Trailer with or without a cover?

[poconojoe]

Yep, my covers are NOT fit for towing! Like I said, they are the covers that came with the boat (bayliner 185 bow rider). Two snap on covers, cockpit and bow. My short low MPH trips were OK in the past, but anything over maybe 40MPH...not good.
We took a trip and I added rope in various strategic places (so I thought!). Well, immediately a few snaps opened and a small corner was flapping. kept looking in the mirrors. Very distracting. Was doing 60 MPH, so far nothing major. As soon as we got off the highway, I looked back and the large cockpit cover was peeling off!. Lucky I guess! I had the Bimini laying back down on it which probably saved it. Took the covers off and put anything lose in the truck. I will never do that again! I guess I had to just learn for myself. Thick headed I am. I thought the ropes would have done the trick. NOT!
So, I was lucky for a number of reasons. My covers didn't fly away (and land on someone's windshield), they didn't tear to shreds and I didn't lose anything. The only loss was one of the pole grommets was pushed out. Bought that "EZ Grommet Kit" from iboats to replace it.

 

[ricohman]

My cover is worth about $1000. And with the winds around here, I fear it could get torn. So I trailer without. Someone asked me what I would do if it was raining all day. I thought about this but I'm never out on the water if its a rainy day.
Today we had 40 mph winds. Add 70 mph to that and its beyond what my cover could stand.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I trailer my boat over 3000 miles a year, including two 1000+ mile trips. Never cover it. I did it once and it was such a hassle, stopping all the time to adjust things, tighten straps, etc.

 

[jkust]

If you happen upon any dirt roads, you will be glad you had a cover. I just had new custom snap-on mooring covers made and the guy said they were good to 75 mph.

 

[bruceb58]

If you happen upon any dirt roads, you will be glad you had a cover. I just had new custom snap-on mooring covers made and the guy said they were good to 75 mph.

So if you are towing at 55 into a 21 MPH headwind, I guess you are screwed!

Did the guy test it in a wind tunnel?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Or you might be towing 30 mph and get a 50 mph gust from passing a truck going the other way.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

No Title

I like towable covers, but unlike a cheap walmart cover they're expensive. .

 

[jkust]

So if you are towing at 55 into a 21 MPH headwind, I guess you are screwed!

Did the guy test it in a wind tunnel?

I sort of took him for a bit of an idiot if I'm being honest. I didn't want new canvas but was given it anyway and when I explained the 35mph warning on my Taylor Made covers, he looked at me like I was speaking Greek and responded that the cover is good to 75MPH. I don't think that I could have had a very logic based discussion with him. I don't trailer past 65mph as that is the speed limit of ST trailer tires but the SUV seems to be a decent wind break for the boat and there doesn't seem to be much wind action that I can see towing while looking in the rear view. I've only trailered so far one time with the new canvas from the shop to my lake house where the boat lives and like the Taylor Made, there is just no issue. The new canvas actually fixed some of the ills of the Taylor Made set up.