Rigging a tarp

[Rob]

It's raining out here in the PNW, and I've discovered that I'm getting a small amount of water in the bilge which I think is coming from the cockpit locker. Time to rig up a tarp...

The problem, however, is that I've got lazy jacks and a topping lift which makes it impossible (as far as I can tell) to drape a tarp over the boom. I'm thinking of running a line from the gooseneck or somewhere slightly aft of that, under the boom and over the dodger, and then affixing the end to the split backstay. That way, I can drape the tarp on that line, under the boom, and cover at least the aft part of the dodger and a good portion of the cockpit.

I'm not convinced that this is the best solution as I'll probably have a fair amount of unavoidable slack in the line.

Is there a better way to do this?

 

[u079721]

I would suggest you try to find and stop the leak, rather then rig a tarp just to keep out rain.

In particular, I rememeber that when we bought our Ericson we had a couple of times when gallons of rain water seemed to come in through the cockpit locker. What I discovered was that when the boat would heel to starboard (where the cockpit locker was) rain would pool on the seat and get in through the lip. All it took to stop the problem once and for all was some foam weather stripping in the groove around the locker lid.

If you do feel the need to rig a tarp, the only real way it sounds as if that would work would be to support the tarp at the mid point somehow. Perhaps put a couple of grommets in the tarp on the centerline even with the aft end of the boom, so you could tie off the support line there. But this should really just be something you do till you can find the leak.

 

[rwthomas1]

Use bungee cords or heavy rubber tarp straps to maintain the tension on the line. They stretch with the wind and will keep the line taught as it stretches. RT

 

[rwpajak]

Water in bilge

Don't forget that most ice boxes drain directly to the bilge.