Many fishing enthusiasts prefer to use a boat for their hobby. Moreover, every connoisseur of “silent hunting” wants to spend time with comfort and protect himself as much as possible from weather conditions. Therefore, questions about how to make a tent for a PVC boat with your own hands are discussed by fishermen as often as tips on fishing or fishing gear.
Do it yourself or shop?
Today, modern markets are simply overwhelmed with various types and models of awnings, which are designed for a specific type of boat, and can act as universal structures. However, the decisive factor in choosing such products is their price and quality. The fact is that sometimes good coverage can cost no less than the vehicle itself, and cheap models are so impractical that they cause only discomfort. Given this, many fishermen believe that it is best to make an awning for a PVC boat with their own hands. This solution allows not only to save a lot, but also makes it possible to get the final product that best meets the requirements and tasks of the user.
Varieties of designs
Before embarking on self-production, it is very important to first determine the type of product. There are several fundamentally different designs that are made for specific goals and objectives. Therefore, making an awning for a PVC boat with your own hands, it is worthwhile to study in more detail all of them.
Parking
This type of awning can be considered the simplest and cheapest to manufacture. It is made in the form of a large cover, which is fixed to the fittings of the boat with a cord. Typically, the pattern of this type of awning does not take much time and effort, but it should be borne in mind that it will protect the vehicle only during parking during long crossings. However, this also makes it possible to protect hand luggage from the weather, which is placed in the boat.
Nasal
A standard bow awning for a PVC boat is made so that it covers about a third of the vessel. There are also products that protect half of the vehicle, but it depends on the individual design. It is believed that it is best to create such an awning on the basis of the frame, but its fixation should be strong enough so that gusts of wind do not disrupt it when moving.
Running
Such products can be considered one of the most popular. Typical running awnings for PVC boats are used both when the vessel is moving, and when it is at anchor. The main feature of such structures is the ability to open one or more sections, which allows fishing without removing protection from the sun or rain.
Frame
This stage of work requires a creative approach and a little ingenuity. The fact is that, when creating even the simplest running tents for PVC boats, it is very important to correctly calculate the location and mount for the frame. Most often it depends on the individual design of the boat itself, but if necessary, you can make some changes to it. Using additional fittings. Fundamentally changing the design of the floating means itself is not only not recommended, but in some cases even prohibited.
Typically, the frame is made of materials that are not susceptible to moisture and corrosion. Aluminum pipes from old cots are best suited for these purposes, although PVC water pipes can also be used. Design fixation points are selected individually. They are made according to the type of boat used and available fittings.
It is immediately worth noting that the bow awning for a PVC boat should be fixed quite firmly and not have weak points or strong slopes. Therefore, very often such designs are made in the form of independent products with the possibility of their installation on a swimming vehicle.
The choice of material for coating
Typically, the manufacture of awnings is made from a special moisture-repellent fabric. However, the cost of such material of appropriate quality is quite high and will lead to too high costs. Given this, most masters use PVC. At the same time, they create opening sections, since such fabrics do not allow air to pass through at all. Professional fishermen are advised to make a combined awning. They suggest installing transparent PVC parts on the nose, and the rest of the coating should be made of fabric that “breathes” and does not allow sunlight.
Additional materials
Accessories for tents and boats are usually used as additional materials. Their choice directly depends on the boat itself and the type of coating produced. However, it must be remembered that when working, rings for fastening the rope will almost always be needed. Usually they are called grommets, and they serve to set the fabric in the places where the hole was made.
For the manufacture of durable joints, you can use glue. It is selected based on the coating material and compatibility with each other. Also, when sewing awnings, special patches made of durable fabric may be required, which are usually installed in places where the material will have a constant or prolonged mechanical effect.
In the manufacture of doors, opening sides or sashes, buttons, locks or even additional eyelets may be required to set the ties. In this case, each master himself decides which material to use, depending on the design and personal considerations of practicality and convenience.
Sewing
- It is believed that the manufacture of awnings is a fairly simple matter. However, when it comes to practical work, a lot of difficulties arise. They are associated with a mismatch of sizes, pattern errors and other errors that are not so noticeable at the preliminary stages. Given this, experts advise first to make a draft version of the design, which is sewn from cheap material or old rags.
- The draft version is installed on the boat and start fitting directly on the product. In this case, it is very important to immediately note the installation location of eyelets, patches, pockets for the frame and other elements.
- At this stage, the frame is mounted and the dimensions of its parts are adjusted. If a tent-transformer is being made, then its adjustment is carried out in all positions, starting from that installation option, which involves the maximum coverage of the boat.
- Next, the finished product is cut into patterns, which lay the selected material. At the moment, it is necessary to take into account the small allowance necessary for the manufacture of seams and external edges.
- Then sizing of all joints and assembly of the finished tent. This is necessary not only to make the seams more durable and able to withstand moisture, but also in order to facilitate the sewing itself.
- Usually, accessories for tents are installed at this stage, and glue may also be required during installation.
- Final tailoring is performed using a special machine or manually. However, it must be remembered that mechanically created stitches are more practical and will last much longer. Also, the use of special equipment will greatly facilitate the process itself.
- After the material is sewn, it is pulled onto the frame, leaving it overnight. So you can check the strength of all the seams and give the product the desired shape. Some masters offer at this moment to treat the awning with a special composition that repels moisture, but if the coating is chosen correctly, then this procedure will be superfluous.
Recommendations of specialists
- If a transportation tent is made for a PVC boat, then it is not necessary to create a draft coating. Just pull the selected material and install the eyelets. The edging firmware can be done later, when it will be trimmed to the required size.
- Some wizards recommend installing snakes on the material to create compounds that can open if necessary. However, professional fishermen prefer special ties or buttons. This is more practical and if the mechanism fails, it can be repaired in a short time without leaving the boat.
- Sometimes it is much easier to attract a specialist to this work, who will perform the entire sewing of awnings. However, such masters may require ready-made patterns, because they do not want to be responsible for size mismatch.
- If the tent is intended for an inflatable boat, then it should be made collapsible and able to occupy a minimum space when laid. The coating itself is usually quite simple to fold, which means that special attention will have to be paid to the racks. They must not only be quickly and easily disassembled, but also compactly packed.
- If there is an already finished product that ideally meets all the necessary requirements, then you can create your own patterns on its basis, according to which the pattern will be made.
- Recently, small tourist tents, which have a low cost , have begun to appear in sporting goods stores or in markets. The very design of such products is not always practical or high-quality, but such a tent is quite suitable for creating a small tent. The racks and entry creation elements are especially good at work.
- If you need an awning, which will be used only in places of permanent parking, then even tarpaulin can be used for its manufacture. Lighter materials are suitable for products that will be operated in the stowed state or when moving. This will save a lot of money.
Conclusion
Making an awning for a PVC boat with your own hands is quite simple. It is enough to have a clear idea of what kind of this product you need to get, and decide on its fixation on the ship. The creation process itself does not differ in increased complexity, and even a novice master, who has general ideas about the work and the necessary tool for this, can cope with it. The most important thing is to correctly determine the material of manufacture and select the appropriate accessories.