Frame for boat cover

[pequa1]

Have always just thrown an 11 X 23 HFT tarp over a homemade frame but if I am to keep the boat another winter I need to re-do the frame. The ugly monsters in the pix also has a small A-frame at the bow so that no weight goes on the windshield. the large A frame towards the stern still has those milk crates supporting the PVC pole, but now the milk crates are just forward of the battery hatch and outboard. I do need to crawl in over the winters to exercise the steering so the stern is left fairly open. Its an 18' Sea Pro dual console. Any ideas guys ?

 

[pequa1]

Anyone ? even PMing me a pic of yours would be a great help. I think I need to use all PVC, no more Rue Goldberg approach. but don't want to spend a fortune on a 22 year old boat as I am a dyed in the wool piker.

Has anyone ever used their rod holders to use some sort of pole that is super flexible but would still allow the cover to shed snow? My boat has two in the hull gunnel rodholders on each side behind the cockpit and three more on each side of the O/B but that might restrict my entry over the winter to exercise the wheel. (Yes, I know, hydraulic steering yada yada. Please see last word on above paragraph, lol.)

 

[Old Mud]

Maybe no one would/could answer your post because of your. " Please see last word on above paragraph, lol.)" We are a dying breed you know. As far as that first pic. is it's NG.

Now in the second pic. you nearly have it. If it were me I would move that aft one back closer to the transom, Then just make another A frame for just aft of the steering Bhd. That should be all you need.

 

[pequa1]

I have a small Aframe on the bow, but from it I am using a lightweight 2x4 to hook into a vertical standing 4x4 that, with a "foot", is "stuck" between the console just aft of the windscreen (which I have to keep open.) I am thinking that if I get another PVC pipe (in lieu of the 2x4), join it to the other PVC pipe in the second pic it would be a top ... but its the Aframe amidships that is the problem. (Unwieldy, made of wood and doesn't attach well to the lengthwise PVC pipe.) I think I will get something that will go into the aforementioned amidships rod holders, use that to anchor wood or PVC as "rafters"that will then go up to connect to the lengthwise PVC pipe and form an Aframe. I still need to put something up just in front of the O/B but maybe an upside down "T" , a 2x4 with a 4x4 footer. Would allow me to crawl in over the winter as well.

 

[pequa1]

OK, I have decided to go with new PVC pipes and fittings as my piker days (after going with a Trex deck and patio and whole house vinyl flooring are pretty much over with, lol.) It seems there are more choices "fitting-wise" if I go down in size from the 2" pipe I thought I would use to 1 & 1/2" or even 1". Provided I put some 4 way 90 degree tees every 5 feet or so down the middle of an 18' long bay boat, and a couple of A frames to amidship gunnel rodholders and the bow rail as well as one in the stern, can I get by with the skinnier pipe ? (Occasionally the cover ends up with half a foot of snow on it until I shovel enough driveway to get to the cover with a broom.)