Fishing from a boat is considered a separate pleasure among lovers of "silent hunting". Even a small boat allows you to choose the best fishing spots or follow a school. At the same time, I want the ship to be as comfortable as possible, and being on it does not distract from my favorite pastime with various trifles. With this in mind, many fishermen make awnings for PVC boats with their own hands. They believe that only homemade designs can combine the main characteristics: practicality, quality and low cost.
Do I need a tent?
Almost any fisherman will answer this question in the affirmative. Such a device perfectly protects from the rays of the scorching sun, creates a shadow in which you can put food, bait or just water. It is also simply indispensable when it rains. Some craftsmen make awnings for PVC boats with their own hands so that they can shelter the captain from the waves when moving. Also, such products are very good in parking lots. They can cover cargo and hand luggage left inside.
Shop or DIY
Today, you can find a lot of various types and designs of such products on sale, which differ in their quality, functionality and cost. However, most fishermen prefer to make awnings for PVC boats with their own hands. This is due to the fact that high-quality and practical products are quite expensive. And sometimes their price exceeds the cost of the boat itself. Also, when making an awning on your own, you can take into account some of the individual features of a particular model of the vessel or the personal wishes of the end user.
Where to start?
This question is asked by novice craftsmen when they are going to make an awning for a PVC boat. How to make a high-quality shelter with your own hands, while spending a minimum amount of money? Professionals in such cases recommend first determining the type of construction. The fact is that there are several types of such products, which differ both in the complexity of manufacturing and in their functionality. You should consider the most popular of them and decide on the appointment.
Parking
This product is used to protect the interior of the ship and things in it at the time of parking. For this, a fully enclosed tent for a PVC boat is suitable. The advice of experts agrees thatit is best to use a tarp or other durable materials that can withstand moisture for a long time.
Runner
Usually, this is the type of product they have in mind when they ask the question of how to make a PVC boat awning. At the same time, the advice of experts is quite different and sometimes contradictory. The fact is that such devices are designed to protect from the sun, wind or rain while the vessel is moving or at anchorage. This awning can have several opening sides that make fishing convenient and comfortable. However, the design of such a product can be very diverse. It directly depends on the type of boat and personal preferences of the manufacturer. Often, even factory tents are subject to all sorts of improvements, their appearance changes greatly. Some fishermen consider this type of shelter to be the most optimal and practical, so they try to stay on it.
Nasal
These are the most common factory tents for PVC boats. Photos of their designs can often be found on the brochures of specific models or pleasure boats. Such an awning covers the boat from its bow by a third or even half of the hull. It perfectly protects the ship from waves when moving and creates a good shadow for the captain. However, usually the free space of such systems is limited to the open rear.
Frame
A strong foundation is usually neededonly in cases where the coating cannot be pulled over the existing fittings of the vessel, or a high structure is planned. Therefore, when deciding what kind of PVC boat awning is needed, how to make it, choose the material, you should first clarify the frame design itself. First of all, it should be remembered that the product must be strong enough. At the same time, it could quickly disassemble and assemble. Also, the design is created for the unique features of the vessel using factory seats.
If the boat does not have the appropriate fittings, then it is purchased separately. Fixing the finished product is carried out using cords, special fasteners or belts with locks. Given these features of the manufacture of frames, it is best to take water pipes made of PVC or other lightweight materials into work. Some crafters prefer to work with frames from old cots, which also work very well.
Material
Do-it-yourself PVC boat awnings are best made from lightweight materials. For these purposes, tent fabric or substances that do not allow moisture to pass through are very well suited. It is believed that it is best to use PVC by combining transparent elements with colored ones. But such a material will not let air through, which means that you will have to make a lot of ventilation holes, which are not very convenient to use in rainy weather.
Also, you will need additional accessories for work: fasteners, belts with locks, special retaining rings, rope orcord. The main purpose of these elements is to ensure that the awning is firmly fixed on the frame or boat, as well as the correct operation of the opening elements.
Cutting and sewing
If you plan to build a product yourself, follow a few helpful tips:
- When making PVC boat covers, it is best to make them from cheap fabric or old rags. At the same time, it is important to carry out all work as if it were done with expensive material. This is necessary in order to understand all the design features of the boat, fit the fabric directly on the vehicle and see certain defects.
- Usually, the fabric is immediately pulled over a frame or a boat, and then cut. In place, immediately mark the location of durable inserts, rings, ropes and other fittings. All necessary holes are also made immediately.
- At the next stage, patterns are created according to the finished model. They should be made of thick cardboard, separating each element between the seams. The larger and smoother the piece, the better. It is very important to avoid the formation of a large number of details in order to reduce the length of the seams.
- After the patterns are ready, they are used to create a pattern. It is very important to bear in mind that the cutting process produces a few centimeters more than the template in order to leave some material for the formation of strong seams.
- Further, the structure is assembled, and glue is used to join all the elements. It will not only facilitate sewing, but also significantly strengthen all joints, making them airtight.
- Thenthe sewing process itself is performed, with the help of which all the main elements of the awning are assembled.
- At the final stage of work, it is necessary to install the fittings and fasteners using special clips or glue. After that, the edging is stitched and dense patches are installed in places where strong friction is planned.
Expert Tips
Pros also give a lot of practical advice:
- Studying the question of how to make an awning for a PVC boat with your own hands, the advice of experts is very different and unusual. But they all boil down to the fact that the design must be created for a specific model of a floating facility and taking into account the personal wishes of the end user. The main thing in the finished product is convenience. Even the strongest and most reliable awning will not be of any use if it is difficult to set up or interferes with the fishing itself.
- Sometimes it is much easier to buy a cheap tent, from which you can later build the entire structure, than to buy very expensive material and cut it yourself. However, you need to be very careful, because such products do not always correspond to the declared characteristics. Usually professionals only take them for racks that are great for their needs.
- Glue for joining seams must also be chosen very carefully. It must be combined with the selected materials without corroding them. Otherwise, the connections will be severely weakened.
- Seaming is best done using a sewing machine.cars. It will not only allow you to get a quality product, but also greatly facilitate all the work.
- Even experienced small boat owners find that cutting and sewing is best left to a professional with the right equipment and experience. This guarantees high quality joints and will not greatly affect the initial cost.
- There are special impregnations and other compounds that make fabrics water-repellent. They appeared relatively recently, but have already managed to positively recommend themselves among fishermen. Some use them to process clothes. It is these compounds that are very good to apply before use, since this way you can significantly increase the service life of the finished product.
- All necessary accessories can be purchased in specialized stores. At the same time, some manufacturers sell their products in kits that are optimally suited for creating an awning. However, this is for typical designs. And almost always you have to buy accessories by elements. Given this, it is worth specifying in advance the exact number of necessary parts.
- The threads used to create seams should also not be exposed to moisture. It is unacceptable that they rot and stretch strongly. And additional impregnation will only improve their properties.
Conclusion
Based on the information provided, we can conclude that it is quite easy to make PVC boat awnings with your own hands. However, this will require the availability of tools, possession of relevant skills and masspatience. At the same time, it is very important to responsibly approach the choice of the type of material and the technical solutions used in the design. Therefore, novice masters try at first to enlist the help of a specialist or a person with experience in this matter.
