Questions About Installing a Mooring Cover on a Docked Boat

[jetblueWI]

I've done some searching and I can't find answers for this, so hoping someone here can help out. I have a 2019 SX190 I keep on a covered lift for most of the year while at home. However, a few times a year we'll take it to other lakes, sometimes overnight. In the case of docking the boat overnight, I have had to leave the boat uncovered, which I'm not super comfortable with. I'm interested in purchasing the mooring cover to avoid this, as we have similar plans for this summer. I do have the shipping cover, which I have been using to cover the boat when it is trailered for the night. But, that won't work for me while docking.

How difficult is it to install/remove the mooring cover when the boat is docked? Is it a pain to manage getting the cover on and keeping the boat tied off to the dock? I can find plenty of videos showing how the covers are installed while the boat is trailered, but I'm interested in the practicality of putting it on when the boat's not on a trailer or lift. Does anyone have firsthand experience doing this that they can share with me? We have a week long vacation planned for this summer that we're taking the boat with on and, as some of you may appreciate, if I can reduce the number of trips to a landing with three young kids in the truck, I'm all for it. I just don't want to end up trading one headache for another.

Two other questions: does the Yamaha mooring cover go over the folded down Bimini top? And, is it considerably easier to manage than the shipping cover (size/weight)?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Babin Farms]

It's not terrible to install the cover while on the dock as long as you can get to the straps to tighten the cover itself, that's just one of the reasons we back in our slip. The first time or two will be a PITA until you get things figured out but after that it's easy. I can have my boat tied off & covered in about 10 minutes.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/torch-lake-michigan.24637/post-474308

https://jetboaters.net/threads/show-us-what-you-see.4515/post-448441

 

[anmut]

I'm not going to lie, it's a PITA if you're only tying up one side of the boat. Why Yamaha went with a cover with a port/stbd ratchet system when all other boats have them on the transom, is beyond me.

I did the overnight, one sided docking a few times last year. I always put the cover on for an overnight on the water to keep bugs and rain out of the boat. Also you can keep your boards away from prying eyes.

It's easiest to go stern towards shore, which will put your non-dock ratchet in the shallowest position. Next, get your cover on from front to back. You can thread through the tower on the non-dock side and do velcro while standing in the boat. Then, thread your dock lines through the cover manholes and retie up the boat. Then jump in the water and secure the non-dock side. Then you can finish securing the cover while standing on the dock.

Grab a helper if you can. As you're untying and retying your dock and bumper lines through the cover manholes, you'll need someone to help hold the boat.

By the end of the season I just pulled the boat out for the night - kept everything dry and the cover was crazy easy to put away. I usually needed to add fuel for the next day anyway.

 

[TimW451]

I use a mooring cover with my boat that is kept on a lift. I don't have to deal with rocking, but I do need to stand on the cover, on the swim platform to slip the back over the transom/swim platform. There is enough give to do it and the cover stays on without having to ratchet it down afterwards.

 

[anmut]

I use a mooring cover with my boat that is kept on a lift. I don't have to deal with rocking, but I do need to stand on the cover, on the swim platform to slip the back over the transom/swim platform. There is enough give to do it and the cover stays on without having to ratchet it down afterwards.
View attachment 144629

Those bunks and your fins... YIKES! I would imagine you check their placement as you bring the lift up!

 

[Epsmith19]

Those bunks and your fins... YIKES! I would imagine you check their placement as you bring the lift up!

I think the JBP fins are spring loaded so they should "give" with the bunks

 

[HangOutdoors]

They would give vertically. What about horizontal movement or if you don't have the boat low enough in the water and as you back you they catch?

 

[TimW451]

I was VERY worried the first time docking. I knew no matter how bad it was the springs would let the fins go up. I was more concerned that it would somehow hang up backing out, but it didn’t. Luckily it all works together as if it were designed this way. The bunks are spot on, right in the middle of each jet/fin pair (totally not planned), and long enough to be fully under them so that it doesn’t catch. The only negative is that I was hoping to be able to back in to the slip, but I’ll never try it.

PS The boat won’t move unless the lift is fully lowered, even need to have the bow unoccupied.

 

[anmut]

I was VERY worried the first time docking. I knew no matter how bad it was the springs would let the fins go up. I was more concerned that it would somehow hang up backing out, but it didn’t. Luckily it all works together as if it were designed this way. The bunks are spot on, right in the middle of each jet/fin pair (totally not planned), and long enough to be fully under them so that it doesn’t catch. The only negative is that I was hoping to be able to back in to the slip, but I’ll never try it.

PS The boat won’t move unless the lift is fully lowered, even need to have the bow unoccupied.

Is it just that shallow under the lift or is there more play you can let out in the cables?

 

[TimW451]

It is an air bladder lift, no cable. I believe it is as low as it goes, no mechanical limit. I’ll have to double check the bracket that holds it to the dock to make sure. It isn’t like it’s stuck. I could throttle it off, but then I risk sucking up the bottom. I usually “walk it off” with a dock line. When I come in I have no problem, in fact I could overshoot it if I’m not careful.

I was on a cable lift the year before. Hated it. Bad location, so shallow I couldn’t dock at low tide. Admiral didn’t like the boarding with just one 2x12 along a side that wasn’t long enough to reach the transom. Covering it there sucked.

 

[zipper]

If you can back in it is easy. It depends on which side the ratchet's zippered pouch is on the cover, mine (07 AR230) are on stern, starboard side. If you can park with dock finger on the same side, super easy. You can still do it driving in forward and is still easy if the dock finger is on the same side of that pouch covering the ratchets. You don't have to step on the cover. I did it this way until we started using a custom snap-on bow and cockpit cover that does not cover the lower swim platform.

 

[2kwik4u]

My '17 AR190 is a total PITA to cover when docked on only one side. I did that for vacation 2 seasons ago and holy balls it was tough. I ended up just wading out in chest deep water to get both sides. Wouldn't want to do it every time I stowed the boat. If I had access to 3 sides and was backed in it would be much easier to deal with.

 

[octavio3311]

I am 1/8th of a mile from my home lake, so we trailer and use the mooring cover - love it!
However - I vacation on Lake Winnie 1 week every summer - same house for the last 8 years. Putting the mooring cover on at a 1-sided dock f’n SUCKS. My bestie, who I rent the house with has a Crownie with a snap on cover. His cover goes on in 5 minutes. Ours is a complete hassle. I won’t do it. I walk away and tell my Minions to button her up.

 

[mrcleanr6]

Major pia for the yamaha mooring cover while in the water. My marina has the dock at the transom. There are no sides whatsoever. There are pilings between slips only. You really need access to the sides of the boat from land or dock. Put a snap on cover on the boat. Those are meant for boats in the water. I just had one made for my new boat as well as my 232 that i sold last year. Works flawlessly.

 

[swatski]

I back into the slip, and with two sets of Hangtyte system, one for the front and one for the back, it is not too bad. I only release and tighten the cover's ratchet on one side for speed and convenience.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/hangtyte-support-system-install-2016-ar240-getting-rid-of-the-poles.16622/

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[IA_210SX]

We have a front mount econo lift in a double dock. I actually start in the back and stretch the mooring cover up to the front. It may sound unconventional but it works the best, I got tired of stretching over the back of the boat to ratchet the strap down at the end.

 

[swatski]

As much as I didn't want to do this, I just purchased the two-piece bow/cockpit cover, will be installing it sometime over the next few weekends.

The reason is the ease of putting it on; also, it's doable without backing into the slip. The mooring cover is pretty easy, but not super convenient - tying off the boat through the zippered access ports etc. The snap-on two-piece will be easy by comparison, and family members will be able to do it themselves.

I'll have to live with snap-ons but on the plus side it will give us more options.

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[mrcleanr6]

Look into the white composite snaps for the boat. They are std size and will fit your cover. I love the ones i put on my boat. So much better than the silver ones

 

[zipper]

Look into the white composite snaps for the boat. They are std size and will fit your cover. I love the ones i put on my boat. So much better than the silver ones

I did not know they existed. We have been using white snads w/ s.s. stud to hold cabin shades on the portlights. I don't really like them. A few released themselves at the end of last season when we pulled the shades off. Most likely a bad bond due to residual gelcoat oxidation on deck. I was trying to not drill any holes, but if these hold and release well, I am not afraid of drilling/sealing them. I don't know if these are the ones you used, but I may give them a try.

SUREFAS - next generation fasteners

SUREFAS - next generation fasteners

surefas.com

@swatski Snap on bow covers are great in foul/cold weather as you already know.

 

[mrcleanr6]

Yes those are the ones. You dont need to seal them either. They are self tapping and sealing into fiberglass. I asked my canvas guy about them and he knows the guy who invented them so he said sure no problem. I personally think they are great. Zero issues. The material they are made from is hard as a rock. They blend right in with the boat. You still see them obviously but they dont look out of place and catch your eye like the stainless ones. They look like they are part if the boat or were intended to be there. I would have to point them out to someone. He did say it takes a few tries to get the hang of installing them. You have to run them in in one shot without stopping the driver. If you stop then try to tighten it down more the head will snap so you drill it out and put in another. He said just zip them in until the head hits the glass and stop.