Hobie 20 Original Factory Cover - Top Cover Dimensions. Repairing.

Happy 4th of July 2017 as well as Canada day everyone. This will be the first in a three part series about reconstructing the original Hobie 20 Canvas Boat Cover that came with Jasmine (Hobie 20). The design is great, but the cover is knackered and ready for an overhaul.

Today will focus on the top cover which measures 103.5 inches by 101 inches with 4 corner cutouts and two vertical cutouts to accommodate the mast and the boom. You can install it like a tent and have the main halyard support the back of the boom to keep your lines and tramp from seeing UV and thereby degrading.

Jasmine's Top Cover with Nylon Webbing Sewn into each corner to accommodate shock cord around hulls. Added clips to fasten around mast (fore) and under boom (aft)

The original design featured Delrin D-Rings which were sewn in with Nylon lightweight material which has deteriorated over the 25 years that Jasmine has been in service. (1992 Miracle 20 Boat)

I replaced that system with simple 1" nylon flat webbing which was sewn in place to create loops through which shock cord can be run around each hull at 4 corners, thereby securing the cover. The photo above is prior to installing the shock-cord loops. The shock cord is on order from Wal*Mart.com of all places. I used webbing which I had lying around, so it was a bit haphazard. I will pick up some more material from this link.

I haven't identified the exact name of the boat cover material yet, but it is fantastic. It is medium to heavy weight canvas with a tight weave and a great strength, UV resistance and pervasive indestructiveness that I love! I cut the rest of the boat cover to be installable from atop the trailer. This cover was intended to install from the beach-wheels I believe.

The cover also has a great trim material to keep the edge in good condition. I resewed portions of this which were ailing. Finally, I'm trying to identify the light squares in the photo above. Google image search has failed me in finding any reference to this awesome cover, and the only covers easily found were:

-> $925 Kinder cover which should be tight fit. "Top Gun" Polyester Material. (Not Canvas material like above I don't believe.)

-> $295 Murray's Loose Fitting Nitryl Polyvinyl Tarp Material which is for static storage only -- not for trailering. 

In light of the lack of web-based information, I'm going to attempt to construct my own specs for this cover and restore it to my purpose of frequent trailering into and out of the water with the mast up. (I don't launch on the beach with the standard beach-wheels. Rather, I crane the boat in using a lifting harness. The mast stays up year long which is convenient.)

Original Hobie Decal from 1992 Hobie 20 Cover. Thinking of refurbishing it.