Fairclough winter cover - how to question

[Rol1964]

It’s a new-to-me boat that came with a Fairclough cover. All the parts are there but no instructions. I found the assembly instructions online but all may parts either lack the required numbers or are filled with old numbers that don’t make sense so I’m trying to figure out this puzzle. Does anyone have enough experience with these to help a guy out? Thx

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by Rol1964

It’s a new-to-me boat that came with a Fairclough cover. All the parts are there but no instructions. I found the assembly instructions online but all may parts either lack the required numbers or are filled with old numbers that don’t make sense so I’m trying to figure out this puzzle. Does anyone have enough experience with these to help a guy out? Thx

https://fairclough.com/
It might be best to give them a call as they have all the relevant details for your specific frame and cover. Each cover and frame are manufactured to custom fit your specific boat. I doubt general advice would be helpful to you. I’ve had one since 2011 and it still looks like new.

[mlydon]

I would think it’d be easy enough to figure out which pieces go at the bow and stern, the match the ends and work to the center, no?

[psk125]

They will also send a crew out to assemble the frame and set up the cover for you. They obviously charge for this, but it would enable you to see how it's done right the first time and likely save you a day or two of guessing. Once it's up you can take pictures for reference. It is complicated, but they're good covers.

[Plumbean]

Originally Posted by psk125

They will also send a crew out to assemble the frame and set up the cover for you. They obviously charge for this, but it would enable you to see how it's done right the first time and likely save you a day or two of guessing. Once it's up you can take pictures for reference. It is complicated, but they're good covers.

Looks like the OP is in Canada, so having them set it up may not be feasible. I had a Fairclough cover for years. The covers are very nice, but I found customer support to be a challenge — they always seemed almost angry to get any questions. They also stopped sending crews to Long Island to assemble covers. Agree with the post above that you should be able to figure it out by process of elimination, although it sounds like maybe the numbering isn’t making sense on the poles.

[genki]

Lay the frame out on the floor in the boatyard.
First find the ridge pieces (these are the top of the frame and run from bow to stern)
Then by a process of elimination identify each of the inverted V frame pieces, probably about 5 or 6 of them. Smaller ones tend to be at the bow and stern.
When you get it right mark each one with numbers and bow, stern, port, starboard with a permanent marker.

Check each of the set screws. I use a little squirt of WD40 to stop them seizing.
I also superlube the pivot points of the frame.

The frame should go OVER the lifelines and then sit INSIDE the toe rail.

Start there and see how you do, there is also a little paper manual that might help.

[Rol1964]

I got it. There was numbers scratched out everywhere. Nice cover but a little consistent logic would have been nice. Thx for the suggestions.