Improved Yamaha Boat Cover Fabric

[waterboy]

Not trying to start a debate on boat cover brands, etc as that horse has been beaten so many times on this forum, just wanting to pass on some knowledge I learned about the Yamaha branded covers.

So my cover finally died after about 5 years of Southeast sun beating down on it. This will be my third cover on my 2007 boat and here I ago again deciding should I get the Yamaha cover again or not. Overall, I love the cover and it holds up very well considering the other covers I have tried on our older boats.

As most of you know, this cover is made of SurLast fabric. Well the covers were improved sometime in the past few years with the Black covers they are calling the Premium Deluxe. These have upgraded fabric, which is called SurLast BW+, and also include improved hardware, etc on them and carry a higher price.

The older covers have maintained the older SurLast fabric until now. I contacted Commercial Sewing, who makes these covers for Yamaha, Cobalt, Mastercraft, etc to find out if the new SurLast BW+ is used on any of the older model boat covers. They stated that the gray covers were improved in 2016 to use the new BW+ fabric. In case you are wondering, here is a link to the Commercial Sewing Tech Guide on this fabric

http://commercialsewing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CS13-Generic-OA.pdf

I ordered a new cover then from Yamaha Sports Plaza in Seattle, which has by far the best prices on these at 25% off retail. Also good to note is that there was not a price increase on these covers with the new fabric. It is being shipped direct from mother Yamaha's warehouse so it should be a 2016 model cover.

Anyway, I hope this helps and others find this informative. I guess I will know in 5 years if it holds up any better that the old fabric as they claim. I'll report back, so until then... waterboy out

 

[Scottintexas]

ugghh, I just replaced mine last year for the third time and it was the original fabric,

 

[jcyamaharider]

I just got a new cover and I can tell it is a different fabric. I also love the pouch in the back for the rachet straps, mine didn't have that before.

 

[96Pirate]

I just got a new cover and I can tell it is a different fabric. I also love the pouch in the back for the rachet straps, mine didn't have that before.

Just an FYI...I leave my pouch open. I would always come back and find water filling up the pouch so it obviously did not drain well. I meant to go back and make some bigger holes to see if that cleared the issue but it is a habit just to leave it unzipped. Just keep an eye on it.

 

[Eric Popper]

Not trying to start a debate on boat cover brands, etc as that horse has been beaten so many times on this forum, just wanting to pass on some knowledge I learned about the Yamaha branded covers.

So my cover finally died after about 5 years of Southeast sun beating down on it. This will be my third cover on my 2007 boat and here I ago again deciding should I get the Yamaha cover again or not. Overall, I love the cover and it holds up very well considering the other covers I have tried on our older boats.

As most of you know, this cover is made of SurLast fabric. Well the covers were improved sometime in the past few years with the Black covers they are calling the Premium Deluxe. These have upgraded fabric, which is called SurLast BW+, and also include improved hardware, etc on them and carry a higher price.

The older covers have maintained the older SurLast fabric until now. I contacted Commercial Sewing, who makes these covers for Yamaha, Cobalt, Mastercraft, etc to find out if the new SurLast BW+ is used on any of the older model boat covers. They stated that the gray covers were improved in 2016 to use the new BW+ fabric. In case you are wondering, here is a link to the Commercial Sewing Tech Guide on this fabric

http://commercialsewing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/CS13-Generic-OA.pdf

I ordered a new cover then from Yamaha Sports Plaza in Seattle, which has by far the best prices on these at 25% off retail. Also good to note is that there was not a price increase on these covers with the new fabric. It is being shipped direct from mother Yamaha's warehouse so it should be a 2016 model cover.

Anyway, I hope this helps and others find this informative. I guess I will know in 5 years if it holds up any better that the old fabric as they claim. I'll report back, so until then... waterboy out

When I go on the yamahasportsplaza site, the earliest year model I can find is 2009. Is that cover compatible with the 2007 AR230HO? I believe that the hull is the same, but want to make sure....

Eric

 

[96Pirate]

@Eric Popper I think this is what you are looking for...
http://www.yamahasportsplaza.com/oemcatalogs/p/yamaha_boat_ar230_high_output/yamaha_accessories-covers/5005dab9f8700228ec05eb02/230-series-mooring-trailing-cover-with-tower

 

[96Pirate]

@waterboy. When I go to the link I posted in my previous email I see no mention of the Surlast BW+ material. Do you know if that material is being used on all covers for all years? Thanks.

 

[waterboy]

As I mentioned, when I contacted Commercial Sewing, they said the grey fabric was upgraded. I am not sure of the Blue fabric. So yes, all of the older grey covers have been upgraded to the new fabric. I am not sure about blue or other colors, so if that is what you are after, you may want to contact Commercial Sewing to confirm what they are using on those.

I had to dig into it also, because there is no mention anywhere of upgraded fabric on any of the reseller sites and I was very confused too, which is why I went to the manufacturer.

Hope that helps.

 

[Wayloncle]

When I go on the yamahasportsplaza site, the earliest year model I can find is 2009. Is that cover compatible with the 2007 AR230HO? I believe that the hull is the same, but want to make sure....

Eric

'07-'09 use the same cover.

 

[Wayloncle]

Just an FYI...I leave my pouch open. I would always come back and find water filling up the pouch so it obviously did not drain well. I meant to go back and make some bigger holes to see if that cleared the issue but it is a habit just to leave it unzipped. Just keep an eye on it.

I also leave mine open, when I bought my boat about 3 years ago the original cover was in decent shape but the ratchets were rusted so bad they wouldn't move, couldn't even open the zipper all the way. When I got my new cover I noticed the pouch had water in it the first couple times I opened it and the ratchets were already starting to rust. So now I only zip it closed when towing to keep it dry.

 

[96Pirate]

As I mentioned, when I contacted Commercial Sewing, they said the grey fabric was upgraded. I am not sure of the Blue fabric. So yes, all of the older grey covers have been upgraded to the new fabric. I am not sure about blue or other colors, so if that is what you are after, you may want to contact Commercial Sewing to confirm what they are using on those.

I had to dig into it also, because there is no mention anywhere of upgraded fabric on any of the reseller sites and I was very confused too, which is why I went to the manufacturer.

Hope that helps.

Yeah, that link has a bad picture. It states that it is a Charcoal color cover so I assume it would have the new fabric. I am not in need of one right now but for those of you that are you may want to call as @waterboy suggests.

 

[swatski]

@waterboy These are darned amazing prices on covers! Shoot. I just got a bow and cockpit covers earlier this year for AR190 from PWC PErformance, and I looked long and hard, but would have saved over a $100 here. Thanks for posting, great information.

For parts however, I still find http://www.powersportsparts4less.com/default.asp to be the best for prices, at least to the extent I looked, albeit not by much. And I like them, they are fast.

 

[waterboy]

@swatski Thanks for the link. I have not heard of them and will save that.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Just an FYI...I leave my pouch open. I would always come back and find water filling up the pouch so it obviously did not drain well. I meant to go back and make some bigger holes to see if that cleared the issue but it is a habit just to leave it unzipped. Just keep an eye on it.

Thanks for the heads up! Boat stays under a covered tent/garage so no sun or rain beating down on my new cover thank goodness.

 

[Chillypilot]

@Eric Popper I think the Bimini is different on the 07 ar230 than in 08-09. Your Bimini is seperate from the tower o8-09 it's integrated into the tower. Make sure your cover your looking at will fit around your bimini

 

[jcyamaharider]

It would be the same cover , the only difference is the Bimini swings thru and has its own structure for 07, where the 08-09 zippers to the tower. The main attachment point is still on the window.

 

[itsdgm]

Great info @waterboy. Thanks for posting.

 

[Chillypilot]

There is a second attachment point behind the seat in 07. Make sure your new cover has a cut out for that

 

[Scottintexas]

It won't or at least none of three I have had do. My mooring cover can only be used with the bimini in the storage position. // edit - storage position meaning legs folded and laying down //

 

[jcyamaharider]

Like Scott said, the cover can only be put on with the bimini in the storage position which is legs folded in and bimini resting on the back of the boat, and the same for any of the year boats 07-09, so the cover for these boats would all be the same. One thing I can do different for my bimini is fold it forward and have it rest right behind the driver windshield on the noodles. I do this because of my tower speakers and it is much easier.