Broken Cover Lock clips.

[Spatech_tuo]

Drewster,
If it's difficult to get to both of teh back straps on your spa have you ever considered just attaching one of the back straps? That should be more than sufficient to stop the wind from opening it.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

ummmmmm, ahh, yeah, that the ticket (note to self, get my hamsters some stimulants). Ok, so email me your address and I'll send it right out.


oooooooohhhhhhhhh, hold the phone... wtf is all this bout corners? The strap goes across the middle of the spacover , unless YOU BUY a second one (at twice the price of one).

MAN! I aint never worked so hard at givin somptin away.

[Brewman]

Doc

Anytime you want to give spa merchandise away free to me, feel free.  I promise not to give you any static!

[pratzert]

I have a covermateI lifter and I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've about choked the kids for NOT unsnapping the back clips.

Ya... THREE sets later I just leave the back clips unclipped now.  This works because the way the wind blows is towards the front of the tub and the front clips keep the cover from blowing open.

If I have to buy one more set of clips, I'm gunna SCREAM.... AND buy a set of straps like Dr.Spa is talking about.

Dr.Spa.... do you have a picture of these "new" straps on the web site?

Thanks,  Tim

[Brookenstein]

Doc

Anytime you want to give spa merchandise away free to me, feel free.  I promise not to give you any static!

Me too!  Me too!  If I find my camera I'd even take pics.  

[Vinny]

Why do you lock the cover?

I leave mine unlocked all the time. I only locked the cover when I went on vacation ... in case any neighbors had a "great idea" and once when the wind was blowing really hard.

Am I missing something?

[Brookenstein]

I almost never snap the snaps into place let alone lock them.  Vacation was the only time.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

OK, here;'s the deal. FOR THE FIRST FIVE PEOPLE that pm me they're address, I'll give a free Hurricane Strap. BUT, you have to promise to send me some pictures. Some from far away showing your entire spa (with the strap installed...... duh) and some close ups of the latching parts. NO blurry pictures please.

[Brookenstein]

What if I don't want hurricane straps... is there a choice b?  Not trying to be greedy or anything.  

[pratzert]

I assumed that everyone was talking about just snapping the clips in place... and not "locking" them.

I make sure my snaps are in place because we live up on a hill with a miniature valley from the road to the house.    When the wind blows, it's magnified by this valley and would forever be blowing our cover open.

But lock it?... no never have.... we don't have any small children, but if we did... I would definately LOCK the cover down.  Not only with the clips but straps as well.

The clips break easily and I think they are designed to do just that.... they are cheaper than getting the loop strap on the cover repaired/replaced.

We've been through a few hurricane winds when I've tied the cover down with ropes.  The tub looked like spider-man had taken a dump on it.  One heck of a web.

Tim

[Brewman]

I've never used the locks, but I do snap the buckles.
Once about 2 years ago I found my cover folded open in the middle of January.  Not sure how it flipped, I'm pretty sure the wind did it.
Had to add a few pails of water to top off the spa.
Not fun in sub freezing temperatures.

[drewstar]

The problem I have is if I do not snap the cover down ( I use the term "snap" and "lock" interchangeably. I have never used the keys to actually lock the cover)....If I do not snap the cover down, the wind is getting underneath the cover and flipping it open.   More than once, I've gotten up on a cold winter morn only to look outside and see half of my cover flipped open and my  tub pumping billows of steam across the yard.  

The problem for me is the back side of the tub is a tad bit more difficult to get to as it's close to the corner of the house as well as my wifes flower bed is between me and the ellusive corner.  (several tuilps have died in my attempts to unlock the far back corner. )

Locking the nearing corner down might be sufficient, but at the moment, both rear corner buckles have snapped and I am using a couple of bricks to hold it down. (And the other day, despite a brick being on each rear coner, the cover still flipped open!)  I have a feeling that the costs of running a tub all night with the cover open is greater than the cost of a decent huricane strap.


Snow and cold just makes getting back there just that much more unpleasent.  

Folks putting in a new tub reading this, might pay attention to the issue of easy access to the far corners of the tub.


8

[windsurfdog]

Drewstar,

I've had great success with bungee cords hooked into the cover loops and hooked under the lip at the bottom of the tub.  The rear ones don't even have to be unhooked when the cover is opened.  When I unhook the front ones, the entire cord is slid out of the way under the lip at the bottom of the tub.  This doesn't work for hurricanes where I use 2" racheting straps that hook into 2 hole conduit straps that are screwed into the deck.  Otherwise, the bungee cords work great for unexpected thunderstorm winds that occur in my neck of the woods.  As a matter of fact, I've never mounted the part of the cover clips that mount to the tub's side panels.  Of course this isn't the most glamorous solution but it is effective.

[drewstar]

Drewstar,

I've had great success with bungee cords hooked into the cover loops and hooked under the lip at the bottom of the tub.  The rear ones don't even have to be unhooked when the cover is opened.  When I unhook the front ones, the entire cord is slid out of the way under the lip at the bottom of the tub.  This doesn't work for hurricanes where I use 2" racheting straps that hook into 2 hole conduit straps that are screwed into the deck.  Otherwise, the bungee cords work great for unexpected thunderstorm winds that occur in my neck of the woods.  As a matter of fact, I've never mounted the part of the cover clips that mount to the tub's side panels.  Of course this isn't the most glamorous solution but it is effective.

This is similliar to what I am thinking on doing (unless Doc's super strap will allow me to fully open the cover with just the front clasp undone. )  

What I was planning on doing is attatching one stainless steel eye hook in the center of the base/kickplate in the back of the tub.  Then hook one bungee from the eye hook to one corner of the cover and the other bungee to the hook and the  other corner. (Crimping each of the bungee's hooks at each end  so it won't slip off)   This will form a V .  It should hold the back of the cover down, but also allow the cover lifter to fully work without undoing it.

As far as glamor goes, well maybe I'll color coordinate the color of the bungees...   Actually, since this is the back of the tub, no one would see it.  

[pratzert]

Dr.Spa...

Who were the "Lucky Five" who get the hurricane strap ?

Tim