Opinions... getting cover(s) made tomorrow.

[MOA_Chaser]

I'm dropping off my boat tomorrow at the Amish canvas shop to get my cover made.

I was going to have him replicate the Yamaha cover, but the more I think about it, I'm leaning towards going with his experience and judgement to make me a strong, tolerable cover. That might mean straps under the boat, etc. But since I'm considering the Bimini trip, I definitely want something that will hold up.

Now, as I mentioned in one of my other threads, I am considering a move to a southern location with a boat lift. I'm guessing that a tolerable cover isn't all that easy to put on a boat at a dock... should I have them also make and install a snap-fastened mooring cover? Those of you with these covers... Do you like them? Any issues with the snaps coming loose? Are the installed snaps a hassle?

This will be in addition to the heavy-duty towable cover.

 

[DieselCamel]

I have a snap on cover on my sea doo came as a factory installed option. I really like it. I do not like the aesthetics of the snaps on the boat when the cover is off but I live with it. Pretty easy to put on as well if the boat is still in the water. Have done this a few while we were on vacation.

 

[Andy S]

One thing I found to help with trailering while covered is to have some type of support under the cover to hold it up. On my previous boat it came with a flat piece of fiberglass that once installed creates an arch to hold up the cover. Overton's sells them, http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Super-Support-8-Fiberglass-Bow&i=27305, see attached picture. On this boat instead of me buying the fiberglass bow I made some out of 3/4" plastic conduit and plumbing tees, stuff I had around the house. I used this setup on the recent towing to Fort Lauderdale for the Bimini trip and my cover held up well.

 

[MOA_Chaser]

If I get a snap-on cover, would it be worth getting the full towing cover?

 

[DieselCamel]

I tow with mine no issues yet 2 years so far about 4 trips to flordia 2500 miles. Forgot to mention in my first post only con is sometimes I get small black streaks from the snaps when it rains. Normally cleans off pretty easy

 

[MOA_Chaser]

OK I'm back from dropping off my boat at the shop, Conneautville Canvas. I am getting a full cover made of WeatherMax, as I wanted something towable (sorry Sunbrella).

The cover will be attached with snaps which they will install on the underside of the rub rails so they won't be as apparent. We discussed doing a bow/cockpit cover instead of going down to the rub rail but it wasn't much cheaper and you'd see rows of snaps on the white fiberglass of the boat and it wouldn't look good.

I'm not getting the cleat cutouts put in... I figure that if I'm somewhere on the water permanently, I'll have a lift rather than a dock, and on the very, very rare occasions that I may leave my boat at someone's dock covered overnight, I can just pull the cover up above the cleats and not snap it down. I never* leave my boat in the water at a dock anyways.

I'm getting new anti-pooling poles and the cover has vents over the poles for better ventilation.

I'll pick up the boat and new cover before the weekend. Estimated price tag: $500-550.