Longtime Rowing Hack readers know that we love seeing PVC put to good use around a boathouse. Easy to work with, PVC is waterproof, rot-free, and pretty much lasts forever, so we've seen it used for everything from low-boys to CLAM stackers.

Turns out PVC can also make you a mean set of boat slings, and here's a primer on how to build some of your own.

We got the lowdown on these PVC Slings from the folks at the Yankee Rowing Club in Hadley, Massachusetts--the same rowers who brought us the Castellated Nut Trick--who wanted to save time and effort when it comes to hauling slings in and out of the boathouse for their rows.

Their PVC build gives you slings cheap and durable enough to leave outside pretty much all the time, which comes in handy for scullers who don't want to repeatedly waste time grabbing slings.

Thanks to the PVC, they can leave these slings set up all season long, putting them out once in the spring and leaving them ready until the end of the fall. With the UV-resistant Sunbrella fabric they use, these slings weather just fine. A full season outdoors would probably be a big ask for aluminum slings, especially since you may have paid big bucks for those and might rather keep them indoors between outings.

Using Sunbrella fabric means the slings can stay out all summer

Going the DIY route also lets you make them taller, so they are both easier to use when you set the boat down and the shells can get turned over without the riggers hitting the ground. The materials make them heavy enough so they won't blow over, though you could easily load up the bottom tube with sand to be extra sure.

Of course, these slings do fold for easy upright storage when you do (finally) take them inside for the winter. This PVC version is also sized a little better for singles and doubles, and can be partially closed to hold a shell tightly when adjusting the rigging; a slight turn of the nuts on the carriage bolts "locks" the sling up for that task.

To make your own PVC Slings, Yankee Rowing Club-style, get yourself:

• 2" PVC tubing, cut to 16" for the top/bottom and to 43" for the verticals,
• 8 rounded 90 degree elbow pieces per sling,
• 2 five-inch long, 3/8" carriage bolts for each one,
• 2 3/8" nuts and two washers per bolt, to go between the two PVC frames, and
• enough Sunbrella brand fabric to sew up a boat cradle that won't weather in the sun. You can buy it by the yard and their website can help you find a local supplier.

Drill a 3/8" hole at the midpoint or higher of each vertical piece, then glue up two interlocking rectangles using the elbows and attach them with the carriage bolts. Put the threaded end of the bolts toward the inside of the frames to prevent cuts and snags.

Put the threaded end of the bolt on the inside

Another pro tip? Drill a couple of smaller holes so you can connect the bottom of each frame with a nylon string. You want the sling to open only far enough so there is no tension on the Sunbrella's stitched seams. Loop that string over the top of the bottom bar so it won't wear on the ground over time.

Loop the string over the top of the PVC so it lasts

For the fabric cradle, have the Sunbrella sewn with multiple stitching seams and large loops. Then you can just slide them on the frames before you finish the glue-up.

Do you have a custom build or two that your boathouse puts to good use? If so, share your ideas--and hacks--in the comments.

Check out more clever PVC Hacks below.

If you have a great rowing hack to suggest for future inclusion, then please send it to us like the Yankee Rowing Club did and we will feature your idea in a future column.