Trailer with poles if going to rain?

[Pinhacker71]

I am traveling tomorrow and taking boat with me. Big chance of rain. Should I put the anti pooling poles for trip under the trailering cover? I will be unloading boat and placing in wet slip as soon as I arrive. Opinions please. I usually don't place the poles while trailering because I know it puts stress on the cover.

 

[Gym]

I am traveling tomorrow and taking boat with me. Big chance of rain. Should I put the anti pooling poles for trip under the trailering cover? I will be unloading boat and placing in wet slip as soon as I arrive. Opinions please. I usually don't place the poles while trailering because I know it puts stress on the cover.

You're correct. No poles while trailering. The cover naturally vacuums itself to the boat during trailering. The poles could cause it to rip.

 

[Ronnie]

The poles are to prevent pooling of water on the cover. I don't think water will pool on the cover while you are trailering.

 

[justason]

Some folks here, myself included have shredded mooring covers while trailer-ing (thought that was a word). Mine was a result of the seam failing at the point of accommodating the tower.. I also added a slotted noodle over the windshield to ease the pressure point against the cover.

 

[Cambo]

If its not torrential it blows off the bow while under way stop and go seems to help it roll off . I have been in heavy down pours and the back filled up to the point that it was a struggle to push it off and thought for sure it was going to rip but it didn't just pull over before it gets to deep and push the water off . Kind of a pain but better than dealing with everything being soaked by dirty road water. Just be careful one thunderstorm was so bad with hail and wind that when I pushed the water off the cover it started whipping in the wind with the ratchet buckle flying out of control then lighting started striking not a good place to be with the aluminum tower.

 

[Bennie]

I also added a slotted noodle over the windshield to ease the pressure point against the cover.

I like that!! Will be doing that mod when I get home! - thank you

 

[Bennie]

I am traveling tomorrow and taking boat with me. Big chance of rain. Should I put the anti pooling poles for trip under the trailering cover? I will be unloading boat and placing in wet slip as soon as I arrive. Opinions please. I usually don't place the poles while trailering because I know it puts stress on the cover.

I do not have a plethora of experience on trailering (word added to personal dictionary) but have done it a few times on 3hr trips as well as back and forth in my local area (1hr or less travel). The poles are always in place and on the highway I am going est 75mph. .... so far so good. No signs of premature wear nor any visual physical defects.
just my personal experience

 

[Bill D]

I've trailered just over 4,000 miles this summer. I leave the straps for the anti-pooling poles in place, put the noodle over the windshield and under the strap, but remove the poles. I have found that this is a good balance between having the cover suck down into the bow from the vacuum and having the pole push up on it right at the seam. I also use folded microfiber towels to ease pressure points like the navigation lights on the bow and under the ratchet straps.

I'm not saying there is a right or wrong way, but that works for me.

 

[Pinhacker71]

Just arrived. No poles and water rolled right off cover. Always have used the noodles for windshield. Now lake time.

 

[Smassey22180]

If your cover is new then poles are fine. If it is 2 years old then without poles and take it slow. Going fast just makes it suck down harder. The sun destroys these covers in as short as 3 years. Towing just pulls on the damaged material and kills them the rest of the way.