DIY bow spray canopy
Posted: 03 May 2018, 12:16
just finished my DIY spray dodger and thought i would share the results.
I had seen a purpose built canopy for sale on ebay for £60 but I didn't want black which was the only colour available at that price.
I have seen a few how to threads so decided to have a go at making one myself. I found a suitable tent pole in the garage and various bits of sting and bungee. I then purchased the following:
* 1.5m x 2m of "600-D fabric MARINE CANVAS" £16 (inc. postage)
*Sib Hooks £7.50
*V69 polyester thread £4
*10mm eyelets / press £9.95
total spend £37.45
I went for fluorescent orange material because I thought I 1. like to be seen, 2. be a bit different! i used almost all of the material bar a few off cuts so glad I got the size I did. I spent some time adding tent poles to get the height that I wanted. (75cms from floor to top of arch). I think this bit is quite important and you need to think what you want. I just wanted somewhere for my wife / daughter to escape sun, rain, spray easily and this was the right height for them.
After using clothes pegs to hold the material onto the tent pole I cut the outline I wanted using the sib rubbing stake as a guide. The edges were them hemmed using V69 which is a strong, UV and abrasion resistant thread.
The brass eyelets were then installed, the draper kit was very easy to use and worth the money. The SIB hooks were overpriced as most marine things are but they do the job. I tried to use the Zodiacs original fittings wherever possible to help hold the spray dodger down.
I am yet to try this out on the water, I am sure that I will need to adjust / improve certain aspects of it but I love the colour of it and hopefully it will perform well.
I had seen a purpose built canopy for sale on ebay for £60 but I didn't want black which was the only colour available at that price.
I have seen a few how to threads so decided to have a go at making one myself. I found a suitable tent pole in the garage and various bits of sting and bungee. I then purchased the following:
* 1.5m x 2m of "600-D fabric MARINE CANVAS" £16 (inc. postage)
*Sib Hooks £7.50
*V69 polyester thread £4
*10mm eyelets / press £9.95
total spend £37.45
I went for fluorescent orange material because I thought I 1. like to be seen, 2. be a bit different! i used almost all of the material bar a few off cuts so glad I got the size I did. I spent some time adding tent poles to get the height that I wanted. (75cms from floor to top of arch). I think this bit is quite important and you need to think what you want. I just wanted somewhere for my wife / daughter to escape sun, rain, spray easily and this was the right height for them.
After using clothes pegs to hold the material onto the tent pole I cut the outline I wanted using the sib rubbing stake as a guide. The edges were them hemmed using V69 which is a strong, UV and abrasion resistant thread.
The brass eyelets were then installed, the draper kit was very easy to use and worth the money. The SIB hooks were overpriced as most marine things are but they do the job. I tried to use the Zodiacs original fittings wherever possible to help hold the spray dodger down.
I am yet to try this out on the water, I am sure that I will need to adjust / improve certain aspects of it but I love the colour of it and hopefully it will perform well.
