Towing with or without support under cover

[2011VTX]

I'm going to be trailering my boat to the launch tomorrow, it's only about 60 miles away but had a thought today while packing it up.

Is the support bar underneath supposed to be used while towing or just to help the rain drain off? The vents in the cover seem to always want to suck it down so removing the support might make for a better fit.

Anyone look into this before?

Thanks

[bamabonners]

I have always wondered if you tow with supports or not....

[christba]

I never tow with cover. You will get micro-abrasions on the gelcoat

[highlife02]

Never tow with supports especially if they are the pole type. At highway speeds significant downforce is created especially over the bow, and supports will cause stress in one small spot on your cover and weaken it causing it to tear. Also I always tow with a cover to keep out all the road dirt and it is way easier when leaving the lake just to put the cover on and pick it up once I get home

[tuslake]

never trailer ,with cover on it chafes the gel coat ,chrome .

[gferl]

I never use the support pole. I ALWAYS trailer with cover on. I have tried both over the years and it seems that the road really does a number on the interior of the boat without the cover. I do make sure the cover winches are very tight. I haven't seemed to have a problem with my gel coat.

[nyryan2001]

Yep, by all means, keep towing with your factory covers.

This is 3hrs at 70mph put on wicked tight no support poles. 2011 247 factory "towable" cover.

Cheers.

[RoscoeYo]

i brought my bu back from florida 2200miles. had it storage wrapped it saved the interior and it had a bunch of scuffs but it was just the plastic abrasions. makita polisher and 3hours and shes back to show room.

glad i wrapped it hit a blizzard 200 miles from home and the road grime was nasty

[srab]

Personally, if I were just going to be towing 60 miles, I wouldn't dream of putting the cover on.

I have a custom Rankin (Evolution-like) cover for my boat, and it fits like a glove. When all the straps are

tightened and rub-rail padded hooks are snugged, the cover is very taught and does not need any support

polls. You could bounce quarters off of it. The one time that I decided to tow with the cover on, though,

it chaffed paint off the contact edges of my windshield (where,in fact, the cover is heavily padded). No gel

coat damage, fortunately, but I wished I'd just left the cover off.

[2011VTX]

Thanks for all the input.

[Dare2goBare]

This is what I have heard from a few OP, have yet to try myself, but sound good.

If you have a great concern! Wipe down the areas where the cover touches the boat, make sure it’s good and clean, then get shrink packing wrap and apply over the rub rail and to the top of the deck. A few good wraps around should do it. Any chaffing from the cover will occur on the shrink wrap.

Poles: Funny, my dealer told me to trailer with the poles under the cover, I’ll have to get clarity regarding trailering from him again.

All good info here!

Edited May 3, 2013 by Dare2goBare

[mainekneeboarder]

When we tow with the cover we leave the poles in and have never had a problem, I make sure the poles are up tight. We tow for 3-4 hours at higher speeds then we probably should and don't notice gel scuffing (the boat is white and I'm sure black would show a few scuffs) we have vents in the cover and it snaps under the rub rail, that I really think helps create a vacuum and suck the cover down to the boat. It does appear there is more stress around the poles at the cover but we haven't had it tear yet?

[Bu hoo]

My boat came with snaps all around the perimeter to button down the cover. I don't get any chaffing while towing. The only down side...i have snaps all over my boat.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Bu hoo

[Dare2goBare]

Confirmed with my dealer on Thursday, to trailer with the poles in place, keep more tension on the cover

and less vibration. also like the idea of putting the shrink wrap around by the rub rail.

[Malibudude]

The poles for the OEM cover are only to be used to prop up the cover if it rains, not to be used during towing. If you worried about scuffing from the cover just use saran wrap.

[Bill_AirJunky]

The whole scratches vs road grime is one thing to consider if you should use a cover when you tow or not. But to add to that, consider that it's illegal to tow any load unsecured. It's not that unusual to hear about someone who has lost a rear cushion when towing uncovered at freeway speeds. I've also heard of people loosing cooler lids, tubes, towels, life vests, boards, even a whole SkySki! Not only is it a hazard to others on the road, but then your stuck hunting down a cooler lid or seat cushion. I find it's a LOT easier to put the cover on than to stash all the gear. Yet another reason to go with a descent cover (Evolution) & not the factory junk.

[Dare2goBare]

The poles for the OEM cover are only to be used to prop up the cover if it rains, not to be used during towing. If you worried about scuffing from the cover just use saran wrap.

Malibudude

May I ask where you have gotten your info from re: The poles for the OEM cover are only to be used to prop up the cover if it rains, not to be used during towing??

As my previous post reflects the confirmation from my dealer that trailing should be done with the poles in place." Confused" . I due agree that's a good idea with the Saran wrap regardless of poles!

[Malibudude]

Malibudude

May I ask where you have gotten your info from re: The poles for the OEM cover are only to be used to prop up the cover if it rains, not to be used during towing??

As my previous post reflects the confirmation from my dealer that trailing should be done with the poles in place." Confused" . I due agree that's a good idea with the Saran wrap regardless of poles!

It came from three sources, the dealer, Malibu and CS. After 5 years I've never towed with them installed and the cover hugs the boat better than most others.

[Dare2goBare]

Man I hate it when one gets different opinions, mine came right from the dealer. going to front this question to the dealer again.

Thx for the reply.

[h2ojunkie]

I've towed w my "factory junk cover" for thousands of miles w poles in and never a tear or scuff. However, I have always used 303 on boat side of cover and 303 fabric guard on outside of the cover. I actually spray 303 on any "touch" spots on inside of cover before I strap down. Also had 10 nylon web straps and buckles installed and reinforced into the factory cover.4 on each side, 2 in rear corners. I use pipe insulation on the nylon straps so I don't have any scuffing from wind on the straps or buckles.

Granted, factory cover as it comes is fair at best,(at least my 08 cover) but w mods and proper care, mine is working ok till I can get a Evolution cover. To me, the road grime and clean up issues and not having to worry bout anything blowing out like Bill said is worth it to me to tow w cover on. I just had to modify it right and works good. Strap locations can be key for rubbing issues, just evaluate carefully and it can work. (I had a really good upholstery guy sew in the nylon straps and buckles for me after we met with the boat on trailer and measured ect.. the right spots ect...he did great job or reinforcing the cover in stress spots and where he sewed straps in.)

As far as the dealers opinion, take it for what it's worth in most cases, opinion. Use your best judgment and some common sense adaption, get your McGyver on and make it work if ya want to.

Edited May 22, 2013 by h2ojunkie

[UWSkier]

Did you guys get a felt-lined delivery cover with your boats? I'm not sure they even still use them, but that's what we trailer with. The canvas cover is the one that gets put on when it's sitting on the lift, but for storage and towing, we use the felt cover. Never a scratch, scuff, etc.

[Brett B]

For in-town towing I leave the cover off, no problems.

For towing any distance on the highway I use the saran wrap method and then cover without poles. I purchased a big roll of the heavy duty saran wrap from Sam's club for about $16. It takes less than 5 minutes to wrap it around the rub rail area twice. When I uncover it takes about 1 minute to take the wrap off and throw it in the trash. Just bring the roll with you for the return trip. Using this method I have never had a single scuff mark from the cover, my boat still looks like it's new. I have seen other new Malibu's with scuffed gel from towing with the Commercial Sewing cover.

I also have a Great Lakes cover which I have been very pleased with. Fit and finish are excellent, it seems to fit tighter and be much softer than the CS cover. It also has felt pads over the windshield and rear sundeck areas. I'm sure I could get away without saran wrapping it first but 5 minutes of prep saves me having to possibly spend hours on buffing work which I think is a no-brainer. The scuffing is also much more prominant on dark colors. On a white boat the scuffing would be harder to see.

Edited May 22, 2013 by Brett B

[gferl]

Can you tell me exactly how you saran wrap your boat around the rub rails. Do you have a picture by any chance? Is the heavy duty saran wrap in the food items at Sam's Club?

Thanks!!

[Levi900RR]

I've towed w my "factory junk cover" for thousands of miles w poles in and never a tear or scuff. However, I have always used 303 on boat side of cover and 303 fabric guard on outside of the cover. I actually spray 303 on any "touch" spots on inside of cover before I strap down. Also had 10 nylon web straps and buckles installed and reinforced into the factory cover.4 on each side, 2 in rear corners. I use pipe insulation on the nylon straps so I don't have any scuffing from wind on the straps or buckles.

Granted, factory cover as it comes is fair at best,(at least my 08 cover) but w mods and proper care, mine is working ok till I can get a Evolution cover. To me, the road grime and clean up issues and not having to worry bout anything blowing out like Bill said is worth it to me to tow w cover on. I just had to modify it right and works good. Strap locations can be key for rubbing issues, just evaluate carefully and it can work. (I had a really good upholstery guy sew in the nylon straps and buckles for me after we met with the boat on trailer and measured ect.. the right spots ect...he did great job or reinforcing the cover in stress spots and where he sewed straps in.)

As far as the dealers opinion, take it for what it's worth in most cases, opinion. Use your best judgment and some common sense adaption, get your McGyver on and make it work if ya want to.

I'd love to see some pics of you cover mods. I was going to go down this path with mine until I can afford an Evo...

[Levi900RR]

I may have to busy for the Evo sooner than planned... Pulled on the back of my cover a little when I got home tonight to drain one of the massive pools of water and ended up with this:

I get massive water pooling here:

That is after yanking on it to drain the pool