Grey PVC Inflatable Boat Cover Clip – Secure Fastener for RIB Covers

This grey PVC cover clip is designed to solve a common challenge for inflatable boat owners: how to securely fasten a cover over the boat when there are no built-in attachment points. On hard-hull boats, you often have snaps, hooks, or rails to tie a cover down; on RIBs and inflatables, the sides are smooth, air-filled tubes where you can’t easily install snaps or hooks without compromising the air chamber. This clip is the answer: it mechanically clamps onto the inflatable tube and creates a temporary anchor point for your cover straps.

Design & Usage:

• The clip is a compact plastic device contoured to fit the curvature of an inflatable tube. It has an open slot or jaw that slides onto the inflated tube – essentially biting onto it. Once in place, it grips by friction and slight compression of the tube material. The interior surface is smooth (or slightly textured) and rounded to avoid damaging the boat’s fabric; it relies on grip and the tube’s pressure to stay put.
• On the top part of the clip are two holes (forming a sort of double eyelet). These holes are where you run either the cover’s rope or an auxiliary line/bungee. For instance, if you have a standard cover with a drawstring around its hem, instead of trying to tighten that under the tube (where it might slide up), you feed the rope through the holes of these clips attached along the tube. This way, the clips hold the rope down – effectively pinning the cover’s edge to the boat.
• You can also use the clips with separate tie-down lines or bungees: for example, put 4–6 clips along each side of the boat and run individual bungees from the cover to each clip. The clip essentially serves as an attachment point on the boat that wasn’t there before.
• Installation: Position the clips at desired intervals along the inflatable collar, usually near where you want the cover secured (e.g., near the bow, midsection, and stern on each side). Simply press or slide each clip onto the underside of the inflated tube, just below where the cover’s edge will lie. You’ll feel it “snap” or firmly grip into place. Then run the cover’s rope or straps through the holes in the clips. Tighten the cover – as you apply tension, the clip will bite even harder into the tube under the pull (it works like a cam or wedge – more tension means more grip).
• If the cover doesn’t have a built-in cord, you can use separate ropes or bungee cords – thread one end through the clip, the other through a grommet on the cover, and tighten. The principle is the same.

Advantages:

• No modification to the boat: The main benefit is no need to glue or drill anything on your expensive inflatable. Some might consider gluing Velcro or snaps onto the tubes – that’s risky and often ineffective long-term. This clip is completely non-invasive – gentle on the boat and removable.
• Secure hold: The clip is engineered such that the more tension on it, the tighter it holds. So, the harder the cover pulls, the more secure the grip. It’s been tested to hold in strong winds – rather than the cover lifting off, the whole boat is taking the force (which is what you want; i.e., the cover stays put).
• Easy on, easy off: It takes seconds to snap a clip on or pop it off. After removal, there’s no trace – as if the fastening point was never there. This is great because you only use the clips when you need them (when the boat is covered), and when you’re using the boat, you take everything off and have no protrusions or sticky residues.
• Versatility: The clips can be placed anywhere along the tube, so they adapt to different covers or setups. For instance, one season you might use them to secure a full mooring cover, another time to hold on a small console cover or sun shade. They could even help rig a temporary sun tarp on an inflatable by acting as tie-down points. Essentially, they give you anchor points where you need them, on an otherwise anchorless inflatable surface.
• Strong, boat-friendly material: The clip is made of the same kind of PVC material that inflatable boats are made of (or a very similar blend). This means it’s chemically compatible (won’t attack the boat’s fabric), it’s slightly flexible which increases friction without scratching, and it’s resistant to UV, saltwater, and temperature extremes. There’s no metal to rust. The grey color matches the common grey PVC of many inflatables (white and black versions are often available too for different color boats).

Practical tips:

• It’s recommended to use multiple clips – at least 3 per side of a small boat (bow, mid, stern). Larger RIBs might need 4–5 per side. They are usually sold individually, so you can get as many as needed for your boat’s length.
• The clip is designed to fit a range of tube diameters (the manufacturer might specify something, but generally any standard RIB tube from maybe 13 cm to 60 cm diameter should work; the internal gap is likely around 15 mm at rest, but it flexes open). If your boat has a particularly thick rub rail or bumper strip, place the clip just below it so it doesn’t slip off.
• When tightening your cover ropes, don’t overdo it to the point of severely deforming the tube; snug and firm is enough – the cover’s elastic (if it has one) plus the clips will do the job. The cover should be taut, but you shouldn’t see the tube significantly squishing.
• After the first installation, check after the first strong wind or after trailering a short distance – if a clip has shifted, reposition it or use an extra clip to share the load in that area.
• The clips are small – when not in use, keep them in a bag so you don’t lose them. Sometimes people leave them clipped onto the deflated boat or toss them in a compartment – but they’re easy to misplace. Best to stow them together.
• If you find the clip challenging to slide on (some inflatable fabrics are very slick), try slightly moistening the inside of the clip or the tube surface; often, though, they are designed to go on with a bit of force and stay put.

In summary, the PVC cover clip for inflatables is a simple yet ingenious gadget for any RIB or dinghy owner. With it, you can finally keep your cover securely on your boat without resorting to sandbags on top or unsightly tape around the tubes. It also protects your cover – since it won’t be flapping and chafing against sharp corners, it will last longer. And most importantly, your boat remains as good as new – unaltered – while your cover stays exactly where it should, doing its job.