Yamaha mooring cover when in a slip?

[Rlc1z]

We just bought a new sx190 and have a rookie question. We have booked our first holiday in May and rented a slip for the 3 days. So does everyone cover their boat over night? How hard will it be to put the Yamaha cover on it while it's docked? I know these are some silly questions but as I said,I'm a rookie lol. Our boat is in but in storage at the dealer until April. All advice is welcomed and appreciated!

 

[Nick Hughes]

I'm in a covered lifted slip and I only cover my boat when I go back to the real world at the end of the weekend. If I head to the lake on a Friday, uncovered then and stays that way till Sunday night. Even when we go on our yearly vacation, I've never had a covered slip and I don't cover it. Worst case is you get some bugs on the boat, thats why I have a 12v vacuum.

Putting the cover on will get faster with time, I can cover mine in under 10 mins by myself now, start at the front and unroll it from inside all the way back, hope off and ratchet it down. I also back into my slip for that reason.

 

[Matt Phillips]

I agree with Nick above. I keep my Yamaha in a wet slip at the lake all summer and the only time it's covered is when we are out of town back "in the real world."

Keeping it uncovered may invite some bugs, or raccoons if you leave food on it, or a slight dusting of tree pollen. But overall these clean up easily and it becomes more hassle to cover/uncover every night. Several years ago I found some clips specifically for towels to be clipped to the top of the windshield. I love these clips as they allow us to air dry the towels, as well as cover a lot of the dashboard and such. Here's a link to a similar item: https://www.amazon.com/Attmu-Beach-Holder-Bright-Colors/dp/B00X72VHC8

 

[Julian]

My boat lives on an airdock in a slip with the Yamaha cover on all the time. Working the cover is easy.

Roll up from the back to the front when taking it off.
Then roll it from the front to the back when putting it back on.

Important things to remember/consider:

1. Get everything you want out before you cover it. Like phones, bumpers, lines, phones, wallets, phones, car keys, empty the trash, get wet tubes.clothes out, and did I mention phones!
2. If you are plugging into shore power, be sure you have your cord out before you cover it
3. My cover has ratchets on both sides. I only undo the one side, I leave the other side fixed.

 

[zipper]

I always cover the boat when not in use. Several reasons to consider are overnight rains drenching the boat. I have issues with how my model year does not self drain out the scupper without 300+# ballast on the swim platform. Also bird crap, our marina has more than seaguls, friendly mallards ducks can crap all over the docks and the swim platform. Even condensation over night can turn a "clean" boat into something you dont want to sit down on in the morning. Lastly security, outa sight outa mind. Currently I use bow and cockpit covers with snaps. But I have found, when using the ratcheting mooring cover, I had better access to the ratchet, starboard side aft, when I docked on the side with the ratchet and if backed in, you have easy access from the dock without stepping on the cover.

 

[Nick Hughes]

See, I like the condensation, I use it to my advantage as a pre-lube for wiping the whole boat down in the morning. Gives it a chance for the heavily wet carpets to get some air flow. We have birds too, never more than a shit or 2.

 

[Liveto99]

I don't cover it at the dock. But bring a towel to wipe it down it cleans it up in the AM. The dock line bungees work great!

 

[Julian]

I prefer to keep the birds out of my boat. Left my boat uncovered once in Wisconsin. Came out in the morning and had ducks on the swim platform. They crapped all over it, and there was no hose at this dock. Thankfully we keep a big squirt gun on the boat.

Another time we left it uncovered in Canada, and may flies landed on it and died.....another big mess...this was a PITA to clean up.

Now I just cover it....at its slip.

While I was in Bimini....I left it uncovered.

 

[seanmclean]

If I'm not in the boat, it's covered. Nevermind the bugs and birdshit (which is plentiful, and staining), I don't want all of the unnecessary UV exposure on the upholstery. If you have a dock with a finger, it's super easy to put on.

That being said, for a three day stint - if the weather is good and its a secure location, I might consider leaving it uncovered.

 

[LeeFlan7]

I’m in a wet slip all season, if I’m not using the boat it has the mooring cover on

 

[Rlc1z]

Looks like I will have to play it by ear. I'll have a little time to practice before we go. Boy do I have a lot to learn,lol.

 

[IA_210SX]

Rookie question as well-for those that keep your boats in the water (not on a lift) do you have automatic bilge pumps? When or if I ever get off the wait list for a slip our boat will be in the water, and I’ll be an hour or so away. Just looking for advice/options. I’d be using the cover with the ratchets on the back (center of stern).

 

[MidnightRider]

We do week long rentals of cabins where the boat sits on the dock out front as well as where it sits in a slip. We never cover it if we are just leaving it over night. If I was going to leave for more that one night I may cover but I never find my self in that situation. I keep a 2 gallon bucket on the boat and each morning I just swash that entire boat off with bucket to get rid of bugs etc. Been doing this routine with different boats through the last 20+ years.

 

[Nick Hughes]

Rookie question as well-for those that keep your boats in the water (not on a lift) do you have automatic bilge pumps? When or if I ever get off the wait list for a slip our boat will be in the water, and I’ll be an hour or so away. Just looking for advice/options. I’d be using the cover with the ratchets on the back (center of stern).

Not sure about the 2010 models, but most boats have an automatic bilge, just need to keep the battery on while you are gone. I would recommend at a minimum hooking up a battery tender. Or you can upgrade to shore power. Or upgrade to a lift, the grim you get after a month will slow you down 15mph from top end.

 

[Billtex2000]

Rookie question as well-for those that keep your boats in the water (not on a lift) do you have automatic bilge pumps? When or if I ever get off the wait list for a slip our boat will be in the water, and I’ll be an hour or so away. Just looking for advice/options. I’d be using the cover with the ratchets on the back (center of stern).

I've left mine uncovered for days or even a week at a time if the forecast is clear. Always cover if rain is predicted or if we're away. I'm close to two hours away myself.

First, I removed the heavy ratchets and replaced them with a good quality snap buckle. The buckle holds the cover plenty tight and is much easier to deal with than the ratchet system when the boat is in the slip.


I agree with Julian...

Roll up from the back to the front when taking it off.
Then roll it from the front to the back when putting it back on.
I fold the sides in like a burrito as I roll and wind up with a rolled cover the size of a large pillow that fits neatly in my floor cooler (which I never use as a cooler) when we're on the water.

Cover front to back. Cover one side of the stern and work toward the dock. You can stretch the final stern corner of the cover on from the dock side.
I also replaced the stock bilge pump with a standard (higher GPM) unit and a Johnson Ultima Electronic bilge pump switch. If you get the right pump it's pretty much plug-and-play with a simple two-wire hookup. Knock wood, I haven't had a problem with water even after HEAVY rain. If there is some water in the boat, I pull all the plugs so the compartments will drain into the bilge and run "off-plane" (bow-up) for a few minutes so all the water flows to the stern and gets pumped out. Replace the plugs and off we go!

I waited 4 long years to get a permanent slip in my marina and it was worth the wait!

 

[Billtex2000]

Not sure about the 2010 models, but most boats have an automatic bilge, just need to keep the battery on while you are gone. I would recommend at a minimum hooking up a battery tender. Or you can upgrade to shore power. Or upgrade to a lift, the grim you get after a month will slow you down 15mph from top end.

I don't have the option for shore power or a lift. No electricity on my docks. My original pump would continually cycle, checking for water if I left the switch on. I feared it would drain the battery if I were away for an extended period, so I put in the electronic float switch. It will never get stuck and and I don't need to worry about the battery.

 

[PeterB]

We always cover our boats whether in a slip or on the trailer unless we're on the boat or when we store indoors. Our last boat was 24 years old and still looked good - limited uv helps a lot. I like to keep uninvited guests off the boat whether animal or human, and while a cover won't stop a burglar, it does keep things out of sight. The covers go on easily after only a few times getting used to them. As for bilge pumps, I added a backup wired direct to the battery, and routed through a second hose and through hull fitting. . We also have an on board charger, and connect to shore power whenever we can at the slip.

 

[OrangeTJ]

I've used wet slips with two boats and always have kept them covered when not in use. The sun will absolutely destroy your interior here after a few summers, as evidenced by the newish boats at our marina with ruined vinyl.

Regarding the bilge pump, I have one of those little solar panel chargers that I plug in to keep a slight trickle going to the batteries whenever the sun is out. My MB uses a float switch so the bilge basically doesn't run at all unless water hits it, but my SX210 did a self check every few minutes. I've never had a dead battery upon returning to the boat, even after a couple of weeks.

 

[Beachbummer]

I used to not cover it at the marina over the weekend until a flying cow bird decided the boat looked like a great place to take a dump on...the most harmful attack on the vinyl seats you could imagine. Took me quite a while to clean it, so now I only leave uncovered if I feel very lucky. I have a semi-custom cover that's coming apart, but it helps keep the dust and bird crap off the boat.

 

[Tms1224]

I have a snap cover right now looking at getting the Yamaha 1 piece. Question if the 1 piece has ratchets on both sides how to you ratchet the side away from the dock? Also with the snap cover if I forget something in the boat its easy to unsnap and climb in...Is this difficult with the 1 piece ?? Just curious on any input from anyone with experience . Any other thoughts or input would be appreciated.