Trailering long distances

[GoldDuster360]

We plan on taking a couple vacation trips with our Super Sportster this summer and was curious about a couple of things:

Should you tow it with the windshield open or closed? If I tow it with a boat cover in place (55mph max) will a wally world cover work ok for this? Was leaning towards a Harbor Master in 600 denier. Boat sleeps inside at home but figured with all the evening florida storms it's gonna get wet sitting out at night wherever we have to moor/park it, so a low cost weekend cover is needed. I hate soggy carpets. I have been towing with the windshield open per the PO's instructions when I bought it last October. PO gave me two covers, one is ripstop heavy vinyl that he actually used over the raised top when moored and another medium duty canvas one that is 30yrs old for indoor storage. Neither is suited for trailer use or really practical to use on the water either. The vinyl canvas one weighs about 20 pounds and is a monster to put on from inside the boat. That is the cover that preserved the interior so well for me!

 

[dozerII]

I use the Classic Covers Storm Pro from Walmart either a model B or C will fit the 16SS, take three of the large 3"pool noodles and split them open down one side so you can fit them over the top edge of the windshield, I put a 45 cut in about 2ft from one end to go around the corner and down the side windows as well, your cover will last far longer towing. I also add a couple more straps mid way between the 2nd and third ones that come on the cover it seems to stop it from billowing at the windhield.

 

[GoldDuster360]

I use the Classic Covers Storm Pro from Walmart either a model B or C will fit the 16SS, take three of the large 3"pool noodles and split them open down one side so you can fit them over the top edge of the windshield, I put a 45 cut in about 2ft from one end to go around the corner and down the side windows as well, your cover will last far longer towing. I also add a couple more straps mid way between the 2nd and third ones that come on the cover it seems to stop it from billowing at the windhield.

Great advice, thanx Glen.

 

[GoldDuster360]

I use the Classic Covers Storm Pro from Walmart either a model B or C will fit the 16SS, take three of the large 3"pool noodles and split them open down one side so you can fit them over the top edge of the windshield, I put a 45 cut in about 2ft from one end to go around the corner and down the side windows as well, your cover will last far longer towing. I also add a couple more straps mid way between the 2nd and third ones that come on the cover it seems to stop it from billowing at the windhield.

Will the C size also cover the outboard motor?

 

[dozerII]

No, just in front of it.

 

[GoldDuster360]

DozerII,

Do you know what denier the material is on the storm pro covers? They don't list it on the website.

 

[hayko1971]

I would get a larger one if I did it over again. The one I got last year fits almost perfectly, except for the widest point of the beam in the front of my SS. The cover doesn't quite want to reach over the rub rail unless I "coax" it just so. I found also that it billowed a lot while trailering. Rather than adding more straps, I just throw the cover in the back of my jeep and put it back on when I get home or while overnighting at a camp site etc.

 

[dozerII]

DozerII,

Do you know what denier the material is on the storm pro covers? They don't list it on the website.

600D

 

[GoldDuster360]

I ended up buying the harbormaster model C (16-18.5' up to 94" beam) because our local walmart had it in stock, fits pretty good, I did trailer it behind our Odyssey up to 55mph and it did not flap around, the sides actually ballooned out slightly and stayed off the sides, no rub marks! I did add two more straps over the rear between the stern and the windshield straps. I like the extra material hanging down to keep the weather off the sides, seems better suited for storage but trailers ok. Lots of pool noodles were slaughtered for this project.

 

[dozerII]

Looks good GD, yup they never seem to put enough straps on them, and pool noodles are almost never used for what they intended.

 

[GoldDuster360]

Looks good GD, yup they never seem to put enough straps on them, and pool noodles are almost never used for what they intended.

Thanx for the pool noodle idea and adding extra straps.

 

[GoldDuster360]

Made the 185 mile trip to Crystal River, parked here in front of the Plantation Inn. Cover held up fine, required the mid-strap (first one in front of windshield) to be re-tightened a couple of times, really could use an additional strap sewn on each side but worked fine for 60mph travel. No Paint rubs, required zero clean up before sliding into the water the next day!





Seawall at Plantation Inn

 

[dozerII]

Great news, looks like a really nice place to spend some time.

 

[GoldDuster360]

Great news, looks like a really nice place to spend some time.

It was, we went for the natural springs, Three Sisters is the one we explored, lots of fish and underwater plants around the rim of those three natural springs all located in one small basin. Crystal River itself was a little depressing and not as I remembered as a youngster 40yrs ago in 1975 when I went with my parents. Lots of closed up restaurants, a dying mall looked a little Deliverancy, the place we stayed in was over 50 yrs old, I know because I looked it up on the property appraiser website when we got back (built in 1963) and while well maintained it is showing it's age. The hotel restaurant was sub par (being extremely polite) but the pool was a great place to unwind at night. Still a neat place but don't expect to stay at the trump tower The seawall was constructed in 1970 and a walk around the place the morning before we launched revealed several hazards. I have had enough of my own idiot lessons in life so I always try to learn from other folks idiot lessons too! My parking spot ended up on the western point of the wall (deeper).


These guys were here for a fishing tournament, nothing like getting staged the night before and waiting until 10:30am to go fishing the next morning.


Raising the outboard in anticipation was smart but docking over rocks wasn't


This was right around the bin from where I put in the next day, just a faded away sign to warn of rocks that you cannot see at high tide which varied by close to three feet. And yes a couple folks found them the hard way.