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BOAT COVER PROBLEMS! 2011 VLX


dcav88

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Just got our 2011 vlx and we are having trouble with the cover. We keep putting the pole in the correct place, tightening up the straps, yet the water continues to collect towards the stern. So now, after every rain storm, we have the daunting task of trying to get 50 pounds of water out of the boat without any of it spilling into the bilge or carpet. Not to mention, the fabric near the pole is beginning to rip. Any ideas on what we should do? or perhaps a better boat cover for this boat?

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are you sure the cover is ripping or is it the fabric moving around the plastic pole support? Mine did this, just unscrew the black plastic pieces from each other and center on the hole in the cover and tighten them back together.

When I used the factory cover, i stuck a small pole in the hole with the ski pylon. It held the back up and never had any problems.

honestly, the best option is to get a good sunbrella cover from evolution or skiboatcovers.com. Water wont stand on the sunbrella. The factory cover really isn't for long periods of outside storage.

Edited by bamabonners
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Jack up the bow as high as possible

Ensure rear cover pole is at full extension

Raise your ski Pylon

Put a nerf football under your sunpad/engine hatches... So they are both raised approx 3 inches...

All of these will increase tension towards the rear and keep water from pooling

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are you sure the cover is ripping or is it the fabric moving around the plastic pole support? Mine did this, just unscrew the black plastic pieces from each other and center on the hole in the cover and tighten them back together.

When I used the factory cover, i stuck a small pole in the hole with the ski pylon. It held the back up and never had any problems.

honestly, the best option is to get a good sunbrella cover from evolution or skiboatcovers.com. Water wont stand on the sunbrella. The factory cover really isn't for long periods of outside storage.

Thanks for the response. I actually don't leave the Malibu in for more than a few days to prevent scum lines from forming on the hill but this cover does not take rain well at all.

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Jack up the bow as high as possible

Ensure rear cover pole is at full extension

Raise your ski Pylon

Put a nerf football under your sunpad/engine hatches... So they are both raised approx 3 inches...

All of these will increase tension towards the rear and keep water from pooling

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

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Not sure if it's an option, but if you can park your boat on a downhill slope that will help...

We have a boat house. The problem is when we dock it for the weekend.

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You can try raising the bow to have the water run off or see above

When you say raise the bow, you mean lifting up the doors to the indmar?

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I was thinking about raising the ski pylon with the cover on because I had a similar event happen last week (though we did get about 4" of rain over 2 days and the center post was at the middle setting). I was a little concerned since there isn't reinforcement there, but if others have done that, it sounds like a plan!

Assuming factory cover, I've also noticed two things.

1) If you have the front strap to the bow eye too tight you don't get good ratcheting on the back.

2) The more you ratchet it, the more the strap moves down on the boat, and the more tension you get in the top of the cover.

Hope this helps...

Edited by nownow
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Which cover do you have? Is it a Commercial Sewing cover, that is a lightweight material that feels like nylon, and has plastic vents in the cover that the support poles slide into? Or, is it a Sunbrella cover from Great Lakes, that is a true fabric cover, no vents since it breathes? Or, is it another brand of cover?

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We have a boat house. The problem is when we dock it for the weekend.

I don't have the factory cover on my '11, but my '08 had it and I had the same problem when on the trailer. On my '08 the water always pooled up by the gas cap. After a couple pool ups, I realized the water ran better if it had a little extra slope to run with. Filling the rear ballast and leaving it full could help add some slope. Otherwise, adding an additional post or some of the other ideas mentioned might help. Ski pylon up probably won't hurt either.

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Yep what SPOTTS said on the rear ballast.... I assumed it was on the trailer. I have had many of the same problems, but I think ive cracked the code on keeping water from pooling.

Couple additional thoughts... you have 3 cover poles correct? Never pooling issues on the bow or middle poles, just the rear area.... put those poles at their shortest possible...

Your rear pole needs to be as high as it will go... and then some. throw a life jacket under that rear pole to give it an additional 2 inches.

Ski pylon

put something under your engine hatches to they TEEPEE the center of the cover...force water to run off either side.

Now.. the 2 black buckles in the rear REAL tight. these allow you to get the strap that goes around under that rub rail before you go to the ratchets.

And last, the 2 ratchets should be INSANE TIGHT. ensure you have some of the cover vinyl under the racket pack so you dont scrape on the gel. pull those ratches so tight you are worred about hurting your fingers if they were to slip.

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I was thinking about raising the ski pylon with the cover on because I had a similar event happen last week (though we did get about 4" of rain over 2 days and the center post was at the middle setting). I was a little concerned since there isn't reinforcement there, but if others have done that, it sounds like a plan!

Assuming factory cover, I've also noticed two things.

1) If you have the front strap to the bow eye too tight you don't get good ratcheting on the back.

2) The more you ratchet it, the more the strap moves down on the boat, and the more tension you get in the top of the cover.

Hope this helps...

Thanks. I will definitely try with the ski pylon up.

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Yep what SPOTTS said on the rear ballast.... I assumed it was on the trailer. I have had many of the same problems, but I think ive cracked the code on keeping water from pooling.

Couple additional thoughts... you have 3 cover poles correct? Never pooling issues on the bow or middle poles, just the rear area.... put those poles at their shortest possible...

Your rear pole needs to be as high as it will go... and then some. throw a life jacket under that rear pole to give it an additional 2 inches.

Ski pylon

put something under your engine hatches to they TEEPEE the center of the cover...force water to run off either side.

Now.. the 2 black buckles in the rear REAL tight. these allow you to get the strap that goes around under that rub rail before you go to the ratchets.

And last, the 2 ratchets should be INSANE TIGHT. ensure you have some of the cover vinyl under the racket pack so you dont scrape on the gel. pull those ratches so tight you are worred about hurting your fingers if they were to slip.

I only have 1 pole near the center. Where should the other 2 poles be??

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Which cover do you have? Is it a Commercial Sewing cover, that is a lightweight material that feels like nylon, and has plastic vents in the cover that the support poles slide into? Or, is it a Sunbrella cover from Great Lakes, that is a true fabric cover, no vents since it breathes? Or, is it another brand of cover?

It's a Malibu cover that has one tent pole in the middle.

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Try collapsing your bimimi too. Depending on attitude of the boat if can run off the back and no part of the cover can be an effetive gutter for all the water coming off the top.

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The biggest problem with pooling water is elevating the center and making sure all areas of the cover have a decent slope. The second problem is if there is a heavy rain storm the only slightly sloped sections will allow just enough water to pool. The weight of that pool will allow the sides of the cover to move upward along the gunwales and allowing a more cover into the cockpit of the boat, thus allowing more and more water to pool.

Not only do you need center of the cover to be elevated, but you also have to secure the sides so they do not move. It sounds like this is only a problem when you are mooring. Most of us have a trailer to tie off to, where I'm assuming you don't. I've seen some people fill 2 liter bottles with water and hang them from the sides, others use suction cups like these (I have not used either of them personally). http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Suction-Cup-Tie-Downs&i=90280&aID=601A2D&merchID=4006

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