Yamaha boat cover towards end-of-life. Custom Sunbrella?

[MOA_Chaser]

My factory Yamaha cover, about 5 years old, is showing signs that it's probably not going to make it past this year. It started getting weak spots and I've already had it patched once and will be taking it this Saturday to get a few more put on where they've torn through.

My canvas guy, whose work has done me very well so far, offered to make me a custom Sunbrella cover for around $800 total. Is that a good price for an SX230 cover? Even if I can make my cover last another year or two, if that's a good deal I'd like to jump on it at the end of the summer, as he's stopped taking new customers and is only working on weekends at this point. I have a good business relationship with him and would like to get any big work such as this, reupholstering, etc done before the time (if/when) he closes up shop...

 

[Bruce]

If he will make a Sunbrella cover for $800 I bet he will find a lot of buyers on this forum!

 

[MOA_Chaser]

Haha, I guess that's a yes? He's very budget-minded, I had him fix a leather seat that was coming apart at the seams from my car. I drove it up to him and he said, "If you take this home, you can save a lot of money if you take this apart and just bring me the leather. Take this off here, and undo this fastener, ... " I stopped him and asked him how much to have HIM take it apart and do the whole thing for me so it would be ready to bolt in when I picked it up. "Oh, about $35 more."

His idea of "a lot of money" and mine are a little bit different... He patched/reinforced behind the rear rubber cleat holes on my cover, both sides, for $10. I'm just glad I'm a "current customer" and he'll continue to do my work!

 

[Bruce]

When you have him make your cover, please ask him if he would like to make more!

 

[jawsf16]

...a lot more!!!

 

[MOA_Chaser]

Haha... I will. If he gets the patterns figured out for mine, he may be up for it, I don't know... he was trying to wind down his business to an extent but who knows.

 

[tdonoughue]

Best he should go out with a bang, right?

 

[maboat]

I would definitely buy an $800 sunbrella cover!!! Count me in if you can coax him into doing several.

 

[MOA_Chaser]

Anything I should ask for since it's going to be custom? I'm thinking of having him sew in some vinyl strips into the cover along the top of the windshield to alleviate wear.

 

[BigN8]

Caution! There are 3 different weights of fabric to choose from. If you are buying the lightest weight for $800 then that may not be a great deal. I believe that fabric is 3 Oz. And comes with a 3 or 5 year warranty. I bought the heaviest weight which I think, and I stress think, was 9 oz. For $1200. Just investigate the weight of fabric first.

 

[MOA_Chaser]

Thank you! That is GREAT information.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Yes -- you want Sunbrella Awning material.

 

[cane.mba]

I have a custom Sunbrella cover, and love it!

Features mine has that I love:

• Reinforced vinyl strips where the cover meets the windshield
• Anti-pooling poles are brass grommets with reinforced vinyl around the area (4-5" square with hole punched in the center)
• Bow cover and rest of boat cover zip together (bow cover, that snaps in front of the windshield, and has three snaps on center window to keep rain from pouring in)
• Covers from the stern to over the swim platform

Features I wish mine had:

• Some type of vent, it's black and sunbrella is heavy so it traps the heat

 

[SCSTWG]

I have custom color-matched Sunbrella covers for mine and love them. They work perfectly and no water gets in the boat. They were on the boat when I purchased it used out of Minnesota. Based on reviews of the Yamaha covers, I think you will be very happy going this route.

 

[MOA_Chaser]

I have a custom Sunbrella cover, and love it!

Features mine has that I love:

• Reinforced vinyl strips where the cover meets the windshield
• Anti-pooling poles are brass grommets with reinforced vinyl around the area (4-5" square with hole punched in the center)
• Bow cover and rest of boat cover zip together (bow cover, that snaps in front of the windshield, and has three snaps on center window to keep rain from pouring in)
• Covers from the stern to over the swim platform

Features I wish mine had:

• Some type of vent, it's black and sunbrella is heavy so it traps the heat

@cane.mba , that's some good stuff. Do you have a pic of the zipper/snap/2 section cover thing??

 

[txav8r]

I think we have several different types of covers going on here. The bow and cockpit covers are two separate pieces and only cover the bow and cockpit. It appears that a couple of you guys have modified them to zip them together, and to add a swim deck cover as well. Those are good ideas, but those are totally different than a mooring and trailering cover that is a full cover, that comes down over the gunwales and rub rail. Everyone's need is different, but so it pricing on these two very different setups. The bow/cockpit covers typically have a bunch of snaps that have to be drilled and installed on the boat to snap the bow/cockpit covers on to.

@cane.mba has some good tips there for the upgrades to what your used to with the stock cover. I would look at every rub point on the boat and reinforce those areas. Typical is the windshield, the bimini hardware, grab rails, any bimini strap attach points, the navigation light, and the ladder in the back. I would have him add a cushion flap that hangs well below the ratchets, the velcro and that boot that they zip into can certainly cause wear on the gelcoat. I would want vents installed, that 9oz sunbrella won't breath like the Surelast that your used to, but it dang sure will resist UV better, as well as probably shed water better too. For me, breathability is right up there.

 

[cane.mba]

@cane.mba , that's some good stuff. Do you have a pic of the zipper/snap/2 section cover thing??

We're going to go out for the day in an hour or so, I'll get some pics and post them later tonight.

In regards to Mel's comments about breathability, I've never had a mold or mildew issue, of course that may be due to the intense heat generated by the Georgia sun baking on a very heavy black cover.

 

[cane.mba]

@MOA_Chaser Here are the pics I took this afternoon, please let me know if there is something you'd like a better pic of.

First is the cover snapped over the swim platform

The bow cover is cut around the Nav light instead of over it, and you can see the reinforced vinyl over the anti-pooling poles


This pic shows the reinforcement over the window frames and a better shot of the anti-pooling pole reinforcement.

Zipper that attaches the bow cover to the rear cover making it one piece. The bow cover is awesome for fall cruises or sudden unexpected thunderstorms. You can also see a white reinforcement strip the runs along the outer edge of the cover and strengthens the snaps and zipper.


Hard to tell but the bow cover has three snaps that attach it to the center window. This prevents water from entering the boat when the bow cover is in place.

All rolled up it fits under the Port Bow seat area.

 

[txav8r]

Now that is the nicest bow/cockpit cover I have seen on these boats! And on top of that, what a nice slip and home for the boat! @cane.mba , I don't think bow/cockpit cover applies, that is certainly more coverage and serves more purposes. And because it actually comes over the edges of the gunwale, I bet it is dry as a bone, not true of the Yamaha bow/cockpit covers, they can leak I hear.

 

[cane.mba]

We were very lucky, we bought the boat sight unseen from a dealer in NC. We went to look at pontoon boats with my BIL and SIL on Memorial Day weekend, and the Marina had Yamahas sitting in the water. My wife and already knew we wanted a jet due to a friends son getting hit by a prop the summer before. (He was 4 and it was a true miracle he survived). However, we really weren't in the market for a boat, wanting to wait for my bonus in few for the down payment. Well we found out about the boats how special 1.9% financing and decided to pull the trigger. The issue was the dealer didn't have a 242LS and proceeded to tell me it was impossible to find one. Challenge accepted and by 11am Tuesday I had located two at a dealer in NC. So we paid full retail (which apparently was the norm) but got a killer cover, thrust vectors, a "boaters kit" (Mae West life preservers, throwable, fenders, dock lines, etc). So we went from not even wanting a boat yet, to full on owners in a matter of a few days. Then after the first season of slip rental at a Marina, we decided to apply the extra cost to our mortgage and the boat then cost me a house! Can't complain at all, buying the boat has really been one of the best experiences I've had, and we love being on the water, even if it's just to walk down to the dock to feed the turtles, or "our" baby bream.