Covering the front and rear deck on RSB while in covered slip

[Vpracer]

So brought home my new 19' RSB 23 and love it! It sits in my covered dock and I always put on the mooring cover, however the front and rear deck portions of the boat are not covered. The rear is slightly exposed to morning sunshine and then spider crap, birds, etc over time will get on those decks and on the vinyl flooring. Obviously doesn't need to be trailerable. I thought about one huge tarp to cover entire boat but I think it won't breathe enough to keep mildew from growing. Any thoughts on ways to cover those areas?

 

[lakeliving]

For starters that is a beautiful boat and boat house! On my 2014 the playpen cover goes down and covers the front deck so this seems to be a cost cutting change. You'll have to get with a canvas shop in your area to have something made.

 

[Vikingstaff]

We have a 2017 SSBXP and the entire front deck is covered, but like you, our extended aft deck is not. It used to be completely covered by our lift canopy. However, now that we have switched to Sea Legs and no longer have the lift/canopy, I’ve wondered how that area will stand up to the elements and “guests”.

Not sure if this would work with a boat house, but stringing something up that flutters may at least keep the birds away from it. We actually put a dock flag near that spot that waves constantly. So far, no birds have come near the boat at all (blue flag in pic below).

 

[Michiman]

Two beautiful boats and docks! Our's also has the bow deck covered with the stern open. Walking around our dealer lot last year I definitely noticed that most of the Bennington's no longer had full covers. I'd have to agree with LL that it's probably a cost cutting thing.

 

[Jack M]

A canvas shop can extend your cover . The dealer I purchased from is doing it often for people

 

[Vpracer]

Both are options for sure, I used to have an owl up in the rafters, thought it worked until one day I saw a dove making a nest right beside it. Ha. I think a canvas shop is my best bet to have something with some longevity. Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Vikingstaff]

Both are options for sure, I used to have an owl up in the rafters, thought it worked until one day I saw a dove making a nest right beside it. Ha. I think a canvas shop is my best bet to have something with some longevity. Thanks for the ideas.

I may very well need to do the same for the aft deck on my boat as well. Something I think I’ll look into going into next season. For me, it will be mainly about the sun and rain.

 

[Macon_a_Splash]

So brought home my new 19' RSB 23 and love it! It sits in my covered dock and I always put on the mooring cover, however the front and rear deck portions of the boat are not covered. The rear is slightly exposed to morning sunshine and then spider crap, birds, etc over time will get on those decks and on the vinyl flooring. Obviously doesn't need to be trailerable. I thought about one huge tarp to cover entire boat but I think it won't breathe enough to keep mildew from growing. Any thoughts on ways to cover those areas?View attachment 25388

Hi Vpracer- I've got the same issue that you do. I have a 21' 2018 SLXP with the extended aft deck. (Thanks to everyone on this site who chimed in when I was building my boat to encourage me to include that option - it's probably the best utilized space on the whole boat. The advice I got was so valuable and I've been enjoying the heck out of my boat!)

I keep my boat on a lift in a boathouse. The aft deck gets full morning sun (the front deck has one of the boathouse walls to shield it from the sun.) It appears that the birds have some nice, large social gatherings on both of the uncovered decks. (Doesn't appear they are roosting above - and I have a few small flags that flutter from some of the rafters in hopes of discouraging rafter roosting.) I know covering the decks with a tarp will likely cause some mildew.

This weekend I had a local canvas guy come by and take a look. He is going to make a custom cover. Waiting on quote. The loose concept is that it will snap onto the rail at the bottom of the playpen panels (where the panels meet the deck). I think it will be easier to snap it on there with a few snaps than to attach it to the mooring cover making the cover even bigger). Then he will also put a few snaps around the bumper area (above the heavy duty rub rail - not sure if that should be on top of the deck near edge or along the side of the boat above the rub rail - suggestions?) Since the cover will have a little slant to it (although flatter than if attached to mooring cover) and will cover the gap between the gate door and the deck, it will allow me to hose off the bird party remnants without hosing it under the front gate. In the back, he'll do something similar. In the back it will have a cut out around ladder and motor. He's using sunbrella fabric, black, to match the mooring cover. (Both front and back will have cutouts around cleats.)

I had considered just getting some sunbrella-type fabric cut out to lie across the exposed area and, as unattractive as it would be, just putting a couple of 2 x 4's across to keep the canvas from blowing away. If the quote comes back too high, maybe that's what I'll do. I was a little bummed about having snaps around the railing near the rub rail - I have the stainless lights and pop up cleats and think snaps will detract from the clean look. But I can't think of a better way to secure it. Like you, I don't need it for trailering purposes - it's really to protect against bird poop and UV rays as it sits inside the boathouse.

On a related note, I've been fighting spiders since I got a lake place. Down at the boathouse I waged war with every available approved chemical and all the online home remedies (fabric softener sheets included.) While I think there was an ever so slight decrease in the amount of spiders, it was still awful. If I put the boat up after riding at night and didn't put the cover on overnight because we were going out again the next day, there would be "spider poop" (little black dots) all over, not to mention webs and actual spiders. (Welcome to the south!)

I tried something new this year - and it's nothing short of miraculous. Last year, as a result of the incredible rains that accompanied Hurricane Florence, the mosquitoes were vicious around my lake house. I had never really had a problem with them before. A neighbor suggested using the local mosquito squad company. I originally scoffed at that idea - like mosquitoes know whose yard they are in - but decided to give it a try. And to my surprise, there really has been a big difference in mosquitoes. But even more surprising, the company has an organic spray that is allowed to be sprayed in boathouses on my lake to control spiders. (A power company regulates boathouses on the lake where I have my boat and are pretty strict about what chemicals may be used lakeside.) I was pretty dubious about the effectiveness of the spider spray but decided I'd give it a try, too. It has been nothing short of amazing.

I barely have any cobwebs anymore and seeing a spider on the dock or in either boathouse is an unusual event. Friends and family have commented on how many fewer spiders they see. When we leave the boat uncovered overnight there is no spider poop the next morning. It really is "the little things" that sometimes make life so much better. And fewer spiders and no spider poop to clean off my boat seats - worth every penny!! Now I can walk down to the dock and sit in a chair or get on the boat without having to get the broom to clear cobwebs first. Awesome!!

I'll try to remember to follow up with a picture of whatever I end up with. As I type this, I'm thinking about the fact I can buy some Sunbrella fabric and cut it and buy a few 2 x 4's and not have any snaps on my railing. Something to consider.

 

[Vpracer]

That’s the direction I am heading at present. Buying some material to lay over the exposed decking. My lake is in central Texas with limited access to canvas guys. Also, like you, I do not want snaps around the rub rail. I like the 2x4 idea. It would hopefully be heavy enough to prevent the sunbrella from blowing away in a storm.

I also agree on the spider control mist system. I had one at a home I owned in Houston and they worked great on mosquitoes. I’ve been spraying my dock and seem to have the spiders knocked down a bit but it doesn’t take long for the chemical to lose effectiveness. The pyrethrum spray made from flower extract works well and won’t harm the water. I used to buy it at tractor supply. It was labeled for fly control in barns. I need to look into a misting system in my boat dock.

Thanks for the feedback.