Controversial Topic - Towing with or without the cover?

[Cole2001]

Cover off for short trips to the lake. Cover on for longer road trips, BUT with plastic pallet wrap around the rub rail to prevent rubbing on gel coat and creating swirl marks. Works like a charm and is super easy.  

[NWBU]

I’m towing with cover on for anything longer than the few miles to our local launch. The pallet wrap goes on as quickly as I can walk around the boat twice, and then there’s no worry about gel chafing issues.

[carguy79ta]

Also to add, last 2 boats had factory covers, they worked while towing, present boat has an Evolution cover. Can tow as fast as you want, also handles downpours better than factory covers IMO. High quality piece. 

[oldjeep]

Mostly our towing is under 5 miles to the launch, so no cover.  But once or twice a year we go 3-4 hours away and then the cover is always on.  The factory cover fits tightly and keeps crap out of and in the boat.  I do run a couple wraps of shrink wrap around the hull where the cover touches. Can't count the number of boat cushions and other crap I see in the road on a normal weekend.  So if you do highway tow without a cover, make sure that all your stuff is secured - including any cushions that tend to try to fly out.

Edited May 27, 2020 by oldjeep

[Eagleboy99]

11 hours ago, ahopkinsVTX said:

Huh??

As in your boat is new enough that you can get the glass replaced.  For anythong much older than 5 years it is a struggle, plus if you are in the Pacific Coast glass era it is even worse.

[UWSkier]

Cover off for the morning trips to the lake and back. On if going any distance. One thing I noticed with my Response is that it's far more streamlined and easier on the truck with the cover on. My cover is drum tight with the padded J hooks that catch the rub rail. Truck stays down in 8th gear much easier with cover on and I get 1-2 MPG benefit per the truck gauge. 

[redsoxfan84]

Great insights here. I love all these comments. My biggest takeaway is that chaffing is a real thing but the wrap stuff can solve that easily. I like it. Keep the comments coming if there are other good points here.

[Stevo]

Looks like everyone (or most) are towing with the tower ropes attached, I’d be concerned about downward pressure tearing at the canvas connection.

[asp13]

Someone mentioned earlier and its a great point. I tow with cover for the long trip to the lake every summer (about 600 km each way) and We throw stuff in the boat under the cover that doesn't fit in the back of the suv. Beach chairs, coolers, boards, etc etc

[djheywood]

I never tow with the cover on for the mentioned chaffing issues.  I have hats in the driver pocket and they don't blow out.  We drive to Tahoe, a 7 hour drive every year.  That being said, we do have a nice towable cover with ratcheting straps that we have not had in the past.  I like the idea of the pallet wrap, I may look into that.  Do you get it at home depot?

On the flip side, our last boat cover lasted 11 years by not towing with it.  I sure did enjoy not having to buy a new one or have it replaced.  Never noticed that the boat had any road grime from not being covered.  My .02.

[oldjeep]

42 minutes ago, djheywood said:

I never tow with the cover on for the mentioned chaffing issues.  I have hats in the driver pocket and they don't blow out.  We drive to Tahoe, a 7 hour drive every year.  That being said, we do have a nice towable cover with ratcheting straps that we have not had in the past.  I like the idea of the pallet wrap, I may look into that.  Do you get it at home depot?

On the flip side, our last boat cover lasted 11 years by not towing with it.  I sure did enjoy not having to buy a new one or have it replaced.  Never noticed that the boat had any road grime from not being covered.  My .02.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pratt-Retail-Specialties-20-in-x-1000-ft-Stretch-Wrap-5005003/202854037

 

[camcruiser13]

23 hours ago, JeffC said:

Ill give you my $.02, and if you add $4.50 you can have a cup of coffee at Starbucks.  Im not so concerned with the cover (the cover that came with my 22VLX is tight enough that I have yet to incur any damage to the cover).  To me the cover is just a tool.  Its purpose is to protect the boat, an in that service, it is a consumable item.    It has its pros and cons.   On nice days, I tow without the cover for my 45-50 minute drive to the lake.  If the weather is nice when I recover for the day, I leave the cover off for the tow home to dry out the interior as much as I can.

We ALWAYS clean the boat in the parking lot before we leave the lake.   The exterior gets at least a very gentle detergent (Basic H) highly diluted in water, or a bit of Boat Juice.   The interior also gets a full cleaning, usually with Boat Juice interior cleaner.  If it is threatening rain at all, I cover the boat before heading home.   I towed home ONCE through a light rain, I will NEVER EVER do that again. If it starts raining on the way home, I stop and cover the boat.   It took me hours of cleaning to get the road grime off of the interior. 

Pros:

• Keeps the road grime out of the boat
• If I were going long distance, I would cover the boat to keep the sun from baking the interior (but I would wrap the beltline in plastic wrap first)
• Keeps nature out of the boat --  for me read that as bird crap, cottonwood seeds (permanent yellow stains), pollen, and dirt in general

Cons:

• Gelcoat chaffing - on mine I get some chaffing above the rub rail in the dark blue.   I can polish it out, and wax it, just more work
• Keeps moisture in - if the boat is covered damp, you can be sure there will be some dank smells when you uncover it
• Putting it on RIGHT takes a little time but minimizes chaffing, and any unnecessary wear on the cover

basically what i wouldve said

 

[camcruiser13]

5 hours ago, redsoxfan84 said:

Great insights here. I love all these comments. My biggest takeaway is that chaffing is a real thing but the wrap stuff can solve that easily. I like it. Keep the comments coming if there are other good points here.

if i leave to deer creek or jordenelle the cover is on becuase thats how it was when we left. on the way home ill leave it off to dry things out and we usually clean it real good when we get home then pop the cover back on 

[AussieSkier]

On 5/27/2020 at 2:58 PM, NWBU said:

I’m towing with cover on for anything longer than the few miles to our local launch. The pallet wrap goes on as quickly as I can walk around the boat twice, and then there’s no worry about gel chafing issues.

Is the cover lined with anything?

[Stevo]

3 minutes ago, AussieSkier said:

Is the cover lined with anything?

My GL cover is lined with a soft fabric over the windshield area and the swim deck 

[AussieSkier]

Just now, Stevo said:

My GL cover is lined with a soft fabric over the windshield area and the swim deck 

Would the same lining work on the gunnel / top deck?

[Stevo]

4 minutes ago, AussieSkier said:

Would the same lining work on the gunnel / top deck?

Shrink wrap is best for this, the felt liner would move just as much as the non lined cover, it may be less wear on the gel but shrink wrap is cheap and easy.

im still waiting for someone to answer or give thoughts on my question about towing with the tower ropes attached. 

[ahopkins22LSV]

5 hours ago, Stevo said:

Shrink wrap is best for this, the felt liner would move just as much as the non lined cover, it may be less wear on the gel but shrink wrap is cheap and easy.

im still waiting for someone to answer or give thoughts on my question about towing with the tower ropes attached. 

I’m curious on this too. I’m definitely thinking I will try with the cover on this year based on the fact that everyone seems to tow with it lol. I’m guessing no poles, don’t use them anyway, but I’m curious as well about the hangtyte. 

[hethj7]

I use the hangtytye.  Never thought much about it and haven’t noticed any damage.  I don’t do a ton of towing though so maybe over time they would be an issue.  FWIW, when my dealer delivered my boat the driver was using the hangtytes as well.  

[oldjeep]

 

1 hour ago, ahopkinsVTX said:

I’m curious on this too. I’m definitely thinking I will try with the cover on this year based on the fact that everyone seems to tow with it lol. I’m guessing no poles, don’t use them anyway, but I’m curious as well about the hangtyte. 

My cover only has the one pole in the middle of the boat, but I don't tow with it in

[bkearney]

8 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

 

My cover only has the one pole in the middle of the boat, but I don't tow with it in

Why not?

[oldjeep]

7 minutes ago, bkearney said:

Why not?

Because the wind pushing down on the cover at highway speeds would put a huge amount of pressure on the cover where the pole top plate is pressing against it.

[granddaddy55]

On 5/26/2020 at 4:23 PM, RyanB said:

I tow more miles than about anyone I know.  Easily 5000 miles a year on a "off" year.  Up to 10,000 miles if we make a couple extra trips to Powell.  That puts me well over 100,000 miles lifetime towing.  All with covers on.

Towing naked leaves the boat open to elements, and prying eyes.  Go through a little bit of weather, and you will spend hours cleaning.  You always have to worry about things blowing out (including carpet, seats, and anything in the boat).

Covers on (a good travel cover) keeps things out of sight to prying eyes, keeps the boat clean regardless of weather, and doesn't damage the boat.

The only downside is every year or two I have to take the cover into a upholstery guy and have some seams restitched.

Photo of us on the way to Powell with the original cover for the boat.  I've since switched to a Evolution cover.

 

 

bingo! especially the hours long cleanup being caught in a rainstorm, boat id filthy beyond description,  gunnels will need buffing maintenance from chafing and i annually visit the canvas shop fir maintenance  

[NWBU]

8 hours ago, Stevo said:

im still waiting for someone to answer or give thoughts on my question about towing with the tower ropes attached. 

I’ll use the tower rope if I’m heading somewhere later in the day and will leave the cover on overnight. Got caught in a late evening thunderstorm once. But I generally don’t attach it on the way back home.

The Evo cover has enough reinforcement there to handle some travel but I could see where constant use could weaken it.

[RyanB]

21 hours ago, Stevo said:

Looks like everyone (or most) are towing with the tower ropes attached, I’d be concerned about downward pressure tearing at the canvas connection.

I am easily over 40000 miles towing that way. No tearing of canvas. Maybe I’m lucky. Maybe I just jinxed myself. Or maybe they are made well enough to take the pressure. 

Edited May 28, 2020 by RyanB