Covered or uncovered...that is the question!

[BeauSko]

So, I keep my boat in my driveway. I flush, spray down, and cover after every outing. It seems that I have just seconds to spare when I’m cranking down the last ratchet on the cover before torrential downpour ensues. I hate the thought of rain filling the deck. I know these things are built for that, short term won’t hurt, etc., but wanted to hear you all’s thoughts.

For you slip/marina keepers, I can’t imagine your boats getting covered very often, does rain bother u guys? I type this as I just finished prepping the boat for an outing and watch the rain fill my uncovered boat lol. Weather predictions have been TERRIBLE. Or, I am just unlucky enough to be the area that the 10% chance decided to out of nowhere change to 100%.

 

[Mike Clark]

Although as of late last year I now keep my boat in secured covered storage, prior when it was outside I always covered it. As you stated, boats are made for water, long term exposure to hot sun, constant water on the interiorer can lead to premature deteriation, color fading on seats, etc, and sometimes mold depending on the several factors. but to me the biggest is the cost of the boat in the first place, too expensive not takethe best care of it you can.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I have been covering my boat every time i bring it in and after I work on it. Of course I want it stay in the best condition it can. But lately as I am working on it, it is getting late and dark. Also if I come in off the water after dark, I basically flush the engines real quick, to the annoyance of my neighbors and cover it. I was contemplating leaving my cover off for the night so the next day I can hose it down and clean everything.

Does anyone do this? What about flushing the next day as well if real late? I am in freshwater.

 

[BeauSko]

Ya, I will always cover when time/weather permits (which has been always up until now). I guess my biggest question is, should i really be bothered my a onesie/twosie down pour on an uncovered boat?

@HangOutdoors as for flushing, I will always do it when i get back as opposed to waiting but that is because i boat in mostly brackish water. By the next day, the damage is already done. Don’t think a next day flush in fresh water is really a concern.

 

[Robconn]

I have a covered slip at the marina. I do not use the custom cover I bought and I lightly clean the boat weekly. I have not experienced a drenched boat yet. If I de winterize boat in early April then I would definitely use the cover due to the pollen. Post season, I rent a storage garage 12x25 and once again do not cover it since it’s fully enclosed. I purchased the boat cover thinking I was going to get a lift and keep the boat at the dock year round.

 

[Cambo]

I go a step further when heavy down pours are coming I bungy a grey tarp over the mooring cover it also helps protect the mooring cover from uv damage


the old boat




covered





not covered

 

[anmut]

I double cover! After use the boat gets cleaned, battery tenders hooked up, fans running in base of boat, then on with the mooring cover. Then I use a 30x50' tarp, silver side up, and drag that over the entire boat to keep the tower / speakers out of the elements. Bungee cord to the trailer and it's good to go. This also helps with keeping tree sap/sun off the mooring cover for extended life. Because of the steep pitch of the tarp coming off of the tower I don't have to use the anti-pooling polls either under the normal cover.

 

[Miitch]

I've been keeping my boat in a slip. Was initially going to tow back and forth, but a friend got me a good deal so i couldn't pass up. so glad i slip it... makes for quick and efficient outings. As for covers, ive only had the boat 10 days, and its only been in the slip for 5 of those days LOL but since then, of course, we've had every forecast imaginable... Ill always throw on the bow/cockpit covers. They seem to do a good enough job for rain.

As for torrential downpour, i figured out pretty quick that the bow/cockpit covers wont protect from ALL of the rain. Call me an idiot, but when I know a big storm is coming (like the one we had 2 days ago), ill throw on the towing cover over top of the cockpit/bow covers. It may look silly sitting in the water with the towing cover on, but it looks better silly, than damaged. Just my two-cents.

 

[merlinjet]

Seems like a no-brainer to me...you have the cover why not use it all the time? It will protect your vinyl and other interior components from the elements and keep out the dirt and dust always floating around i the air. I suppose living here in the desert SW, sun and dust are more of a concern than in SC (my home state, BTW). I just think the time spent keeping your boat covered when not in use is a cheap investment in maintaining your boat's value no matter where you live. The only exception would be if I were planning to go out the next day and the weather looked OK.

 

[DRAT]

mine's in a wet slip and i cover it (per avatar photo) when not in use. until you've seen it you wouldn't believe the volume of spiders, webs, nests and bird &*(% that can accumulate in a few days/nights uncovered in a marina. not gonna lie, it sucks putting the cover on a moored boat after a long day in the sun but it beats cleaning. yeah, spiders and daughters don't play well together...

 

[Robconn]

I go a step further when heavy down pours are coming I bungy a grey tarp over the mooring cover it also helps protect the mooring cover from uv damage


the old boat

View attachment 122189


covered
View attachment 122190

View attachment 122192

View attachment 122193
not covered



View attachment 122194


View attachment 122195

I see your point. How old is the boat in that pic?

 

[BeauSko]

Seems like a no-brainer to me...you have the cover why not use it all the time? It will protect your vinyl and other interior components from the elements and keep out the dirt and dust always floating around i the air. I suppose living here in the desert SW, sun and dust are more of a concern than in SC (my home state, BTW). I just think the time spent keeping your boat covered when not in use is a cheap investment in maintaining your boat's value no matter where you live. The only exception would be if I were planning to go out the next day and the weather looked OK.

Ya this post title doesn’t accurately represent what i was getting at. I would never not cover it when not in use. While prepping for an outing, the rain came out of nowhere. Too fast to put the cover back on before the interior already got soaked. Just waiting for the rain to stop now.

 

[Julian]

The only time my boat has gone uncovered for more than 8 hours is when we go to Bimini. She goes the whole trip (on the water) uncovered as she's being used every day and even some nights.

Other than that my boat is ONLY uncovered when she is being used or being worked on. All other times she is covered lovingly.

A guy 8 or so slips down from me has a 10k Sunstream lift and bought the new 24' boat when if first came out (2015?) and his boat is never covered. It looks like shit. @OperationROL and I looked at it last year and it made you want to cry it was in such poor neglected shape.....

 

[Babin Farms]

Cover in my case is to mostly keep the sun off of the seats otherwise they will prematurely rot from exposure. Bugs also stick to the seats with the morning dew. I would rather spend the 10 minutes it takes to put the cover on and take it off then wipe bugs off of the seats every morning and deal with stains and a crappy looking boat.

 

[anmut]

Bugs also stick to the seats with the morning dew.

WTH is up with that anyway?? On our previous bow rider I had left the boat uncovered at my cousins cabin up north - first time ever - figuring we'd be using it in the morning so why bother. Next morning the suicidal bugs that had drown in the morning dew were EVERYWHERE. Took me a half hour to wipe everything down.

 

[Julian]

WTH is up with that anyway?? On our previous bow rider I had left the boat uncovered at my cousins cabin up north - first time ever - figuring we'd be using it in the morning so why bother. Next morning the suicidal bugs that had drown in the morning dew were EVERYWHERE. Took me a half hour to wipe everything down.

Yeah...that happened to me too boating in Ontario....crazy Canadian bugs!

 

[Dixie Highway]

I cover most of the time while it’s sitting. The exception is the annual Florida trips. We use it pretty much EVERY day for a week or two, not much sense in covering, only to uncover 12 hours later (overnight). It’s a little bit easier with the FSH, not as much vinyl and cushion to worry about. Otherwise though, I usually cover.

 

[OrangeTJ]

We have our boat in a wet slip each summer. Always covered when not in use. The sun will wreak havoc on a boat interior within a few seasons if left uncovered. Not to mention the bird crap, spiders, etc.. There are a few other boats near mine at the marina that were new when we started wet slipping but who haven't bothered to cover between uses. Their interiors are in bad shape. No thanks!

 

[Dave burke]

I’m feeling pretty guilty after reading all your posts. I keep the boat tied to a dock at our cottage and only cover it when we’re not there. So it’s covered maybe 1/2 the time from May to October.

While it’s partially a bit of laziness, it’s harder to put the cover on when the boat is in the water. But I’ll try harder after reading all these posts!

 

[seanmclean]

Covered, nearly always. Only time we ever left it uncovered in the slip is if we were there really late and coming back first thing in the morning.