Cover while docked

[TEutis]

I'm curious what people use for a cover while they are docked in a boat that does not have the bow and cockpit covers. I have a 95 Caravelle 209 Bowrider which is roughly 20'. The boat has a wakeboard tower so my mooring/trailering cover is somewhat of a bear to get on. I know I can't deploy it while in the water. I will be taking a vacation to Table Rock Lake in early June and I plan on keeping my boat docked at the resort. Any ideas how I can keep it protected while in the dock?

 

[Art Bernard]

Re: Cover while docked

I had the same problem with my 20'CC with t-top. I finally just bought a tarp big enough to do the job. Sure, it's not the coolest looking thing,but it worked.

Art

 

[TEutis]

Re: Cover while docked

That's what I was kind of thinking. Did you just attach it to your cleats to keep it from blowing off?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Cover while docked

I don't know how long your vacation is, but if it's just a week, why bother? A good boat can handle it.

 

[Art Bernard]

Re: Cover while docked

I straped it to my cleats and rails with bungee cords

Art

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Cover while docked

Sounds like a nice boat with the wake tower and all..so why don't you have a proper cockpit cover made for it? Seems to me you could use one to take care of it long term.

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Cover while docked

When the water is warm enough, I just use my trailering cover - have to go for a bit of a swim to get it hooked all the way around - but that's what vacation is for!

 

[TEutis]

Re: Cover while docked

Thanks for all the replies. As far as letting it sit not being covered I considered that but if Table Rock is anything like some of the lakes we have around me the birds will make a mess out of it in just one day. Dockwrecker - I have considered getting a custom cockpit/bow snap cover but just don't have the extra cash right now. Maybe on of these days.....

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Cover while docked

I don't have a proper mooring cover for mine either as it lives in my garage 51 weeks out of the year. However, for a week in the summer it goes in a slip at a vacation rental. We had a BIG storm come in last year dumping more rain than I felt comfortable letting the bilge pump take care of. I put the trailer cover on it and held it in place by tying water jugs around the perimeter. Ghetto but it worked awesome.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Cover while docked

A lot of people temporarily secure tarps, etc. w/ bottles of water. You can buy, or make, caps for the standard liter/2 liter drink bottle with a hook sticking out of the top, that you can hang through the grommets. When you don't need them you just empty them, even throw the bottles away and keep the hooked caps for next time.

For Teutis, since all you're worried about is birds for a week, the most I'd do his hang a tarp with weights and not worry about it. I just don't see it as being that big a problem.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Cover while docked

I just use my regular cover and 2 of the straps in the rear to secure to the trailer eyes. Never had a problem with it wanting to come off.