"Bow Skirt"

[ncp]

Zodiac calls them a bow skirt, a friend calls them bras. Can't find any info on them (price, material used, etc.).

I'm thinking it would be easier/cheaper to buy some of the correct fabric, cut & pin it, take it someplace to get sewn (or maybe just glue it?), buy some rivits, and lace it on.

What fabric? Any tips? Kiwiboyd, do you guys sell these?

(going to put it on a set of 7m Wing tubes, so Zodiac would work too)

[jyasaki]

Bow dodger, I think. Flap of fabric forming a tent over the front section of the deck?

jky

[biffer]

Do you mean like this

[Christopher]

I think your are refering to a sacraficial cover which is sometimes put on the bow to help protect the main tube. They are normally laced into position and have proved very effective in commercial and military applications. Images show a recent tube that we provided with a bow skirt.

[jyasaki]

Ah. OK; had the wrong thing in mind (not that I have any sources anyway.)

jky

[ncp]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I think your are refering to a sacraficial cover which is sometimes put on the bow to help protect the main tube. They are normally laced into position and have proved very effective in commercial and military applications. Images show a recent tube that we provided with a bow skirt.

Christopher hit it spot on.

Material? Just some hypalon or pvc bought by the square yard, a rivet kit from the hardware store, a strong sewing machine, and some nylon cord? Am I oversimplifying this?

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by ncp

Christopher hit it spot on.

Material? Just some hypalon or pvc bought by the square yard, a rivet kit from the hardware store, a strong sewing machine, and some nylon cord? Am I oversimplifying this?

Well that is the simplified version and would do the job. Ours are always Hypalon, and are tailored to fit as snugly as possible around the tube. You will need to bond the corresponding lacing flaps onto the tube and also consider how it will be fastened underneath. Maybe you can use lacing flaps as well? We would normally rely on a clamping bar around the bow through the lower edge of the skirt under the tube as this is the most prone area to damage and if there is too much gap between the skirt and the tube, it will fill with water and tear the skirt off in no time at all.

Good luck

[m chappelow]

Originally Posted by ncp

Zodiac calls them a bow skirt, a friend calls them bras. Can't find any info on them (price, material used, etc.).

I'm thinking it would be easier/cheaper to buy some of the correct fabric, cut & pin it, take it someplace to get sewn (or maybe just glue it?), buy some rivits, and lace it on.

What fabric? Any tips? Kiwiboyd, do you guys sell these?

(going to put it on a set of 7m Wing tubes, so Zodiac would work too)

Saw one on a work rib in Rotterdam many years ago alongside a moored up ship that was made from very heavy doubled up trawl netting ,suppose it gave protection from barnicles or rust if nosing in

[ncp]

Originally Posted by Christopher

Well that is the simplified version and would do the job. Ours are always Hypalon, and are tailored to fit as snugly as possible around the tube. You will need to bond the corresponding lacing flaps onto the tube and also consider how it will be fastened underneath. Maybe you can use lacing flaps as well? We would normally rely on a clamping bar around the bow through the lower edge of the skirt under the tube as this is the most prone area to damage and if there is too much gap between the skirt and the tube, it will fill with water and tear the skirt off in no time at all.

Good luck

Thanks. Lacing flap is already there on top of the tube and was thinking of attaching to the aluminium bar or stainless bolts, below, that hold the tubes onto the hull.

Just something I've got on my list of upgrades but was thinking price and feasibility!