A dinghy cover is a piece of canvas that is custom fit to the top half or so of the twin hulls of an inflatable dinghy. It is intended to protect the "rubber" (usually Hypolon) from ultraviolet damage. These instructions will focus on two aspects of the work: getting a good fit and providing a secure attachment system.

A good fit can best be achieved by covering the hulls with short lengths of fabric that are cut to accommodate the shape. The double sided basting tape (Sailrite Part #129) can be used to secure 20 to 36 inch widths of pattern material (Sailrite Part #6789) in place. Cover the hulls entirely with the pattern material. Cover each hull so the two symmetrical halves meet at the center of the bow. Then tape a string at appropriate intervals across the overlapping pattern pieces. Begin this work at the "upper most" pattern panel, i.e., the last one applied. Use the string to create a line as straight as possible on the pattern. Then cut this pattern on the line with shears and mark the pattern below on the cut line. Keep the widths of the panels roughly equal from side to side for the sake of symmetry. And cut the inside and outside edges of the patterns to appropriate lengths so the hulls are covered as desired.

There will be protrusions such as oar lock mounts and rope eyes that will require openings in the pattern material. Make these openings at least two or three inches larger than necessary so they do not make it difficult to install the cover. The exposed hull can be covered with small rectangles of cloth (I call them "ascots") that have very small openings for the protrusions as appropriate. We will trim both the larger openings in the cover and the edges and openings of the ascots with binding tape.

Use the pattern pieces to cut the cover cloth. Remember to add a seam allowance and a hem allowance. We like to overlap the panels by 1/2 inch so an allowance of 1/4 inch would be added to each seamed edge. This assumes a simple overlapping seam. We add 1-1/2 inch to the outside edge of each panel to provide for a hem wide enough to allow a drawstring to be inserted. And we add 1 inch to the inside edge to provide for a hem to which Velcro can be attached.

The final seam down the center of the bow should be run from the inner edge only to a point roughly equal to the most forward part of the hull. The portion of this last seam below that point will be left open so the cover can be pulled over the hulls. A drawstring will be used to pull the cover tightly around the boat. The open slit edges can be dressed with a binding tape to prevent wear and raveling.

Use the double sided tape to baste all panels and hems together prior to sewing them. This just helps keep everything more accurate.

The drawstring can be inserted in the outside hem after everything else is sewn. Use a foot or so long piece of a coat hanger with a length of leech line (Sailrite Part #21210) taped to it to work the line through the finished hem. Sew the line into the hem at its aft ends on both sides of the hull. The cover should be fashioned so that the aft panels hook round the ends of the hulls so tightening the two lines at the bow will firmly secure the cover in place. The pocket which provides for this loop can be fashioned with the pattern material or it can be added later if a little extra material is cut into the aft panels.

Sew Velcro Hook (Sailrite Part #25302 for both hook and loop) to the inner side of the cover. This can be done in a continuous strip or the strips can be 6 inches or so long spaced 6 inches or so apart. Glue Velcro Loop to match your hook strip low down on the inside of each hull. Use the Velcro cement (Sailrite Part #25303) for this task or any other good contact cement.

That should do it!