…Does anyone know of sources, other than Cooke Custom Sewing, for canoe spray covers? I know that s few other canoe manufacturers sell covers for their models, but I want one for a We-no-nah Vagabond. Thanks.
North Water custom spray decks
These are of the highest quality. I have one for my Clipper Expedition and it helps a lot with imparting a sense of security (warmth & dryness) in many situations. Mine is attached via loops thru the hull and quick release (gated) hooks that don’t require rethreading each time. It may be overkill for a day tripper like the Vagabond … but will last and last.
http://www.northwater.com/html/spray_deck.html
I sewed my own for 3 canoes
Bow and stern sections without the center section at the seat. Great for splasnes and paddle water from sit & switch. E-mail me and I’ll send you a picture.
Here’s a few…
http://www.cabelas.com/information/Marine/Canoe-Spray-Decks.html
http://www.clippercanoes.com/outfitting.php
http://www.outdoorsolutions.ca/spraydecks.html
http://westerncanoekayak.com/product_listing.php?cat_id=137
Hope this helps,
-MEAT
wow, that’s a comprehensive list
i bet you hit them all. outdoor solutions is a great guy, but Northwater are known in many circles to make the best decks.
Thanks for all your help…
…and I’ve followed up on the websites mentioned. I’ve decided to pursue the plans pm_river_rat sent me, having a local shop do the job. The other companies look like they make great products, but more for WW and expeditionary uses. I’m a fair-weather, flatwater guy, and really just need some wind abatement, so I think the simpler plan is the better one for me. Thanks again.
Has anyone installed on on a kevlar
canoe? I’m thinking of making one for my Kevlar, Wenonah Champlain. I don’t need the bow and stern sections only the middle which would help with splashes and securing my gear in the boat. Last year on the Bowron I had to constantly keep bailing because of the constant rain that lasted for days. Thinking it would also help with the wind. I don’t know anything about sewing but just got an old machine from my sister so thinking of giving it a try. Nervous about drilling holes in my expensive canoe though.
That’s one reason I found…
…pm_river_rat’s plan attractive. He used Velcro to attach, sticky-back side attached to canoe, other side sewn to cover edge. 1" Velcro, 3" strips, centered 8" apart. I have a graphite Vagabond, and also can’t bear the thought of drilling. I’ll have to change my mind if I install Tugeyes.
Another cover idea that might work
I have a Navarro Egret that I row from amidships when solo. It’s a medium fast 16 foot daytripper with 16-17 inch high stems and a 32 inch waterline beam when loaded (more like 30" unloaded). Although it’s already in the class of what many would consider “low profile” canoes, I would like to lower it’s windage further by covering it’s ends … just leaving the middle third open for easy access. My thought is that wind catching the open middle won’t be as significant in turning it as that “grabbing” it’s ends and diverting it’s directionality.
I’m considering fitting some large triangles of thin (1/8th inch) mahagony doorskin plywood to cover the open ends … beyond the seats towards the middle. I’ll attach it to the Egret’s mahagony wood gunwales with 8-10 tiny brass flanged screws … transporting it with the aft endpiece left off (for better air flow at speed) and just attach that one piece with a screw gun upon arrival. I may reinforce the center and open edge with small wooden stays glued to strategically combat it succumbing to sagging forces and may also use a filled stuff sack on each seat for pillar support … i.e. making them flex upward slightly. When in storage, the pieces should stand up OK against a wall in the garage.
This rigid cover should quickly shed spash and prevent any solid water entry in large waves/wakes (for the most part) when I sail or row it. I want it to look good and still be functional with the option to quickly detach and reattach it without modifying the gunwales (other than small
here is how I did it
I set the canoe (Mohawk Odyssey 14) on horses right side up. I took an old tarp and laid it over. I cut out a rough football shape that draped about 8" over the gunnuls. I tied a drawstring of paracord around the boat and secured it with a truckers hitch. Then I used contact cement to close the seam up around the cord. when this was dry I reverswed the cover on the boat (ugly seam on the hull side,) and cut a hole for me. I cemented a simple skirt to the deck and it was off to the river. 2 years so good so far.
Wondering how well the velcro works?
It would seem like the glue wouldn’t work after a while. Does it hold the cover on in an upset in a rapid? I had mixed luck trying to get velcro to stick to items for any length of time.
Has anyone made Cliff Jacobson’s three piece cover? I’m trying to figure out why he has a flap (facing the bow) in his middle section of his three part cover. It doesn’t seem like it does anything but hang down? I would like to leave the option of adding the other two sections if I feel I need them so would like to follow his plans. Jacobson’s canoes must shed a few pounds because of all the holes he drills in his boats. I once added a sun roof to a van and the damn thing has leaked since I put it in so now I’m really nervous about drilling holes in things that don’t leak.
best cover and cliffs covers made here
These are the best covers used by MANY including cliff jacobson
http://www.cookecustomsewing.com
nm