Fishing from a boat is considered a separate pleasure among fans of "silent hunting." Even a small boat allows you to choose the best fishing spots or follow the school. At the same time, I want the ship to be as comfortable as possible, and staying on it does not distract from my favorite activities in various little things. Given this, many fishermen make awnings for PVC boats with their own hands. They believe that only home-made designs can combine the main characteristics: practicality, quality and low cost.
Do I need an awning?
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 shelter cargo and carry-on baggage left inside.
Shop or homemade products
Today, on sale you can find a lot of all kinds of types and designs of such products, which are distinguished by 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, with the independent manufacture of the awning, you can take into account some individual features of a particular model of the vessel or the personal wishes of the end user.
Where to begin?
This question is asked by novice masters when they are going to make an awning for a boat from PVC. How to make high-quality shelter with your own hands, while spending a minimum amount of money? Professionals in such cases recommend first determining the type of design. The fact is that there are several types of such products that differ in both the complexity of manufacture and their functionality. You should consider the most popular of them and decide on the purpose.
Parking
This product is used to protect the inside of the vessel and things in it at the time of parking. For this, a fully enclosed awning for a PVC boat is suitable. At the same time, the advice of specialists agrees that it is best to use tarpaulin or other durable materials that can withstand moisture for a long time.
Running
Usually, it is this type of product that is meant when they ask about how to make an awning for a PVC boat. The advice of specialists is quite different and sometimes contradictory. The fact is that such devices are designed to protect from the sun, wind or rain when the ship is moving or when anchoring. This awning can have several opening sides that make fishing convenient and comfortable. However, the design of such a product itself can be very diverse. It directly depends on the type of boat and the personal preferences of the manufacturer. Often, even factory awnings undergo all kinds of improvements, their appearance varies greatly. Some fishermen consider this type of shelter to be the most optimal and practical, therefore they try to dwell on it.
Nasal
These are the most common factory awnings for PVC boats. Photos of their designs can often be found on brochures for specific models or pleasure boats. Such an awning closes the boat from her bow by a third or even half of the hull. It perfectly protects the vessel from waves during movement and creates a good shadow for the captain. In this case, usually the free space of such systems is limited by the open rear.
Frame
A solid foundation is usually needed only in cases where the coating cannot be pulled over the existing fittings of the vessel, or a high structure is planned. Therefore, when deciding on what kind of awning for a PVC boat is needed, how to make it, select the material, first it is worth clarifying the very design of the frame. First of all, remember that the product must be strong enough. Moreover, it could quickly disassemble and assemble. Also, the design is created for the unique characteristics of the vessel using factory seats.
If the boat does not have the appropriate accessories, then it is purchased separately. The fixation of 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 from PVC or other lightweight materials. Some craftsmen prefer to work with frames from old cots, which are also very well suited for such work.
Material
Doing awnings on PVC boats with your own hands is best made of lightweight materials. For this purpose, tent fabric or moisture-proof substances are very suitable. It is believed that it is best to use PVC, combining transparent elements with color. But such material will not let air through, which means that you will have to make many ventilation holes that are not very convenient to use in rainy weather.
Also, for work, you need additional accessories: fasteners, belts with locks, special retaining rings, rope or cord. 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 the product yourself, follow a few useful recommendations:
- When making awnings on PVC boats, it is best to create them from cheap fabric or old rags. At the same time, it is important to carry out all the work as if it were done with expensive material. This is necessary in order to understand all the features of the design of the boat, fit the fabric directly on the vehicle and see certain defects.
- Usually the fabric is immediately pulled onto the frame or boat, and then they are cut. The location immediately notes the location of durable inserts, rings, ropes and other accessories. Also, all the necessary holes are immediately made.
- At the next stage, patterns are created using 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 parts in order to reduce the length of the seams.
- After the patterns are ready, they are used to create a pattern. At the same time, it is very important to consider that the trimming process produces several centimeters more than the template in order to leave a little material for the formation of strong seams.
- Next, the structure is assembled, and glue is used to join all the elements. It will not only facilitate sewing, but also significantly strengthen all the joints, making them airtight.
- Then the sewing process is carried out, with the help of which all the main elements of the tent are assembled.
- At the final stage of work, it is necessary to install fittings and fasteners using special clamps or glue. After that, the edging is stitched and tight latches are installed in places where strong friction is planned.
Expert Advice
Professionals also give many practical recommendations:
- Studying the question of how to make an awning for a PVC boat with your own hands, the advice of specialists is very different and unusual. But they all boil down to the fact that the design should be created for a specific model of a swimming means and taking into account the personal wishes of the end user. The main thing in the finished product is convenience. Even the most durable and reliable awning will not be of any use if it is difficult to arrange or it will interfere with the fishing itself.
- Sometimes it’s much easier to buy a cheap tent, from which you can later build the whole 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, specialists only take them for racks that are great for their needs.
- Glue for joining seams must also be selected very carefully. It must be combined with the selected materials without corroding them. Otherwise, the joints will be greatly weakened.
- Creating seams is best done using a sewing machine. It will not only allow you to get a quality product, but also greatly facilitate the entire work.
- Even experienced owners of small boats believe that the process of cutting and sewing is best entrusted to a specialist with the appropriate equipment and work experience. This ensures high quality joints and does not greatly affect the initial cost.
- There are special impregnations and other compounds that betray the fabric's water-repellent properties. They appeared relatively recently, but have already managed to positively recommend themselves among fishermen. Some use them to process clothes. It is such compositions that are very good to apply before use, since this 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 sets that are optimal for creating an awning. However, this is designed for typical designs. And almost always have to buy accessories for the elements. Given this, it is worthwhile to clarify in advance the exact number of necessary parts.
- Threads used to create seams should also not be exposed to moisture. It is unacceptable that they rot and stretch a lot. And additional impregnation will only improve their properties.
Conclusion
Based on the information provided, it can be concluded that it is quite easy to make awnings for PVC boats with their own hands. However, this will require the availability of tools, the possession of appropriate skills and a lot of patience. At the same time, it is very important to responsibly approach the choice of the type of material and technical solutions used in the design. Therefore, beginning masters try at first to enlist the help of a specialist or a person who has experience in this matter.