Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

[shanel]

2008 tahoe Q6. I have a cheap cover that works when secured to the trailer. I'm thinking of leaving my boat at the local marina in a covered slip this season,so what kind of cover do i need? I am afraid mine won't stay on because there is no where to secure or tie it down on the sides without the trailer.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

A custom snap on mooring cover.

 

[scutly]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

this is debatable depending on location. well the terminology is anyway. in my parts a custom fit snap on cover is called a cockpit cover. where as a mooring cover is more like a storage/trailer cover. the snap on custom made cockpit cover for my old 23' boat in the bottom pic ran me $600 for the over the windshield cover while my buddy paid $450 for a cover that only went to the top of the windshield frame. same guy both sunbrella

mooring cover

over the windshield cockpit cover

less expensive cockpit cover

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

this is debatable depending on location. well the terminology is anyway. in my parts a custom fit snap on cover is called a cockpit cover. where as a mooring cover is more like a storage/trailer cover.

Not disagreeing with you (especially because I've heard this said before, and by our upholsterer friend Fireman of all people) but man that doesn't make any kind of sense to me. I would think that a "mooring" cover would be the type of cover you'd use at a mooring! And I don't see how one of those trailer covers could be used at a mooring unless you have 2 liter soda bottles tied to all the straps on it all the way around (which I've done). I did a Google image search for mooring cover and the results are about split between cockpit covers and trailerable covers. Weird.

 

[gestut1]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

Not disagreeing with you (especially because I've heard this said before, and by our upholsterer friend Fireman of all people) but man that doesn't make any kind of sense to me. I would think that a "mooring" cover would be the type of cover you'd use at a mooring! And I don't see how one of those trailer covers could be used at a mooring unless you have 2 liter soda bottles tied to all the straps on it all the way around (which I've done). I did a Google image search for mooring cover and the results are about split between cockpit covers and trailerable covers. Weird.

I was facing the same dilemna, as i am awaiting for my new boat, i ordered a custom fit cover for my boat from carver industries, it has a rope draw around it and it covers the whole boat , and 6 inches below the gunwale. i am going to have some body cut slits for the cleats in the cover so i can tie down to the slip when my boat is on the slip for extended periods of time, other wise i will use the factory snap on covers, i think that should work

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

The properly vented, snap-on, Sunbrella cover that goes over your windshield is going to be the best, but depending on your patience you can use one of those trailer-made covers like I did for two seasons. Goes like this...

Pile the cover in the boat, rolled up so you can unroll it from stern to bow.

Extend the straps that go under the boat to their longest possible length.

Stand at the bow and drop the stern-most strap in the water while holding each end.

Walk it back under the boat to the rear and connect to each rearmost attaching point and snug it down a bit. Unroll the cover a little.

Take the next strap, go back to the bow, drop in and walk it back and attach.

Do the same thing to the next set of attaching points. And the next, and the next, etc., etc., sliding each strap under the boat and attaching while unrolling the cover.

Eventually you will have all straps attached and the cover snugged down.

If the straps are not long enough to allow you to hold both ends at once, attach thin leads to each end. Because your slip is covered you don't have to worry about much rain pooling in the centre of the cover but it is possible to rig a pole system this way too.

Believe me, this is as much of a PITA as it sounds. But I got by using a $150 cover for two seasons this way before I dropped the required larger cash for the custom snap-on job.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

Scout, I am so going to be doing that at the beach this year on vacation as it's still better than tying on a bunch of jugs of water like I did last year

 

[steveclv]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

Well I'm a tightwad so....

I purchased a 'universal' boat cover from Walmart which is made from a thin silver material - cost $60

I laid this over the boat and using the existing snaps in the windshield, I marked the positions and trimmed the cover to fit leaving a 3" overlap. I then double folded this and used the wife's sewing machine to sew that edge. I then installed the female snaps and fitted it back on the boat.
I then went to each corner and installed male screw-in snaps and repeated for the rear section - sewing, installing snaps and refitting to the boat. Repeat for the sides etc ensuring that the finished cover was taught. Used about 40 snaps all together.

Where there were any potential rub areas, I cut additional pieces of the material and created a 3 thickness 'pad' on the backside of the material, sewing it in place.

I'm really pleased with the results - sure it won't last as long as a sunbrella but for $60 and a custom fit who's complaining?

Takes 5 minutes to fit and remove. To make life easier, I got a sharpie pen and drew black arrows pointing towards the bow on the inside face - you would not believe how much easier that makes it to install

If I get a chance I'll post a photo tomorrow.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

Cool Steve -- I'd really like to see how that turned out. And, ez - by the end of the second summer I was wondering if the water bottle route would have been the easier option!

 

[steveclv]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

Sorry for the delay - here's the homemade cover using a $60 Walmart cover and the Capri - the bow cover was a $75 'shipped for free' cover for a more modern 195 Capri from eBay - only problem is that the cutouts were in the wrong place - no biggie!

1984 Bayliner Capri 1900 Bowrider

 

[mesmorize]

Re: Which cover if stored in a boat slip for summer?

Have you received an answer for your question above and do you know where I can purchase one