Boat cover question and new idea????

[Jimmers]

I just bought and installed myself(snaps) a new custom, snap on, seal skin cover. $975.00. It’s my second cover. I like the fabric and color but don’t like the way it fits along with the hassle of putting it on while on the lift. It involves a lot of awkward maneuvering, over the windshield, over the seats, kneeling down on the back, etc. plus we are in a normally windy area. I will be getting a replacement or modification over the winter. We keep the SX 240 at our lake home on an uncovered lift all summer. We are only there on weekends.

Does or has anyone figured out an easier solution than snaps? I was wondering about a two piece cover. My thoughts are A snap on bow cover and a separate second cover for the cockpit. Snap down the second cover around the windshield but then have sleeves extending 12-18” down to the water line and the length of the boat and then another sleeve off the back, again hanging down below the swim platform I could put in weighted (15-25lbs) foam wrapped pvc poles in the sleeves and just let them hang off the sides of the boat. It would be a lot easier to slip in the two poles on the sides and one off the back than all the awkward movements and time it takes to stretch the cover over the cockpit and snap it down in my opinion. This would just be for while the boat is on the lift, no trailering.

Somebody please think about this and give me the pros and cons with my concept. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Picture is my old cover.

 

[David Martin]

Hears my cover the original Yamaha trailer cover with zip on sides........needed to protect my black boat from the Florida Sun. The sides are Sunbrella the original top is not all that water proof took around three coats of spray on sealer. I now wish I just had a whole new cover made of Sunbrella.

I can zip off the side panels for trailering if need be.

 

[TimW451]

@Jimmers I’d worry about the sides and back of the cover in you idea blowing up and then leaving you boat uncovered while you were away. If you could add in something mechanical as a backup that would be a good idea.

I understand how precarious it can be putting a cover on in your situation. I changed lifts last year to one that I could more easily walk around, off, and reach from. Is the new cover more difficult than the old one, or same, but still not acceptable?

I like this custom cover @WiskyDan has:

Almost all preseason work is done:

• New snap-in bow and stern covers.
• JL audio upgrade
• Trim tabs
• New Garmin 74sv and Ram mount
• New Odyssey batteries installed
• Washed/waxed on Saturday, cleaned the upholstery and sprayed it with 303.

Also prepped the deck for my SeaDek install which I hope to do on Saturday.

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[David Martin]

Hey Jimmers I like your snap on custom cover those were always easy for me to install on other boats I have owned. My full side is what's is needed hear in FL for sun protection against gel coat fade. Its hard to tell from my photos but the sides can not be blown up, due to the way it was contour cut to the hull.....its does have eyelets at the bottom but they are not needed even in the strong ocean winds we get hear. The original Yamaha cover has the ratchet straps just above the new sides.

 

[robert843]

I’m looking at buying the Yamaha two piece cover as well my boat did not come in snaps on it how big of a pain is it to install?

 

[zipper]

Our Sunbrella bow and cockpit covers are pretty easy to put on. Clip on snaps on the windshield track and snaps drilled and sealed in the gelcoat. I would be careful about using Sunbrella as a skirt, however you are on a lift and not wet slipping where fenders rubbing on the Sunbrella will destroy it quickly. This is the one we had made for $800 in 2016. Ours covers the upper swimplatform, not the lower as we did not want to step on the Sunbrella as we boarded from the stern. You may be able to modify your cover by finding a canvas shop to install zipper plaques with a flap on the sides of your cover. Then you could zip on/off the side skirts.

 

[robert843]

Our Sunbrella bow and cockpit covers are pretty easy to put on. Clip on snaps on the windshield track and snaps drilled and sealed in the gelcoat. I would be careful about using Sunbrella as a skirt, however you are on a lift and not wet slipping where fenders rubbing on the Sunbrella will destroy it quickly. This is the one we had made for $800 in 2016. Ours covers the upper swimplatform, not the lower as we did not want to step on the Sunbrella as we boarded from the stern. You may be able to modify your cover by finding a canvas shop to install zipper plaques with a flap on the sides of your cover. Then you could zip on/off the side skirts.

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Did you install the snaps on the boat? If so what was the best method to line them up?

 

[zipper]

Did you install the snaps on the boat? If so what was the best method to line them up?

No, I did not install these. They were done by the shop. I have installed snaps on the sailboat. Usually, the canvas maker patterns the boat, makes the cover, installs the male part on the hull and uses these to locate the female part on the canvas. Sailrite - Fabric, Canvas, and Sewing Machines Since 1969

However, if you buy one pre made with snaps, I would locate the movable clip on snaps on the windshield first to center the cover. Then you will use a helper to pull evenly on each side to mark locations on topside. You can use stick on snads to to mock up where to drill before you actually drill.

 

[Jimmers]

I put the snaps in on the cover, snaps had already been installed on the boat. It went fairly well! In my opinion it is still awkward, stretching over the windshield, working around the seats, lots of stretching with the awkward movement. I spoke the the company that made my new and old cover and I have been doing some experimenting. We keep our boat on a lift. I am trying different methods of using straps and ratcheting the main cover down. I have put hooks on the lift uprights, throw a strap over the lower part of the windshield towards the dock side, hook the strap to the ratchet and crank it down. Similar for the back end, except there I have loops off the end of my cover, I have a strap through the loops, which extend below the swim platform 6”or so, hook up the strap up to the non dock side boat lift, the other side of the strap to the ratchet and crank it down. It’s still a work in progress but I am hopeful that I can figure something out that’s quick, easy, safe and not cumbersome!