Mast down cover, mast protection

[Peter Dubé]

I have a mast down boat cover. I'm looking for something to put over the mast base hinge area so the the cover does not get damaged. Wondering what you guys have found as being effective. Folded up thick cloth diapers tired on, do NOT work!

Peter

[rogerschwake]

  It sounds like I have a boat cover that is very smiler to yours. My cover has a added piece of canvas in the area your are talking about. Maybe a small trow rug would do the job for you. The top of the mast has ripped a hole in my cover so you maybe want to find something to protect that area also. Well I solved one problem and gave you another one. If you us the rug idea your cat will be snug in a rug.

ROGER

[Bilge Rat]

go buy a cheap blue tarp 6 X 8 or 8 X10.  Place it over the mast hinge and attach each of the 4 corners with long bungees to the trailer or existing cover.  If you get it somewhat taut that should keep the rain out.  Replace when worn out - maybe you'll get a winter out of it but they are very cheap. Optional - place a few old towels over the tab on the top of hinge to make it harder to puncture the tarp where it covers the hinge.

[Catawampus]

I cut an empty plastic laundry detergent bottle to fit over the open hinge area. I cut it to slip over the bottom of the upper section of the mast. I also cut the bottle so that the bottle handle is up. I tie a line through the handle to hold it in place. Protects the boat cover well.

[Tom L.]

Peter,
I too had a mast down cover. It was a simple heavy duty silver tarp but was very effective. Silver tarps in the Florida sun are the best solution as the reflect the sun back skyward and help keep the boat cooler. They are good for maybe two years but are so inexpensive I considered them consumable and simply dispose of a two year old tarp. The mast worked well as a ridge pole but there are areas that have hardware on the mast and of course the mast stub that are sharp and will tear the cover.

My solution was to get some outdoor carpet to protect the areas. I had two pieces that I had Velcro straps sewn to. They were about 18" wide. One was maybe three feet long and was strapped over the mast toward the stern of the boat and protected the cover from the forestay straps/hardware were it attached to the mast and also covered the nav. light. The other cover was about two feet long and strapped over and around the mast stub.

I also made a protective cover to strap over the gallows made the same way as described above.

Tom L.

[Peter Dubé]

Tom L,

The outdoor carpet sounds like a plan. Good idea to pad ALL those areas you mentioned. The carpet is readily available at home depot. I'll have them slice off an 18" runner, then cut that to the desired length of the three areas to cover. Snug as a bug...

Peter D

[ghsfusioneer]

I used a wooden stick as a forward extension from the mast stub, supported by a vertical strut at the anchor roller.  The existing 1/4" pin at the mast hinge holds it in place.  The extreme forward end has a round wooden block to prevent the tarp from ripping there.  Just another option....  I can post a picture if you wish.
fusioneer..