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To cover or not to cover


thealy

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So, I am torn (pun kinda intended). I just got the new (used) bu this winter and it came with a wonderful canvas cover (yes that is sarcasm). I do plan on purchasing a new Rankin at some point but have not done so yet. I am traveling about 300 miles this weekend and am wondering if I can get away with pulling it covered or not. I put foam around the buckles so I know they will not hit the gelcoat but will just the edge of the cover mark the gelcoat at all? If I don't cover it, it will get bug impaled. Curious for everyone's opinion/expertise.

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So, I am torn (pun kinda intended). I just got the new (used) bu this winter and it came with a wonderful canvas cover (yes that is sarcasm). I do plan on purchasing a new Rankin at some point but have not done so yet. I am traveling about 300 miles this weekend and am wondering if I can get away with pulling it covered or not. I put foam around the buckles so I know they will not hit the gelcoat but will just the edge of the cover mark the gelcoat at all? If I don't cover it, it will get bug impaled. Curious for everyone's opinion/expertise.

don't cover it while towing and buy a sunbrella cover.

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I always tow my boat uncovered. 300 miles or whatever.

If it gets full of bugs, just do a quick clean up once you arrive.

Edited by Pistol Pete
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I always tow my boat uncovered. 300 miles or whatever.

If it gets full of bugs, just do a quick clean up once you arrive.

And sometimes lots of broken glass. Right Pete? :(

Edited by LS-One
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I agree with the others. 300 miles is a long way to drive wondering if the cover is making marks flopping up against the boat.

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Ok how about if it is raining and mud and road grime would get sprayed into the boat? And the posibility of Cow S__t (I am traveling to Wisconsin).

Edited by thealy
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Ok how about if it is raining and mud and road grime would get sprayed into the boat? And the posibility of Cow S__t (I am traveling to Wisconsin).

It's easier to clean crap out of your boat than it is to fix marks made by the cover. Also, the boats sit so high that you're not going to get a lot in your boat. Maybe just dirty, but you can clean it out when you get wherever you're going. And about just rain... it's a boat. It can handle rain.

Edited by GoldschlagerVT
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Towing with the cover with destroy the get coat on the boat and you will have to have it sanded and redone. I never tow with a cover no matter how far it is. 2 miles or 300 miles. Wet road spray and cow stuff will alway come clean. If I were you I would not take the chance towing with a cover. Bring towels and boat cleaner and spend 30 minutes cleaning when you arrive. Have a good and safe trip. Greg S tows with a Rankin and he says it is really good so either buy one before your trip (that's impossible) or tow this time without a cover. :)

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Thanks all sounds like very good advice. No cover for me tomorrow. Very seldom when you post do you get fedback that is 100% of the same opinion.

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I've towed to Powell (17 hours one way) with and without a cover. I would much rather tow WITH a cover than without. That said, I never tow short distances with a cover. 300 would qualify as short to me.

If I had a Rankin / CoverCraft or one of the new Malibu tow covers I would probably tow with it on all the time.

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I always tow without a cover unless it's raining HARD and long... Then I stop & cover for 2 reasons.

1) The interstates we use have heavily truck traffic. The fine road grime spray they kick up gets EVERYWHERE! Into all the nooks and crannies of the boat.

2) The water adheres the cover to the boat so no marks. When the cover (and road) dries most of the way, I stop, pull the cover off and keep on going. You can stop the straps from vibrating & chafing if you give them a twist before you connect them.

I've been doing this for the last 5 years while towing about 250 miles each way and do not have any marks in the gel from the straps or cover.

Of course, your mileage may vary...

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If you have a good towing cover like chatham says (Rankin or Covercrafts), then use it, that's what it's made for. Otherwise, I'd go without. I have a Rankin (& have had them on my previous 2 boats) & I won't own another boat without a good towing cover. While the argument that the damage a cover can do outweighs the grime that you have to clean up is valid when comparing with the stock cover that has the straps to the trailer, it does not hold up when compared with a cover that fits well & is designed for towing. It may be expensive, but it's worth the investment if you trailer a lot.

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if you are towing with a diesel, cover it. on a long trip a very fine layer of soot can build up that you cannot even see until you wipe one spot.

I don't have a rankin or covercraft cover so I wrap the boat with plastic pallet wrap around the rubrail and then put on the crappy Malibu cover with the straps to the trailer. So far that has worked for me.

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I lined the inside of our cover with white flannel on the parts that touch the gel coat and modified it to cinch down real tight. We always travel with a cover because of the weather etc. So far we haven't had any problems. I also covered any parts of the straps that touch the boat. A little bit of work in the beginning but worth it in the end.

PS We used to have a diesel truck and cleaning black soot off is not easy.

Edited by summergirl
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I always tow with the cover on, but I have a cover that is custom fit for my boat. I have made many long trips with the boat and have never seen any evidence of damage to the gel coat from the cover. Does it shorten the life of the cover? Sure....but at least the boat was protected (which is the only purpose of a cover) and I don't spend any time cleaning when I get to the lake and don't worry about any equipment blowing out while towing. Oh and when it rains out on the road that's not just water. Good luck cleaning oily road snot out of every part of your interier (done it once...but never again!). I guess it is all personal preference but towing with a cover is not the huge no no that it is usually hyped up to be.

Edited by 87Skier
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Good luck cleaning oily road snot out of every part of your interier (done it once...but never again!). I guess it is all personal preference but towing with a cover is not the huge no no that it is usually hyped up to be.

Like he said.

My 1995 Fountain; 1998 SSLX and my new just picked up today '06 SSXti all have locally sewn custom road covers that don't come off except when the boat's in the water. Put 2 hrs on the new Bu today and the road cover was on for the 30min ride home. I sure can't find any gel damage--even on my old 1985 that my brother has owned since 1993. Get a good one and use it!

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Speaking of stuff blowing out of the boat while towing...

When we towed our Nautique without the cover, (which was not very often) we never removed the rear seats, but they were a lot heavier than in the 01 SLXi. When we brought it home for the first time, the dealer had put all the seats in storage areas or the back of our SUV. So do they tend to blow out on the Bu? Do the rest of you guys remove your seats?

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Speaking of stuff blowing out of the boat while towing...

When we towed our Nautique without the cover, (which was not very often) we never removed the rear seats, but they were a lot heavier than in the 01 SLXi. When we brought it home for the first time, the dealer had put all the seats in storage areas or the back of our SUV. So do they tend to blow out on the Bu? Do the rest of you guys remove your seats?

I only tow with the cover if its raining or if the boats full of camping gear. I just don't see how any seat could possibly blow out of our boat.I leave towels, life jackets, fat sacks and other stuff under the dash, sacks of food behind the engine, and they don't move and inch when in tow to the lake (an hour away.) I am not saying it will never happen, it just doesn't seem too likely in our case.

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One thing that helps if you tow with cover on is to twist the straps quite a bit which keeps the straps from vibrating which makes the buckles hit the gelcoat. You will be surprised how well it works.

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A cover that is made for trailering (assuming the builder knows what he's doing) will not harm the boat. I just sold an 01 SLXi that had 20,000+ miles of towing, all covered, with ZERO issues. I can't stand trailering my RLXi w/o a cover...my new cover should be here late this week :D

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A cover that is made for trailering (assuming the builder knows what he's doing) will not harm the boat. I just sold an 01 SLXi that had 20,000+ miles of towing, all covered, with ZERO issues. I can't stand trailering my RLXi w/o a cover...my new cover should be here late this week :D

Who did you get your cover through? Did you go with Rankin? I am interested in getting a trailering cover for my 05 Rlxi.

Thanks.

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A cover that is made for trailering (assuming the builder knows what he's doing) will not harm the boat. I just sold an 01 SLXi that had 20,000+ miles of towing, all covered, with ZERO issues. I can't stand trailering my RLXi w/o a cover...my new cover should be here late this week :D

Who did you get your cover through? Did you go with Rankin? I am interested in getting a trailering cover for my 05 Rlxi.

Thanks.

Cory at Covercrafts is making my RLXi cover

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