Longer straps for solar reel

[Elle]

We are in the process of installing a solar reel for our cover. I bought it from National Pool Wholesalers. We are installing it up on our deck rail which is about 4 feet above our pool. The straps that came with the reel to connect the cover to it aren't long enough. Does anyone know where I can get longer straps from or a way to make my own?
Thanks

 

[Bama Rambler]

Lightweight tie down straps. Not the ratchet ones but the spring loaded tension ones. They make them in different lengths. Or you could go to a boat place and ask for cover tie down straps.

 

[Elle]

That sounds great but I have no idea what those are...lol I asked my hubby to and he doesn't either!!

 

[Bama Rambler]

Just go to the ratchet strap section of your local big box store and look for the lightest rating they have and I bet that's them. They called laashing straps. Here's some examples.

 

[Elle]

Ok so we found some straps at the fabric store and hopefully they will work for now. The next problem we are facing is that the cover rolls up well but when we go to unroll it, the whole thing sticks together and it's impossible to spread it out over the pool without 2 people pulling on it from inside the pool. This roll was supposed to make putting it back on easier not harder??!! I'm not impressed so far.
Just as a reminder the reel is about 4.5-5 feet above the water attached to our deck railing. I can attach an image if that helps.
Thanks

 

[Bama Rambler]

Mine will stick together if I unroll it too fast. If I let the edges into the water a little and hold it, it will usually start spreading apart the right way.

You could tie some twine to the edges and use it to start the cover unrolling.

 

[Elle]

Do you think it makes a difference that is so high compared to where it's supposed to be? Also the cover is brand new and SUPER sticky. So maybe by the end of the summer it won't be so bad. I will try and go slower with it next time and see if that works.

Thanks so much for all your help!!

 

[Bama Rambler]

I don't think the height has anything to do with it. A little age will definitely help.

 

[Elle]

I'm still feeling very frustrated about this. We had 2 days of letting the pool cover down and by taking it slow it worked perfect. But every other time since then it's such a project to get the cover to go across the pool properly. I don't know what else to do. Most of the time there is only one of us to put the cover on and off and so that's why I spent the money on all this (it isn't cheap) to make it easier and honestly it's harder so far. I love being able to roll it up but I dread unrolling...any other suggestions or reasons why this may be happening?

 

[opie1]

We used one of the strap hole covers to put a hole in the far end of our cover and was planning on making an attachment to fit our pool pole so that we can reach out and grab the cover and pull it to the far end from the reel. Actually, I used an extendable paint roller handle and cut off a roller frame so that it had a small 90 degree end covered with a small plastic end protector to keep from accidently punching a hole in the cover. Our cover is new also and we had to put our reel about 3/4 of the way down as we have an egg shaped pool. I will be putting a 'grabber hole' in the small end also as the smaller section ends up wanting to unroll under the larger section, again, probably because it's new and sticky.