Installing Deck Snaps on Cockpit Tent

After rigging your tent attach the deck portion of the snap provided at a point approximately 1 ½” outside and 1 ½ ” behind the outside of the rear of the canopy nacelle.

You may use the snaps with self tapping screws or the machine screws with washers and nuts for all of the snaps that go vertically through the decks. The machine screws will be stronger and avoid possibility of pulling out- they also offer a more finished appearance on the inside of your boat when used with the snap caps provided, Enough snaps are provided so you can use either type of fastener for the six on deck snaps. Therefore, you will have six of one kind of fastener left over. The two rear outer most snaps are located directly above the torque tubes and therefore awkward to reach on the inside- you may wish to use self tapping screws on these. On the Special Edition the self tapping screw will be hidden by the carpet inside the boat. Use 1/8” pilot drill for the self tapping screws and the machine screws.

After attaching the rear snap and snapping the corner down, pull that side taught to determine the location of the forward snap on that side. Follow this procedure for the opposite side. Next attach the middle snap on the rear of the cockpit just below the traveller track and in the center of the rear edge of the cockpit on the outside wall. All snaps on the cockpit should be self tapping kind. Stretching the tent outward from the center attach the two other snaps on the rear of the cockpit. You may have to lift the rear edge of the cockpit slightly to place these snaps. Any excess material in the rear sidewalls will be left between the deck snap and the outside cockpit snap.

Place the two center snaps on the front of the cockpit then stretch the tent outward to locate the deck snaps just inside the forward end of the nacelle. Leave the excess material between the snaps either side of the front of the nacelle. This “bag” is necessary to allow the canopy to open and close with the tent up.

All snaps should be “seated” with calking (boat life, silicone, etc.) to avoid leakage.

To finish the machine screws inside, snap caps are provided. The clear portion goes under the nut on the inside of the hull. The colored cap snaps on top to hide the nut and screw end.

Equipment Package

  • 13 self tapping snaps
  • 7 machine screws
  • 7 washers
  • 7 nuts
  • 7 snaps for machine screws
  • 7 snap cap sets

Installing The Stiletto Cockpit Tent

Rig the sunshade portion first. Expand the whisker pole and insert it into the sleeve along the aft end of the sunshade, attaching the clips at each end of the pole on to the “D” rings on the aft corners of the shade. Telescope the pole so the sleeve is reasonably taught. Lay the entire sunshade on top of the boom with the whisker pole perpendicular to and at the outboard end of the boom. (Zippers should be on the underside of the sunshade.)

The front edge of the sunshade has a tab with a short piece of line attached. This line attaches by sliding down the luff track of the mast, the same as the bolt rope on the mainsail. Attach the front outboard corners with the lines provided to the shrouds. The rear corners are attached by means of the adjustable straps to the stern cleats. The boom shoul be elevated (using the main halyard) until the aft end is about 6 ½ feet high. Now attach the front, rear and two side panels. All windows open from the inside.

Important Notice

The snaps used on the Stiletto cockpit tent are called pull-a-dot snaps. Named because they will only unsnap from one direction. Pulling from the wrong direction will not unsnap the pull-a-dot and may result in damage to your tent. You must attach by pushing from the top down and remove by pulling from bottom up. Easy to remember- the tent is trying to pull the pull-a-dot one way and that is the way it will not unsnap- open from the other side. All snaps should be kept lubricated and free of any corrosion.


More Assembly Instructions

Basic Assembly | Assembly Check List | Tuning Manual | Jiffy Reefing | Mast Rotator | Genoa Instructions | Trampoline Installation | Mainsail Traveller Control | Roller Furler Installation and Use | Installing Deck Snaps on Cockpit Tent | Reacher Running Rigging Installation