Seeking protective cover in Baltimore

[IdRatherBeSailing]

... for a Hinckley Pilot 35. I am looking for advice on purchasing a cover to protect deck and brightwork, including toe rail, and for reviews of canvas service providers in the Baltimore area. Also, how much should I expect to pay?

The cover must be well made and easy to put on/take off.

Thanks for helping.

[jimmalkin]

IRBS - We had a Hinckley Pilot in the '70s and had a wonderful time. They are sturdy and solid - our only issues with her were that she was a bit fussy in downhill running with her full keel and large rudder area and she tended to hobby horse (despite my continual repacking of weight and stores to try to get better balance.) That being said, to your question:

I don't know of any covers that are easy to put on and take off. Most or all of them that I've seen and/or lived with require either snaps or grommets and ties. The amount of canvas/sunbrella etc that you need to cover the deck, toe rail and etc is fairly significant and requires a place for you to store the stuff when you've taken it off. Taronga had covers for her hatches and toe rails when we bought her 6 years ago and after one year of fussing, we took them ashore and left 'em there. When we repainted the topsides, we discovered that refilling, sanding and fairing the holes made by the enormous number of snaps necessary to hold the canvas was a real chore.

Our experience has been that good brightwork coats in the winter, touch up during the season, and one or two coats in mid-summer keep us looking well and keeps the varnish in great condition. We have grab rails on the trunk cabin, toe (cap?) rails, eyebrows along the trunk cabin and a companionway door that are bright.

This is only my experience which I offer for your consideration prior to jumping into covers. All the best -

[IdRatherBeSailing]

Thank you for your suggestion.