Cover locks must only be for keeping children out.

[Oskar]

 8)As I have no small children and there are non living around me I never had the cover locks installed, but with the tail end of Francis coming our way I thought I would install them, What a joke, any wind that was high enough to lift my cover would surely just rip the 1/2 inch #0 screws right out, the cover lock will keep out small children but forget about holding down cover in a high wind.

I installed four #4 eyelets, would have preferred eyebolts but as my deck is only 13 inches high there is no way I can get under it, and have two cargo straps that I can hook into them,  and if the wind is high enough to pull these eyelets out of my deck I will have a lot of other things to worry about than my spa cover.

I hope I never have to use these tie downs but it only takes a couple of minutes to hook up and we do have some powerful thunderstorms in my area so maybe I will have to  put them to use.

Now for lock down when I leave town I intend to use the same eyelets and coated cable  with locks just in case someone who knows I am gone decides to use the tub, gets drunk and drowns, worst case scenario but I just don't want anyone using it when I am not around.
Has anyone got any other ideas for securing the cover and tub access?

[Steve]

[ttodd1]

Now are those for weighing it down or throwing at the kids???

JUST KIDDING -    

[Brewman]

The cover locks will keep out children, at least the younger ones.  They also keep the cover from flipping around in the wind.  
I don't think they were designed to withstand hurricane force winds, though.  
One day last winter, I looked out the window and noticed the cover was folded open.  We forgot to lock the cover when we used the tub a few days earlier.
I don't know how long the cover was open, but it was very cold, near zero, and I had to add about 50 gallons of water to top up the spa.  Haven't forgot to lock the cover since then!
Brewman  

[doodoo]

The other issue is that liability may come into play here. Like a pool you need to have a hot tub secure when not there. My insurance company requested I confirm they were installed so that my policy would still be valid.

Just a thought.

[wmccall]

What a joke, any wind that was high enough to lift my cover would surely just rip the 1/2 inch #0 screws right out, the cover lock will keep out small children but forget about holding down cover in a high wind.

 

The key is to keep wind from getting underneath the cover when they suddenly become huge sails. If they are stretched tight so that they barely close they can withstand quite a bit. Maybe not a hurricane, but we get pretty heavy straight line winds.

[PPOL]

Most spa covers are not rated for winds over 25mph.

A cover lifter will hold the spa cover onto the spa and provide a little more strength.

Best case scenario, take the cover off in a big hurricane and store somewhere safe.  Replacement covers are not cheap.  Then just clean out debris from the spa and balance and you should be fine.

Thanks,

Neil C. O'Donovan
Phoenix Park Outdoor Living
Wilmington, NC (Hurricane Alley)