Trailering with Bow and Cockpit cover on or off?

[spikeitaudi]

When trailering your boat do you leave your Canvas for your bow and cabin on or off. With the Snap tabs I would think on would be ok? Yeah or nay. I know the Bimini top should be fully down not just in the Stow away mode.

 

[mphy98]

Re: Trailering with Bow and Cockpit cover on or off?

I leave mine on from Burlington WI to Dryden Ontario and do this twice a year there and back. Every now and then I will have to replace a snap but never had a problem with it. Also Never had been checked at the border with it and the motor home.

 

[Thad]

Re: Trailering with Bow and Cockpit cover on or off?

When trailering your boat do you leave your Canvas for your bow and cabin on or off. With the Snap tabs I would think on would be ok? Yeah or nay. I know the Bimini top should be fully down not just in the Stow away mode.

It depends on how far and how fast you are traveling.

Across town or maybe the next town over, I vote Yeah.

Across half the state or more, I vote Nay.

Those snap-on bow and copckpit covers were never intended to be used as trailering covers. I have seen the snaps pull out of the boat and beat the living daylights out of the gelcoat. Just my opinion, but if you want to trailer it any distance at all, I would at the very least, get an inexpensive cover and pole kit. On the other end of the spectrum, a custom made/fit cover is not all that expensive, if you don't shoot for the moon with top of the line materials.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Trailering with Bow and Cockpit cover on or off?

One Yeah, one neah for long distances. I am looking at a 4 hr trek mostly on the highway.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Trailering with Bow and Cockpit cover on or off?

I think if the snaps and the cover its self are in good shape and fit correctly you should have no problem towing with them on. I travel to Lake Powell 3-4 times per year(350 miles each way) and have done so for many years and have always used the snap covers never had any problems at all. If not going to Powell but rather a local lake 50 or so miles I still leave them on and use the boat every weekend all summer/fall never had an issue. I like the protection and aerodynamics it seems to provide plus nothing can blow out. A good friend trailered to the lake last year figured he would not use the covers, on the way to the lake a rock from a passing vech must have been flipped up and hit the windshield of his boat $3,400 later he had a windshield again. Not saying the cover would have totally prevented it but I'm also not saying it wouldn't have either.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: Trailering with Bow and Cockpit cover on or off?

I think if the snaps and the cover its self are in good shape and fit correctly you should have no problem towing with them on. I travel to Lake Powell 3-4 times per year(350 miles each way) and have done so for many years and have always used the snap covers never had any problems at all. If not going to Powell but rather a local lake 50 or so miles I still leave them on and use the boat every weekend all summer/fall never had an issue. I like the protection and aerodynamics it seems to provide plus nothing can blow out. A good friend trailered to the lake last year figured he would not use the covers, on the way to the lake a rock from a passing vech must have been flipped up and hit the windshield of his boat $3,400 later he had a windshield again. Not saying the cover would have totally prevented it but I'm also not saying it wouldn't have either.

Yea I have heard the stories of things blowing out which is what I was worried about. I got the sunbrella cabin and bow covers specifically for my boat. So they fit snug. It will be a 300 mile trip to Lake George, NY for me.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailering with Bow and Cockpit cover on or off?

This topic has been beat to death over and over but since it is here again, my experience is a properly fitted and fastened cover is not at all an issue for long distance or high speed towing. I make my own covers, all of which have been secured with snaps and have no issues. Keeping the air from under the cover is key. Loose fitting covers can flap themselves to shreds in just a few miles. So to properly answer this question one must also indicate what quality cover you have and how well does it fit. If it balloons or flaps, I vote no. If it doesn't, tow with it in place. It keeps the boat clean and dry, fuel economy is better and you don't have to worry about stuff flying out.

 

[tawood]

Re: Trailering with Bow and Cockpit cover on or off?

I tow with mine on, hundreds of miles a week, thousands of miles a season, and I've never had a problem. They say you get better gas mileage with it on too, but I've never noticed one way of another.
Tim