I have a 2004 185. I recently bought a cover (2piece cockpit and bow) that was made for this boat that has the snaps already in it. I need to line up the cover and install the snaps. Has anyone done this themselves and anyone have any tips and tricks. Thanks!
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Sorry I don't have any advice or help, but am very interested in your findings and progress. I've been thinking of buying a snap cockpit and bow cover from ebay and installing it myself. I don't have any snaps installed right now either.
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Can't give you those specifics but do have one big bit of advice. Don't use one of those grommeted holes in the center with a stick to hold it up and the tip that goes through the grommet to hold it in place. The water will leak down and all too soon you will have a nice rotten deck spot at the base area where the stick always sits. That's just one reason why the finest cover is 10 times worse than the worst half arsed shed you can stick it in. There is some degree of shrinkage you have to allow for with fabrics although I can't say how much off hand. Other than that be sure to use Polypropeline thread to do your sewing or it will come apart at the seams prematurely if left in the sun a lot.
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I bought this cover on ebay. It is for a 2010. I installed it on my 2004 it is not an exact fit but it looks pretty good and only cost me about $200. It is sunbrella material and has 2 spots for poles 1 in the bow and 1 in the cockpit. I am thinking about doing some modifications to it. Adding another pole to the cockpit and installing a vent. And I do not really know what to do with the back it has no snaps. The 2010 must have some sort of hooks for the draw string in the cover. I may add some snaps to the back or if I can find out what the 2010 has I may put those on it. In the bow it does not fit around the cleats but it is very close. I was thinking about cutting it and having it sewn but i may leave it. In the cockpit I decided to leave the bimini down and just put the cover over it. When installing i started out with too small of a bit and cracked the gelcoat on a couple places nothing that i can't touch up. Just make sure you use a 1/8 inch bit and counter sink through the gelcoat. I did the countersink with a 1/4 inch bit before i drilled the hole for the snap. When i drilled the hole for the snap first it wanted to chip the gelcoat when i did the countersink. Just be patient!
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Hi,
For the "tent pole" issue, I use two of these: http://compare.ebay.com/like/1104313...Types&var=sbar
To save the broken fingernails on the 1st mate, these are awesome: http://www.amazon.com/Ironwood-Pacif...0739484&sr=1-2.
Never use any cleaner with bleach in it, destroys the threads.
One last thing. never let a wet cover dry, off the boat. It will shrink and you'll have to soak and stretch it, to get it back on.
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I have a 2003 180 capri outboard which is e/w a bow cover. I'm looking for a cockpit cover that I can use at mooring. Where did you purchase your cover or does anyone have any suggestions on where I might find one?pj24678 wrote:
I have a 2004 185. I recently bought a cover (2piece cockpit and bow) that was made for this boat that has the snaps already in it. I need to line up the cover and install the snaps. Has anyone done this themselves and anyone have any tips and tricks. Thanks!
Thanks
joeyd29676
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Do you have any advice as to where on Ebay I can find a cockpit cover for a 2003 Bayliner 180 outboard?nvrstsfd1 wrote:
Sorry I don't have any advice or help, but am very interested in your findings and progress. I've been thinking of buying a snap cockpit and bow cover from ebay and installing it myself. I don't have any snaps installed right now either.
Thanks
Joeyd29676
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Here's how to mark where to install the male half (with the screw into the fiberglass): Mark the female half outer ring with chalk or lipstick. Stretch the cover as tight as possible and push the marked ring down onto the fiberglass, which will leave a temporary circle mark. Drill a pilot hole, but start with the bit in reverse to keep the gelcoat from chipping. Install the male half, then repeat for the next one. It goes pretty quickly once you get started...pj24678 wrote:
I have a 2004 185. I recently bought a cover (2piece cockpit and bow) that was made for this boat that has the snaps already in it. I need to line up the cover and install the snaps. Has anyone done this themselves and anyone have any tips and tricks. Thanks!
Jeff & Tara (And Hobie too)Lake Havasu City, AZ
|Current: 2022 Sun Tracker Sport Fish 22 XP3 w/ Mercury 200
2000 Bayliner 3388 Cummins 4bta 250s (SOLD 2020)
2000 Bayliner 2858 MCM 7.4 MPI B3 (SOLD 2018)
2007 Bayliner 305 MCM twin 350 Mag B3s (SOLD 2012)
2008 Bayliner 289 MCM 350 Mag Sea Core B3 (SOLD 2009)
And 13 others...
In memory of Shadow (7-2-10,) and Ginger (5-11-21.)
Best boat dogs ever! Rest in peace girls...Comment
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that is a good idea but I would add one thing to that.jeffw wrote:
Here's how to mark where to install the male half (with the screw into the fiberglass): Mark the female half outer ring with chalk or lipstick. Stretch the cover as tight as possible and push the marked ring down onto the fiberglass, which will leave a temporary circle mark. Drill a pilot hole, but start with the bit in reverse to keep the gelcoat from chipping. Install the male half, then repeat for the next one. It goes pretty quickly once you get started...
add two snaps at a time (one on each side) don't try to mark it all at once as you'll notice it will be un-even by the time you get it done.
what I would do is start with the two snaps near the helm and passenger windshield then move to the two most front snaps at the bow and get those lined up. snap the cover in place then start moving (continuing one on each side) along the outside.
that way it will come out pert-near straight.
as for the pole in the cockpit area I wouldn't cut/sew anything I'd just pick up a single hole punch and install a rivet.
looks like you've installed it already so hopefully these suggestions could help someone else.
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For those of you wondering what to do about cover shrinkage, I had the same issue. It got really difficult for me to snap the snaps on the stern because the cover had shrinked just enough that I could JUST BARELY get them snapped if I had someone help me pull while I snapped. So what i did was make a few snap extenders. Now they sell these things at the store for like $1 each but I went to the store and bought a piece of marine upholstery (the real thick stuff our seats are made out of) and made these suckers myself. I had plenty of snaps laying around from redoing my snap in carpet. It cost me like $2 for the piece of material and I could make like 50 of them for the size of the piece. Anyhow, here is a youtube video I found that showed me how to make them
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Good job PJ it looks fine to me.
I had the bow cover made to the bottom of the windshield and the cockpit cover made from the top of the windshield. but rainwater finds its way in around the exposed windshield. If I were to do it over again I would have had the guy make it exactly like yours. Joe
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I have had the cover on for one whole season with no problems. I added some snaps to the back of the cover to attach it to the boat. I also installed a vent just right behind the windshield with a pole to help with rainwater. My boat was docked from April to October with no issues. I even trailered the boat to Canada with the cover on. So far it has been great.
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