Boat cover/Protection during transit

C

Crtunez

New member
Hello! I have 2 sets of questions for you all:

1. Boat covers for a 23 Venture
I'm getting my 23 next week and will be needing a cover, as my boat will be exposed to the elements at all times. As this is the case...

a. is there a specific cover you would recommend?
b. what is a good price for a good cover?
c. are there things I should avoid? (Certain materials, strap types, etc.)

2. Appropriate cover during transit
This bad boy is being transported across the country. The transporter is currently leaning towards plastic wrapping the boat. He said he wouldn't be able to secure a cover tightly enough because of the rocket launchers and Garmin above the Pilot House, which would cause the cover to flap and damage the gel coat. So, here are my questions:

a. Do you think a good boat cover world work to protect the body during transit?
b. What is your opinion on transporting it long distances without a cover?

Thank you in advance for your help!
 
Crtunez":zku52i1t said:
Hello! I have 2 sets of questions for you all:

1. Boat covers for a 23 Venture
I'm getting my 23 next week and will be needing a cover, as my boat will be exposed to the elements at all times. As this is the case...

a. is there a specific cover you would recommend?
b. what is a good price for a good cover?
c. are there things I should avoid? (Certain materials, strap types, etc.)

2. Appropriate cover during transit
This bad boy is being transported across the country. The transporter is currently leaning towards plastic wrapping the boat. He said he wouldn't be able to secure a cover tightly enough because of the rocket launchers and Garmin above the Pilot House, which would cause the cover to flap and damage the gel coat. So, here are my questions:

a. Do you think a good boat cover world work to protect the body during transit?
b. What is your opinion on transporting it long distances without a cover?

Thank you in advance for your help!
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You need something that breathes to prevent mold buildup underneath the cover in damp or humid conditions. I have a full Sunbrella cover and while it breathes there can still be some mildew on the outside of the boat if it is stored for long times. The mildew does washes off fine.

Angola Canvas has done a lot of covers for people on this site. I got mine through them. They have a pattern for a CD-22. They are happy to modify it anyway you want. I paid about $1100 for my cover with shipping. After I got it I sent it back for some mods and they only charged me for the extra material. The "normal" cover only goes to the rub strip. I had mine extended one yard more all the way around. This gets the cover down to the trailer fenders. The cover is secured to the trailer and not the boat for the most part. I added extra grommets around the cover hem for additional tie down ropes (about every 3 feet).

The Angola Canvas people are quite accommodating, but it can be a little tough to contact the person who actually manages the work on the covers.

You can shrink wrap the boat, but I trailer mine without any covering. Other than getting dirty from driving on sloppy roads and in wet weather, there has never been any issues from not being covered.
 
Most of us trailer with no covers. A cloth cover does not usually fair well on a road trip. I had one boat which was commercially shipped from the Great Lakes in the winter to Pensacola. The driver had to repair the shrink wrap.

I know that. you don't have the option of a good wax job before trailering, but I feel that is advisable.

Some of the boats had an external Sunbrella windshield covers which shaped on the outside.

Agree with ssobol on Angola Canvas. They probably do not have a 23 pattern, and the differences are significant so that I would not adopt a cover.

I would find a quality canvas shop in your vicinity. It will not be cheap. I would use Sunbrella with Tenara thread. This is UV resistant--it costs more, but you will avoid having to re-stitch the cover in 6 to 7 years.
 
Great info, thanks guys. As it turns out, the current owner did just give it a wax. So, that's a plus. The cost to wrap it would be $414. Based on everything in hearing, I'm going to save the money and skip it. If anyone is aware of a good place in south Florida, please advise.
 
I would do something to cover the front windows at least. That plastic corrugated (like Cardbaord), or something. Those windows are expensive to replace, and this season may be boating season for some of us, but it is also road construction season for at least half of every road in the country I think.

Totally agree, a storage cover is not a transport cover. Most commercial boat haulers shrink wrap for the haul. I just did a half cross country trip. I saw 2 boats that were bare hulled and probably 15 to 20 trucks all with shrink wrapped boats on the load.

I would think that the shrink wrap could be done up to, but not include, the radar arch and rocket launchers.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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hardee":1dlyx1jb said:
I would do something to cover the front windows at least. That plastic corrugated (like Cardbaord), or something. Those windows are expensive to replace, and this season may be boating season for some of us, but it is also road construction season for at least half of every road in the country I think.
...
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I don't know, the tow vehicle makes a very effective deflector for most road debris. It would be a rare piece of random road stuff to make if past the tow vehicle and the boat bow to actually hit a window. You're more likely to take a hull hit than a window hit.
 
ATPNW":vazheeej said:
For what its worth, I think C-Dory ships new boats from HQ to dealers in shrink wrap. Never know what road conditions one might encounter when traveling cross country. ...
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Recent videos from the manufacturer show new boats leaving the factory uncovered on the trailer. Don't know where those boats were going though.
 
ssobol":24vpgaut said:
ATPNW":24vpgaut said:
For what its worth, I think C-Dory ships new boats from HQ to dealers in shrink wrap. Never know what road conditions one might encounter when traveling cross country. ...
Click to expand...

Recent videos from the manufacturer show new boats leaving the factory uncovered on the trailer. Don't know where those boats were going though.
Click to expand...

Good catch! I thought I recalled those being wrapped as they ended up in FL.
 
Might be interesting to hear the thoughts on that from NMI. I kind of doubt that truck load was just going to Master Marine, but maybe. . . ?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

JC_Lately_SleepyC_Flat_Blue_070.thumb.jpg
 
ATPNW, I have one of the Budge covers, have had an Angola cover, and a local custom cover.

The Budge cover is okay. It's heavier and not as nice as a Sunbrella cover but the price is much less. Mine is 2 1/2 years old, and still in one piece. I do get a dust that seems to come off the surface when I take it off. I think it is from sun damage to the material. I'm not sure if it is a waterproof as it was when new, and it does not breath as well, but it is dry here.

I think I looked at the price vs service between the Angola and Budge and if I replace it every 2 1/2 years it comes out about the same.
When I finally gave up on the Angola it had pin holes and stitching was starting to come out.

Let me know how it works out.

Steve
 
SeaSpray":20asf9lk said:
ATPNW, I have one of the Budge covers, have had an Angola cover, and a local custom cover.

The Budge cover is okay. It's heavier and not as nice as a Sunbrella cover but the price is much less. Mine is 2 1/2 years old, and still in one piece. I do get a dust that seems to come off the surface when I take it off. I think it is from sun damage to the material. I'm not sure if it is a waterproof as it was when new, and it does not breath as well, but it is dry here.

I think I looked at the price vs service between the Angola and Budge and if I replace it every 2 1/2 years it comes out about the same.
When I finally gave up on the Angola it had pin holes and stitching was starting to come out.

Let me know how it works out.

Steve
Click to expand...

You can extend the life of your cover using 303 Protectant as appropriate to the material of the cover.
 
To add to ssobol's excellent suggestion:

Each year, I wash any Sunbrella with laundry detergent and a cup of bleach in the washing machine, or make up a solution of detergent and bleach in a couple gallons of warm water, and lay the material out, to scrub it with a brush.

After drying it out of doors, I then spray Marine 303 Fabric Guard to fully wet out the material, and let it dry before putting this back on the boat. I buy the 303 marine fabric guard in gallon containers. (I see that the price has almost doubled in the last several years!).

One should be able to get close to 10 years out of the cover doing this.
 
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