Re: Do I really need to cover my boat?
Don't sweat it. We (a friend and I) a 22' Grady White, a 17' Carolina Skiff, and a 23' May-Craft pilot house on lifts 9 months out of the year.
The Grady and May-Craft have hardtops so weather on the console isn't an issue. Keep motor covers on them and keep a good coat of wax on them. Tried using a cover but they became a pain to take on and off. Mold becomes an issue as well. Covers do more harm than good when the average dew points are in excess of 70 degrees as they are here most of the summer. Our biggest issue is keeping the Ospreys from trying to build a nest on the tops in the Spring.
The Carolina is used mostly for crabbing. Lots of mud, sand and beer accumulate on the floor by the end of the day. Hose it out when we're done and call it a day. Put it back on the lift to dry. Only bother with the console and motor covers if the boat we will not be used for the next couple of days.
Boats are tools. They are to be used. They get us to and from our destination. We don't hug them. We're long past the point where you sit in the captions chairs and make pretend engines noises while parked in the drive way. We don't worship them. We're not looking to preserve a bit of history for the Smithsonian 30 years from now. We don't feel our manhood is in question if someone has a bigger boat and we could care less if I have a spot of gull poop on the bow.
It?s a boat or crying out load. I don't dry my wife off and cover her up when she gets wet; I'm sure as heck not wiping down a boat and putting a cover on it every time it gets wet.
