Just ordered a bow cover for the Bimini crossing

[sstegh]

what I great idea MrMoose! Since I got married I could not think of a way to re-purpose my blow up doll.

Well, your married. Keep the blow-up doll, you'll need it later.

 

[Betik]

When that day comes I will want a younger one.

 

[Julian]

Finally installed
I drilled a small hole first. Then reversed drilled about 2mm with a wider drill bit. Out of 14 holes I chipped the coat on 4 of them and forgot to reverse the drill on the wide drill on 2 holes. As a result those 2 hole where too wide for the screw. So I filled them with 5200 and put the screw. I will know 5 day later if they are going to hold up or not.
On the rest of the hole I just put some silicone to seal them.

I also cut a foam for the anchor compartment, so I can eliminate water intake from there too.

What does it look like underneath? My Bow cover on my 230 was an after market one and had a post in the center to hold it up....what is holding this up?

 

[MrMoose]

What does it look like underneath? My Bow cover on my 230 was an after market one and had a post in the center to hold it up....what is holding this up?

Hi @Julian, the Yamaha bow cover that I installed on my 2015 came with a telescoping anti-pooling pole.

 

[zipper]

@MrMoose Do the new Yamaha bow covers come with a vent that the telescoping pole fits in from beneath?

 

[MrMoose]

I don't recall a vent

 

[zipper]

I was just wondering, my factory mooring/towing cover had vents on the sides, but no vents at the non-telescoping poles. My bow and cockpit covers, we had made, and I was surprised to find vents at the pole supports.

 

[MrMoose]

@MrMoose Do the new Yamaha bow covers come with a vent that the telescoping pole fits in from beneath?View attachment 54707

@zipper, I double-checked... nope, no vent:

 

[Betik]

@Julian my boat is courently very much covered up with tarps and 3/4 insulating foam ( you know the 4x8 that go in housing walls) to protect against the sun and hail. As soon as I start working on trim tabs will take pictures and them , but I am 99.99% that MrMouse assespemnt is also true for my bow cover. No vent, just some crappy piece of metL to hold the bow up. Currently my bow cover is very snag, but I am sure it sag with time. I am planing on following andys advice and put something inflatable underneath to provide some extra support.

 

[Betik]

Bow Cover report update:

1. I would not tow while it is installed. At 55mpg it sags in a LOT. I had put support underneath and I could pretty much tell exactly what it was and where it was.
2. I had snap on screws coming off, and one cap broke off. All of them happening around the windshield area
3. During the day, some of the snaps will unsnap during the day and it was pain to snap them on while the boat was rocking.
4. When you are lunching or retrieving it is MAJOR pita. I typically release and climb over the bow. Oops !!! when I come in, I leave the throttle up while putting on the winch hook. Oops!!! cannot do that either.
5. docking....If you need to put a fender on the front you cannot access the clit. Try being a newbie and docking without a fender.....
6. I did not take much water over the bow as I was on the lake but as little as I did it was deflected okay. A bit leaky at the windshield area, but within expectations.

So these were the observations. My take on it is this:

1. I wont use it unless I had too. I will probably use it only for the crossing( period).
2. I need to find a good support underneath as I really do not feel it can take 500lbs worth of water and not collapse.
3. Knowing what I know today, I am not sure if I would have purchased it. I will know for sure after the Bimini crossing though. Which might be too late. LOL

 

[Jp127]

If you need to put a fender on the front you cannot access the clit.

LMAO!!

 

[Amar Nanduri]

@MrMoose great minds think a like, I purchased a factory Yamaha bow cover for my boat and it just arrived yesterday. Last year I drove one of @robert843 skis over and my buddy drove my boat over and from what my buddy and my wife said is that they didn't take any water over the bow. With 4 trips to Bimini and back we have never taken water over the bow, however I thought this was a cheap insurance to help cheap things dry inside the boat in case we ever do take water over the bow or if it starts to rain.

I plan on putting the life vests on top of the bow cushions under the bow cover. This way are out of the way in the passenger area but if needed they are easily accessible by opening the bow pass through door and reach in to get them.

Also, I plan on putting some blow up tubes, the type pulled behind the boat, on top of the bow cushions to support the bow cover. I don't like only having the center pole of the bow cover is sufficient enough to support the cover in handling the wind load or water load if we take a wave over the bow, I won't be using the pole while the boat is underway. I'm using blow up tubes so that when they are not needed I can deflate them for easy out of the way storage.

The bow cover I got for my boat (boat model year 2007-2009) is Yamaha part number MAR-230BC-VR-CH (charcoal color) with the best price I found being on eBay at $148 delivered. I won't be installing mine for a couple of weeks, too many other projects to finish, but when I do I will post my process.

Snapshot of the blow up tubes ? I got a 3 person tube from Costco and wondering if it is too big to put on the bow cushions. Thanks.

 

[Andy S]

Snapshot of the blow up tubes ? I got a 3 person tube from Costco and wondering if it is too big to put on the bow cushions. Thanks.

Here are some shots I took today.

 

[Amar Nanduri]

Thanks a lot @Andy S . I got a couple of these. Will put them and see if I can fix the bow cover on top of these.

 

[Seabee]

My 19" Sea Ray had a bow cover. Was boating in Tampa Bay and took a freighter wake head on and the boat filled up with 10" of water.

Learned a few things....

Freighters throw huge wakes!
Take them at an angle.
Snap on the bow cover next time! (Mine was factory installed and the pole was strong, it took a lot of weight)

Now that my new boat doesn't have one, reading this thread makes me want to buy one.