck canvas on sale. That sealed the deal as to what fabric to use.

I hadn't used a sewing machine in quite some time, but I dragged ours out and started to sew it all up.

Sewing machine and burgundy canvas.

Full side shot of the attached canvas.

turn button stud under the gunwale.

you can see the loop in the front hem.

I added a loop handle on the front. You can see that in the above picture. I'll have some bungees to tie it to the mast to keep tension

I also used turn buttons on the aft transom to hold the canvas. I only have 2 on there at the moment. I will have to change that, but for now it's ok.

rear needs trimming

Yes, I know duck canvas is not waterproof. I plan to waterproof it with Thomson's water seal. I can always buy some nylon tent rain fly fabric and cut that into a fly as well. It'll likely be quite a bit more expensive, so I'll hold off until I need it.

There is definitely still work to do; the bottom hem needs elastic bands to keep it tight down around the gunwales; the back needs to be trimmed; and it needs some waterproofing. But it'll be ok for the Crooza.