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 Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums
 General Sailing Forum
 Winter Cover Frame
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DavidCrosby
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229 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/29/2022 :  15:18:58  Show Profile  Visit DavidCrosby's Homepage  Reply with Quote
This post would be better served had I posted back in the fall. But I did not take pictures when covering the boat. A little over a week ago, I uncovered the boat and my wife said, "You should take some pictures of that skeleton you have on your boat." So, here goes.

I bought a bunch of PVC pipes that I zip tie spanning across the boat. There is no real pattern, just trying to keep the cover from sagging and filling with snow or water. I cover with a big, white, heavy duty cover that I bought at from Tractor Supply. This cover has held up really well.








David Crosby "Small World"
'02 C250 WK #614

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2022 :  17:22:43  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi David, for some reason I cannot see your pictures but I too use 1”x8ft PVC pipe as a skeleton. I wrap them using Home Center string tied to the boom. I wrap a green tarp over top.
I don’t cover the forward section of the boat because that’s where I place my solar panel. How do you support the pipe forward of the mast?
The snow falls off the tarp and does not fill up the cockpit. It’s a nice compromise.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain — Milford, CT
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DavidCrosby
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229 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2022 :  19:55:41  Show Profile  Visit DavidCrosby's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Not sure why the pictures would not be viewing for you. They are hosted in the forum's member's area / image gallery.

David Crosby "Small World"
'02 C250 WK #614
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DavidCrosby
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229 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2022 :  08:21:48  Show Profile  Visit DavidCrosby's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Voyager

How do you support the pipe forward of the mast?



My mast is down for winter storage. However, if I were to attempt to cover with the mast up, I would probably have my whisker pole extend from the mast (at boom level) to the bow pulpit and continue the skeleton frame forward over that.

I have a small solar panel that I trickle charge with. Normally it hangs off the stern pulpit. When the boat is covered I mount it on a 1x4 board that sticks out behind the boat. The 1x4 is clamped to the catbird seat with a couple C-Clamps.

David Crosby "Small World"
'02 C250 WK #614
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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2022 :  09:17:02  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by DavidCrosby

quote:
Originally posted by Voyager

How do you support the pipe forward of the mast?



My mast is down for winter storage. However, if I were to attempt to cover with the mast up, I would probably have my whisker pole extend from the mast (at boom level) to the bow pulpit and continue the skeleton frame forward over that.

If you store your boat with the mast up (most probably can't), you don't need a skeleton frame. I stored my Cal 25 one winter with the mast up. I attached the spinnaker pole to the mast ring and lashed the other end to the bow pulpit and draped a tarp over it, forward of the mast. I draped another tarp over the boom. Both tarps were at a sufficiently steep angle that snow slid off them. If a C25 with an un-fixed boom isn't high enough to create a steep angle over the lifelines, you can raise the boom with a slide stop and raise the aft end with your adjustable topping lift. I don't remember for sure, but I think I also rigged a smaller tarp from the aft end of the boom around the transom to fully enclose the cockpit. The simplest way I've found to hold tarps down is to drive tent stakes into the ground.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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5231 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2022 :  19:20:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
David, for some reason your photos automagically appeared. Looks good! My pipes are laid out more like a fish bone skeleton perpendicular to my boom. I added a short board to the end of my boom to provide for an anchor for my last 2-3 “bones”. This allows me to completely cover the entire cockpit.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain — Milford, CT
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bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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1736 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2022 :  09:44:34  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Over the years I have considered making my own frame. One year even drew up plans and went to Home Depot to buy PVC. I was surprised how heavy PVC is. As I remove the mast every year my design was a 3 inch diameter tube from bow to stern where the boom and a whisker pole might otherwise be utilized, then smaller diameter to be the "ribs" from center to gunnel. Anyway, between the weight and cost I ended up doing nothing. Your set up looks intriguing -- just not sure how it would hold up to heavy snow we often get here in New England.

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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5231 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2022 :  11:35:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Peter - rather than using 3” PVC, why not use a few wooden 10ft 1x3s screwed together? You can add 6x6 blocks on your cabintop to keep it raised up. You can probably get away with 12-13 ribs, which should cost < $200.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain — Milford, CT
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bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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1736 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2022 :  16:52:36  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Every year when I remove the shrink wrap I think "why not keep the frame!" Alas, maybe this year.

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT
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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2022 :  17:14:34  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by bigelowp

Every year when I remove the shrink wrap I think "why not keep the frame!" Alas, maybe this year.

I had my C25 shrink wrapped one year and cut it carefully when I removed it in the spring and re-used it for 3 years.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore
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