engine cover about to blow off???

[strokeoluck]

We recently purchased a slightly used Bayliner 185 with an I/O engine. The first two times we trailered the boat to a lake about a mile away from our house. Today we trailered it to a lake about five miles away. Since it's such a short ride we don't put a cover on the boat. While we're driving down the road I can see through our SUV back window and I'm a little nervous about the engine cover (the "sun pad"?). When we get >45 - 50 mph two things start happening:

1) the top of the fabric (vinyl?) starts "flapping" a bit. I'm slightly nervous that the wind will somehow get underneath the fabric enough that it tears it somewhere/somehow.

2) the entire engine cover bounces just a bit as wind gets underneath it. There's a latch that holds it shut, but there's a little "play" in the latch so it bounces up and down a bit. Again, I'm a bit nervous that somehow this thing will come undone and the entire engine cover will pop open and/or blow off.

Am I worrying too much about this stuff? I see people trailering smaller bowriders like ours all the time - they obviously don't have similar issues/concerns. The idea of putting a cover on the boat to take it a measly 1-5 miles seems like overkill.

Thoughts???

 

[saumon]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

For me, boat cover is when the boat is parked or if i have to do a 500 miles drive on dirt roads.

 

[flatiron14]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

Be careful with this. The day I bought my boat, my sunpad flew off running 70mph in evening traffic on I75 in Atlanta. The wood survived, but it had some rot so I ended up replacing the whole thing.

http://http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=32396469&l=da162a2445&id=56708875

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

Be careful with this. The day I bought my boat, my sunpad flew off running 70mph in evening traffic on I75 in Atlanta. The wood survived, but it had some rot so I ended up replacing the whole thing.

http://http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=32396469&l=da162a2445&id=56708875

Thanks. Was the rot already existing on the boat when it flew off? If so, was it the rot that contributed to it flying off?

Any thoughts on how I could make mine more secure to ensure it doesn't happen to me?

 

[flatiron14]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

I think the rot had something to do with it because the gas springs weren't in place because of that. If the right ones are installed, the gas springs help to keep the cover down when closed. I haven't devised a good locking system for mine yet, but when I do I'll let you know, even though yours will probably be fine. As long as there isn't too much play in it, there shouldn't be enough wind to lift it up. The best advice I can give you is, assuming you have a walk-through windshield, keep the windshield closed! When I closed the windshield, I noticed a huge difference in the amount of air wanting to lift up the cover.

And in worse case and unlikely scenario, if it flies off, try not to let it get run over by so many semi-trucks like mine did!

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

The best advice I can give you is, assuming you have a walk-through windshield, keep the windshield closed! When I closed the windshield, I noticed a huge difference in the amount of air wanting to lift up the cover.

And in worse case and unlikely scenario, if it flies off, try not to let it get run over by so many semi-trucks like mine did!

I didn't even think about closing the windshield - thanks! I think I might also see if the latch is adjustable to get it a bit tighter. If I still see it bouncing around too much then maybe I'll seek out another solution...maybe even a velcro latch on the opposite side of the "regular" latch just to give it a little extra security.

Still a bit nervous about that fabric blowing around, but maybe it's just not a big deal.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

You can lose items out of a boat while on the road, or on the water. Make sure everything is tied down sufficient to the speed of the boat (70 MPH on the trailer, 40 MPH on the water)

I do not rmember the numbers of sunglasses, hats, drinks, towels, rafts etc that I have lost from my speedboat, while cruising along. Never lost any people though.

 

[salty87]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

wind is no joke. flapping fabric is usually fabric that is getting stretched out.

secure that engine cover. there are all sorts of latches or even shocks available. it would not just suck to lose it, what if you got a ticket for unsecured load or someone else got hurt? check the marine store here at iboats...

vinyl really shouldn't flap in the wind unless you've got a really large flat section. tears can catch wind easily. otherwise, it should lay pretty flat. does this happen on the water too?

unless you pay for a trailerable cover, be careful towing with one on. you can scratch the gel easily on the highway and a poorly fitting cover won't do you any good except get stretched/torn and possible fly off too.

you'll get it dialed in. and, it will get more comfortable once you get used to it. i've only lost 1 item trailering (so far :O) .....cupholder. wind got under it and lifted it out.

 

[strokeoluck]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

vinyl really shouldn't flap in the wind unless you've got a really large flat section.

This is NOT sarcastic, but isn't the engine cover/sun deck area pretty much just a large flat expanse of fabric w/cushion/padding underneath? Maybe ours is unique? Again, we're new to boating so I have no clue beyond the boats I see at the ramp and on the road. I've only had it wide-open on the lake for a few minutes and I didn't look back at the sun deck/engine cover to see what was happening. Maybe our fabric is just a little loose? When the boat is in our garage it looks just fine - doesn't appear to be loose or stretched out.

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

Is there any way that you could attach a couple of bungee cords over the cover and secure to the base??

 

[Bart Sr.]

Re: engine cover about to blow off???

The fabric on my cover flaps also but I only reach that speed 3 or 4 times a year to the ramp that is 6 miles away.I did put bungees from cleat to cleat across and at an angle from port side swim ladder to starboard cleat which decreased flapping by about 60%.It looked a bit hokey but did help.