The cover: I ordered the CTC cover for my wherry and I’m very satisfied. My boat is buoyed on a Minneapolis lake, and it gets lots of bird attention. Most kinds of bird poop clean off the cover easily with, or without, soap. Because I need to cover and uncover my boat on the water, the provided straps for dry land or trailer storage were of no use to me. However, the cover came with an under-the-gunnel pocket surrounding the boat with a drawstring-like rope. I replaced most of the rope with a pair of inexpensive rachet tie-downs and their straps.
They sell in pairs at most hardware stores. I removed the hooks. My rachet mechanisms cinch the cover border under the gunnels, and those mechanisms are on each side of the boat near the ore lock outriggers, and fit nicely under the velcro flaps built into the covers. I also epoxied two wooden rings to the bottom of the boat to hold the bottom ends of the posts in position.
Please post a picture of the rachet mechanism, the visual would be helpful.
I’ve haven’t been able to get my CLC Northeaster Dory cover to stay on while on the the water. It always ends up pooling water and collapsing inward. The provided post seems to be a little to long for the cover to not slide over the gun rails. I’ve tried some other internal tenting options but just haven’t found something that is easy to setup at the dock and reliable.
Your boat is similar to mine but with more beam. I think the ratchet straps would also cinch your cover over the gunnels, but you may need another method to hold the center up. Hoops are another traditional method. I epoxied rings to the bottom of my boat to keep the posts centered.
I don’t do much at the dock. I have the wherry tied to the buoy when I unratchet it. working from the tender. Then tow the wherry to the dock, and while it is still tied to the tender I get into it and role the cover from bow to the stern. When I’m done rowing, I tie to the tender and I roll the cover back on from inside the wherry, then I tow it to the buoy and ratchet each side from the tender.
