Covering larger boat at the Slip?

[rothfm]

Hi all,

Ok dont laugh

I bought a new to me 26' Tiara Pursuit...Its large for a 26 (to me). I've alway completely covered all my boats, they never ever get wet inside except when I wash down. I've always trailered too. I like to keep them clean, junk and dust out, and dry. Just me I guess.

This will be my 1st slipped boat..Its a dual console with Hard-top and radar dome....Am I silly to think about covering it? Does anyone worrry about the boat constantaly in the elements? A cover for this setup is NOT cheap! And it looks like it will be a pain

I have front and side Eisenglass under the hard-top, so the front of the cockpit will stay dry now. I could hang a rear curtain off the hardtop behind the seats I guess....The rest of the inside will be subject to the elements.

Am I being my usual overthinking self? Haha, I know....But had to ask for some thoughts anyway.

 

[Stinnett21]

Are you talking about 24/7/365 being uncovered, i.e. an uncovered slip year round?

 

[rothfm]

HI,

yes, Seasonal (may to Oct) uncovered marina slip, MA Saltwater harbor. Would really like to cover it when not in use, but probably impractical. All my past boats were smaller/Trailered.

 

[Scott Danforth]

have a mooring cover made for the cockpit area. break it up with the aft cockpit being separate.

then if you want a bow cover, make that separate as well.

 

[mr 88]

Finish it off with a 3 piece Eisenglass section made to hang from the hardtop and be done with it. Look around and you will notice that just about everyone with a self bailing cockpit goes this route. After that if your worried about UV rays and spider poop [ it's a PITA to keep seats ect clean of there black gifts , buy a couple hanging spider killer aroma thing a ma jigs. Then buy a bunch of beach towels and cover the seats ,dash , fishing reels and anything else that comes to mind.

 

[Prophammer]

sticky traps help catch those tricky spiders who still find their way in, and our neighbor used jugs with sand in them to tie to the boat cover to pull it tight along the sides (not the prettiest sight)

 

[roffey]

does the boat have a camper top? If camper top it I would use just that and let the boat breath. If no camper top then cover, my 2 cents worth.

 

[roffey]

sorry you mentioned hard top. I would investigate curtains or side windows maybe?

 

[dingbat]

I use my full enclosure in Spring and Fall. The rest of the year I rely on wax and a good brush and rinse after each trip.

Keeping the Ospreys from setting up shop is the biggest issue

 

[FunInDuhSun]

I bought a new to me 26' Tiara Pursuit.......Am I silly to think about covering it? Does anyone worrry about the boat constantaly in the elements? A cover for this setup is NOT cheap! And it looks like it will be a pain

No you’re thinking clearly​​​​​​- that’s a NICE boat!
Back when I got my 34’ sportfish I was concerned about the same thing, so I ponied up and had custom Sunbrella covers made for the flybridge, windshield and cockpit. That was 16 years ago. Yeah it cost a lot BUT was worth it. I still use these covers, and the boat has been in the elements the whole time. Only maintenance has been yearly cleaning and have re-applied waterproofing 3 times.
My advice, JUST DO IT!

 

[Newbie@boats]

I agree with the other posters. My father in law had same concern he found someone to make a custom top/cover for his boat around 6k if I can remember but it was worth every penny and keeps his boat dry as a bone!!

 

[Old Ironmaker]

My 19' StarCraft is in getting a mooring cover, Sunbrella to replace the 26 year old Sunbrella cover. When it is in a slip I hold it down tight with Javex bottles full of water. I've seen more than a few guys trying to snap covers down go into the drink. Get Sunbrella mooring covers is my suggestion.

I have seen the prices some pay for custom made covers in the USA. I am being charged $750.00 plus 13% sales tax for this Sunbrella cover, and that's in Canadian dollars that was below 70 cents today. Do the math. Ok I will. $525.00 USD. I told the Mom and Pop team today I can get them all the work they want from the US but they don't want or need the work, they are scheduled full for the year minus a few weeks vacation. Plus they want the boat in the shop to do it. I've seen their work, it's top notch.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

have a mooring cover made for the cockpit area. break it up with the aft cockpit being separate.

then if you want a bow cover, make that separate as well.

What do you guys consider to be the construction of a mooring cover and what is considered a travel cover?

 

[Scott Danforth]

What do you guys consider to be the construction of a mooring cover and what is considered a travel cover?

never had a cover survive traveling..... so any cover that can be snapped on from the dock is a mooring cover

 

[Old Ironmaker]

never had a cover survive traveling..... so any cover that can be snapped on from the dock is a mooring cover

Yep, that's what my guy said, what I called a mooring cover he says is a travel cover because of the under hull cordage. The cover I am getting made has the draw strings and under hull tie downs. He calls it a travel cover. The very 1st time I took the boat for a trip longer than the 20 minutes down the road to the Marina to launch it I tied that cover down tight as I could get it. Within a few miles the poles fell over. Then it became a huge parachute without those poles. I don't expect traveling with the new "travel cover" will be any better because it's new. I did solve the pole problems a bit when I use them to store the boat here. I glued 2" ABS pipes into 4" closet flanges and slid the poles into the 2" ABS pipes. The closet flanges make it more secure unless we are getting big winds off Lake Erie. I've seen shrink wrap rip off a pals boat when the winds were ridiculous one November day.

I can't stand snap on anything. It is a chore and a had few dislocated thumbs trying to get a cold cover or window zipped or snapped back on where it was once a warm cover or window insert, or the roofs and toneau covers on my old Brit rag tops. I imagine a product like Sunbrella or Top Gun is more forgiving than cheaper plastic materials to snap on.

 

[rothfm]

Thanks everyone,

The Tiara 26 hardtop does have front and side Eisenglass curtains already. Dont know if custom split cover is in the budget this year as I'm replacing all 3 fuel tanks and lines amoung some other things.

I'd love to do a 1 piece full cover with the little "twist" lock thingies to secure it. Or a split 2 or 3 piece full cover at some point.

Possible this year I will do a curtain that hangs from rear of Hardtop, and drop behind the 2 seats, at least closes up the front of the cockpit area....That seems to be pretty common.

The "todo" list is getting full so far and its March!

 

[ahicks]

I believe a single piece cover would be something you'd regret. For starters, it would be heavier than hell. There's a LOT of material there!

Second, if it's going to be effective for use on a boat left out in the elements, how easy it is to get on and off will be a HUGE factor in how often that's done - especially if the boat is left in a slip.

 

[dingbat]

I believe a single piece cover would be something you'd regret. For starters, it would be heavier than hell. There's a LOT of material there!

Second, if it's going to be effective for use on a boat left out in the elements, how easy it is to get on and off will be a HUGE factor in how often that's done - especially if the boat is left in a slip.

I hear ya. Taking a cover on and off very time you use the boat gets old in a hurry.

The people that keep their boat covered in the slip are the same ones you don't see for weeks on end.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I hear ya. Taking a cover on and off very time you use the boat gets old in a hurry.

The people that keep their boat covered in the slip are the same ones you don't see for weeks on end.

My full cover for my 19'er is a 2 man job to carry it. And cumbersome, no handles on the thing just a huge bundle of canvas.

 

[ahicks]

We had a really nice nearly new 20' ski boat we kept covered on a lift right in front of the house. The Raggedy Ann pontoon boat, that was tied up loosely on the other side of the dock, with plastic patio furniture and a control console that moved if you leaned on it too hard, was used at least 20 time for every time the ski boat was used. Impossible to hurt, it was used as a giant beach toy! A spilled glass of wine just got a bucket of water thrown on it!

Eventually, the ski boat was being pulled at the end of the season still holding some of the gas we put in at the beginning of the season! It became pretty obvious the ski boat was a hassle to crank up and down and cover and uncover. It became clear it was time for somebody else to take care of it.

Point being, keeping the boat nice shouldn't get in the way of keeping it convenient to use. Maybe a set of covers to cover just the seats, that could be easily removed might be a good plan?