Has anyone added snaps to your Malibu for a custom mooring cover?

[Shannon Jones]

Hi. We have a 2001 Response with a Titan series 1 tower. We recently bought a lakehouse and will be keeping the boat in the water for the first time.   We want to get a mooring cover made for it , as our trailering cover won’t work at the dock (no way to keep it tight on the boat without the trailer). And it pools water when strapped tightly to the trailer, even with the pole. Has anyone had a mooring cover made?  We got a quote for $2000, which seems fair, but we would have to drill holes 10” apart into the fiberglass (or find someone to drill them) for the snaps, which scares the heck out of me.   Is there a way to keep a boat dry at dock without snaps?  Thank you. 

[Cole2001]

Don't do it

You will regret it down the road and it will kill your resale. Invest in a custom fit cover, it will be more waterproof, much cheaper, and most importantly not have snaps. I would recommend checking out sewlong, commercial sewing and there's a few other good ones that im sure others will chime in on. 

Edited April 27, 2020 by Cole2001

[Eagleboy99]

I have a snap on tonneau cover on my RLx but that is as far as I would go.

[minnmarker]

Lift with a canopy.  You'll get it eventually.  Then any cheap cover will work.

[RedWakesetterVLX]

34 minutes ago, Cole2001 said:

Don't do it

You will regret it down the road and it will kill your resale. Invest in a custom fit cover, it will be more waterproof, much cheaper, and most importantly not have snaps. I would recommend checking out sewlong, commercial sewing and there's a few other good ones that im sure others will chime in on. 

I agree if drilled into the fiberglass but It can be done right and you won’t regret it or kill resale. 

I had a custom cover made and the snaps are hidden on the underside of the rub rail.  I would NEVER have them filled into the gel.  I’ve seen some and they are terrible.    Mine works great and the snaps can easily removed if someone has an issue with it down the road.   Custom sunbrella cover and side skirt (2 separate pieces) made for about $1400 total.  $2k seems a tad high just for cover.   It’s great because I can just use the top cover or both.  
 

 

Edited April 27, 2020 by RedWakesetterVLX

[asnowman]

The newer covers have zippered pockets for the cleats, and a hangtite that lifts the cover up using the tower. Also they come with a vented support pole.  Our response stays in the lake, no snaps,  no tower, and very little pooling in it. We still use the original cover, but the new covers are much better. 

 

[jayR]

I also put the (few) snaps I have on to the bottom side of the rub rail on my boat. works great. maybe better than the ones in the gel.

[RyanB]

I had the snaps put on for a cover on my last boat when it was brand new.  I really liked the cover, but not the snaps.  I wouldn't do it again.