Someone asked me just the other day, "How can I secure a cover to a toe rail or a handrail without drilling holes for snaps or common sense fasteners." At the time I had no suggestion other than Velcro tabs that can be secured in the opening of a hand rail--not at all effective for toe rails. But I just now opened the latest issue of DIY (2000 #4) and noticed an article by David and Zora Aiken on the final page that addresses just this problem. They suggest cutting thin walled PVC pipe of an appropriate diameter into 1-1/2 or 2" thick circle slices. Then slit these slices (and remove excess material as needed) to create an expandable clip. Use these spring clips at intervals of a couple feet or so to hold the cover fabric in place over the bright work. The covers themselves can be simple long narrow rectangles with hems or a binding tape all round. Hems are much stronger but there is no hardware in this case to require that strength so the quicker and easier binding tape makes good sense.

David and Zora, by the way, live aboard "Atelier" in Grasonville, Maryland. They have authored "Good Boatkeeping" and "Good Cruising" both of which are available from International Marine Publishing. "DIY Boat Owner" is an excellent quarterly magazine devoted to us "do-it-yourselfers."