Towing with a cover on?

[05ELITEV 0]

I never tow with my cover on unless I am going somewhere very close at low speeds. I have seen covers scratch boats, also the flapping wears out the cover, and when I get to the lake I dont want to uncover the boat again. I have never really noticed the boat get dirty from towing with the cover off with the exception of a bug or two splattered on the top of a bow seat or windsheild. But while the boat is warming up and waiting for someone to park the trailer all that is taken care of. To each his own, but I would not recomend it.

[WakeVB 0]

05, I definitely understand your point, but I am in a delima for sure. About every other weekend I will be towing 250 miles round trip for the weekend down to our lake. This weekend was my first trip with the boat and I was interested to see the results of leaving the cover on. I made sure it was very tight and twisted the straps near the boat. Really, in one trip I couldnt find any negatives. I can see that there may be some slight buffing in a couple of spots a few times a year though.

 

In short, I honestly would rather protect the interior from rain, leaves, road debris and the like. This weekend I drove through a patch of freshly paved road that had me quivering at the thoughts of it getting on my boat. I like my interior SPOTLESS, and my exterior too....but if given the choice, it seems a lot easier to protect the interior.

 

Also, I will point out that my Cyclone is quite a few inches narrower than an Avy or Enzo, hence I only have about 2 straps on each side that really could cause any damage. The others are off of the boat entirely due to the width of the trailer....just something to throw out there.

 

I will continue to post any future issues as well as they come up...

[05ELITEV 0]

I feel ya WakeVb! I too like to keep my boat/interior SPOTLESS, my buddies laugh at me when I am cleaning the water spots off my windshield and we are still on the water. But I like to ask them how much they like going out on such a nice clean boat...they usually reply by cleaning something HA! I see your point given the distance of your trip...however if I were in the same postion with the same cover I have now I dont think I would leave it on. I think the whole trip my eyes would be on that cover flapping around on my gelcoat. Keep in mind I have never tried this and failed, just preference from how I have been raised around boats. None of lakes I go to regularly are more than a 45min drive each way.

[tgaugh 2]

We've made the mistake of towing with a strapped cover, it's an expensive lesson. As others mentioned there are ways to protect the gelcoat from the straps, tape, pool noodles and the sorts. After the expensive of gelcoat repair I will only tow with snap-on or a true trailerable cover now. I'd take rain and road grime into the boat before I'd take straps again.

[SV216 1]

I just recieved my enzo which was delivered from a delership 15hrs away. Straps on travel tarp like islander has rubbed right through gelcoat in 6 places. $ 2000 damage, not impressed. Don't travel with straps.

[WakeDoc 471]

Man that is by fare the worst case I have ever seen

[duramat 462]

Cheese and Rice! I guess we wont be doing that again.

[islander033 2]

That damage to the gelcoat is just nasty. Even the tarp strap is starting to fray.

[tgaugh 2]

WOW.

 

So they delivered your boat with the straps secured on a 15 hour drive? Or you drove 15 hours? Did they take care of the 2k? Yikes that is nasty!

[Bigshow 0]

I've cut off the straps and replaced them with rope and bungee cords - much better.

[SV216 1]

They delivered my boat 15 hours. They took care of the repairs. I got the boat in October and they just called to say that I could come and pick it up.

[BCanuck 1]

I love my cover! no straps, really tight, water proof and breathable. I don't travel long distance with the cover on but I think I could. I can't remember the name but I think it's the same design as a Rankin cover.

[Wavesport 0]

I bought a Rankin cover at the beginning of last season (to replace the sharkskin) and really like it. I have towed up to seven hours with the cover on and have had no scratches thus far....good quality cover with no straps.

[zapisor 43]

Hey SV216,

 

I went to the dealership today to see my new falcon and the same thing happened from the tie downs the transport truck used... how do your repairs look? can you tell?

[SV216 1]

I actually have not gone to pick it up yet. I'm going to get it on the weekend so I'll let you know how it turned out.

[Burton158SM 0]

PEOPLE!!!!

 

INVEST IN A SNAP ON COVER!! IT'LL ONLY SET YOU BACK ABOUT $1000 FOR A VERY NICE ONE. "CUSTOM COVERS" IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH HAS THE PATTERN FOR ALL CENTURION BOATS. THEY MAKE THEM IN HOUSE AND CAN SHIP THEM WHEREEVER. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THE INSTALL OF THE SNAPS ON THE BOAT.

 

IT'S WORTH IT. I TRAVEL AT SPEEDS OF 75-80 MPH OUT HERE AND HAVEN'T HAD A SNAP COME OFF ONCE IN 1.5 years

[islander033 2]

PEOPLE!!!!

 

INVEST IN A SNAP ON COVER!! IT'LL ONLY SET YOU BACK ABOUT $1000 FOR A VERY NICE ONE. "CUSTOM COVERS" IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH HAS THE PATTERN FOR ALL CENTURION BOATS. THEY MAKE THEM IN HOUSE AND CAN SHIP THEM WHEREEVER. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO THE INSTALL OF THE SNAPS ON THE BOAT.

 

IT'S WORTH IT. I TRAVEL AT SPEEDS OF 75-80 MPH OUT HERE AND HAVEN'T HAD A SNAP COME OFF ONCE IN 1.5 years

 

I had a boat in the past with a snap on cover. It worked great for towing but was a pain in the arse to wash and wax around. I also really like the cleaner look of not having the snaps on my new boat. Less holes the better in my opinion.

[WakeVB 0]

"ONLY $1000" and I have to do the install? uhhhhhh....not happening. I would probably look into a Rankin or something if I had to throw that much money around. I also enjoy the clean look of no snaps on my boat.

 

I will say this though. I have now towed my boat around or over 1000 miles since the beginning of the season and since chiming in last. Two things are working. SUPER tightening of the straps and painters tape. I have it pretty much down pat and it all works really well. The first two trips took some experimenting but I now have it set up so that I am not really getting any damage at all from towing with my cover. I sure like that clean boat when I roll up to the lake:)

[zapisor 43]

I got my new cover toaday, it is the Rankin Style with the ratchet in the back as opposed to all the tie downs along the sides and boy am I impressed (thanks for the tip Bob in Ft. Mac). The other was a loaner from the dealership (enzo 216) and it didn't fit right so the plastic strap adjusters kept marring the black finish on my boat while it sat on the driveway in the wind!

 

My $0.02 is pool noodles with rubber straps worked the best.

 

Has anyone towed with the ratchet style strapless cover? We are going on vacation in a few weeks (8 hour tow) and I was thinking of running a few laps of saran wrap at the rub rail level to protect the boat and then using the cover for towing?

 

Zap

[islander033 2]

Has anyone towed with the ratchet style strapless cover? We are going on vacation in a few weeks (8 hour tow) and I was thinking of running a few laps of saran wrap at the rub rail level to protect the boat and then using the cover for towing?

 

Zap

 

This reminds me of a gal I met one halloween. Her outfit was nothing but saran wrap in multiple layers, non-see through (booo) and quite durable in fact (double booo).

 

You may be onto something here as long as it has enough wraps so as the cover won't wear through it on the trip.