Tramp cover

I designed one last year, bungies hook on corners of crossbars and three plastic hooks catch gunwale on each side; $150. I'm shipping a P-18 mast to Baltimore tomorrow because of storm damage if that tells you anything. Pete 909-800-5237

Any pictures or more details on what materials you used?

Also, any thoughts on how to secure the boat while sitting on the beach during the week to protect it in case of a strong wind storm?

I use a cheap plastic tarp. Get the kind with the plastic corner protectors. They tuck under the tramp
in the corners nicely which holds the tarp well. I put it over the boom and also use some bungys along with tucking in the corners. Five dollar tarp will last a season and save the tramp.

use some bungys along with tucking in the corners

comeon pete you allso use some of the local paperweights too.....allso known as ROCKS 😆

Sorry, Dave, My covers are down in La Paz. I like them because they'll last 3-5 years (polyester) & easy on, easy off. Tarps good for only one season. For tie-downs: bury a 2' 2x4 about 2' in sand. Drill hole in center & pass rope thru to either tie to shrouds or across hulls. Whewre do you keep it on Lake Michigan ? Pete

Hi guys...
What do you guys do with your boats (in particular the tramps) in the winter time. Do you remove the tramp or just cover it up? I'm thinking of leaving the tramp on my boat this winter and covering it with a tarp or canvas. It's a real pain to put back on in the spring.

Nemo

isnemo wrote: Hi guys...
What do you guys do with your boats (in particular the tramps) in the winter time. Do you remove the tramp or just cover it up? I'm thinking of leaving the tramp on my boat this winter and covering it with a tarp or canvas. It's a real pain to put back on in the spring.

Nemo

Only reason I can think of to remove it during the winter is if you are in a heavy snow area. Boats can get damaged from a heavy load of snow on the flat tramp.

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DamonLinkous wrote: [quote=isnemo]Hi guys...
What do you guys do with your boats (in particular the tramps) in the winter time. Do you remove the tramp or just cover it up? I'm thinking of leaving the tramp on my boat this winter and covering it with a tarp or canvas. It's a real pain to put back on in the spring.

Nemo

Only reason I can think of to remove it during the winter is if you are in a heavy snow area. Boats can get damaged from a heavy load of snow on the flat tramp.

Oh, and Welcome to TheBeachcats.com, please fill out your signature and introduce yourself.
http://www.thebeachcats.com/faq/Forums/Forum-Signatures/

I remove mine every winter but a P16-P18 is not that hard to deal with in my opinion. I like tinkering in the spring to get it ready anyhow. I am in Utah so heavy snow is a possibility and I don't have access to covered storage for it right now.

Cats can get flipped over on the beach in storms. if not tied down. I had it happen to me twice on the DE bay. Once with a bent mast as a result. Since then I buried some concrete and created a "dock/ramp with tiedowns", just above high tide line, but it is permanantly out in front of the house.
For temporary storage at the beach, I have buried cement blocks a few feet deep with lines run through the openings and up to tie downs. Works well up to a point!!!
I also remove the tramp for the winter as I want to make it last as long as possible and it gives me a better check in the spring when I go through all rigging, etc...

http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=81296

This is what happens when boats are: left on trailers with both boat and trailer untied; tied insufficiently; untied at all. All of the above were in effect, as it were

The only (as I recall) boat left standing was my Square. She was tied down with two strap ties, one at mast base, other at center aft crossbeam. Both were made to house trailer anchors buried to their brackets. It was a miracle that my boat wasn't hit by the other boats flying round her, for some of the boats in the pileup were in front of her on the beach.

The yellow boat was tied to the OSYC tiedowns which were insufficient. Don't think that cheap line will hold your boat. Use webbing straps or good line.

The truck was flipped because the Hobie 18 was left, mast down IIRC, on a trailer which wasn't tied at all. The boat sent into the truck which rolled over. Don't think that leaving the boat on the trailer will be sufficient - the whole rig will go.

I had a Hobie 16 on the beach one Summer in NJ

To tie it down I bought 2 heavy duty 5 gallon buckets. I bolted them together near the reinforced top and attached 8ft of the heaviest chain I could buy. I buried the buckets in the sand with the open end up about 3' below the surface. the weight of the sand held the buckets down. I would loosely lock the chain around the front cross bar and beach wheels as a theft deterrent. I would also attach a piece of line to the chain near the sand and tightly tie it to the front cross bar to hold the boat down. The setup worked well.

It was a 4 block walk from the parking area to the boat, so concrete blocks were not an attractive option. One added benefit, the buckets made good shovels. One less thing to carry to the beach.

I like the bucket idea
My only other added suggestion is to keep the tie down straps near/over the cross beams, as I saw a crushed hull from a tie down which was too far forward on a boat that survived (almost) a northeaster a few years back

Pete, I keep the boat just south of Grand Haven, MI

Good ideas on the beach anchors. Thanks to all.

I'll probably continue to take the tramp off my boat each fall... unless I can find covered storage for it. My garage is big enough but already has a fishing boat that sits in it. Who knows maybe the fishing boat will find itself outside come this fall and the cat in the garage 🙂 I had a new tramp made for this boat a couple years ago and it ended up being just a bit too small. With some effort you can get it in the rails on each hull but it's a job! 🙂 Thanks for the input.

Pete,

Where did you buy your polyster cover for the tramp?

Dave, Give me a call 909-800-5237. And by the way, sail that boat North. Took us four days to get to Mackinaw from your place in the P-16. Pete

I'm interested in a good tramp cover for my p18 a well but it needs to be cheap and would be nice if it could stay on while trailering.