How to Afix Velcro?

[Milton Bertin]

My boat his a center cockpit model with Bimini, that comes with removable transparent plastic sheets at the sides, that are useful, but the plastics sheets are not fixed in the lower part, so it is a lot of flogging.

I like to receive comments about how to fix it, my first idea is to put a long Velcro strip along the exterior wall of the cockpit, but I don’t know how to fix it to glass fiber of the board.

Also I don’t know how to fix the Velcro to the plastic sheet.

Any help will be appreciated.

[Hud3]

Milton,

The vinyl side curtains on my bimini has a strip of Sunbrella sewn along the bottom with snaps at strategic locations to attach them to the fiberglass. Works well, even in 50 kt gusts.

[Pblais]

Velco does not stick to vinyl and it would not last long or hold fast either. Snaps as Hud suggests will work well. You can buy a snap tool to attach the shiny button parts to the fabric then dill, seal, and screw in the snaps to the fiberglass. It's been done for years that way.

They are usually done on the out side of the cock pit close to the upper edge. That way water drips outside and not inside. If need be to you can sew short straps to reach a snap location lower than the upper edge of the cock pit if it would make a nicer tighter fit. It is best if the panels are taunt but not stretched. They are easier to see through and won't flog in high wind.

They aslo make a snap tool that makes snapping them in place a whole lot easier and easier for removal as well. Yanking a panel to unsnap it is not good. They are about $20 and are well worth it. I can not snap our dodger in place without the tool.

[Maren]

Originally Posted by Milton Bertin

I like to receive comments about how to fix it, my first idea is to put a long Velcro strip along the exterior wall of the cockpit, but I don’t know how to fix it to glass fiber of the board.

Also I don’t know how to fix the Velcro to the plastic sheet.

The problem with the Velcro is you need to use the UV stabilized. 3M has some adhesives that should do you. I wouldn’t this route, personally because the tape tends to foul and the hooks don’t go into the pile very well. That is, there are reasons you don't see this often.

A second alternate is to use a stitched bottom. Basically, this is a light cord that goes through grommet holes and some small anchored attachment points on the boat. This one is pretty good but if you get hit by a wave and the cording and attachment points are too strong, you can damage the bimini. Some argue that will be the least of your concerns at such a time

Option three is lift-the-dot type fasteners (i.e., snaps) as Hud suggested. This one is pretty good but the snaps eventually corrode.

So, none are perfect but you have options.

[Milton Bertin]

Thanks so much for all of yours !