Trailering long distance with a cover

[briancayko]

I suppose you can tow with cover on, I've never liked the results but never had the fancy poppy cover. If you run into rain, I suggest pulling over till things dry up b/c if you don't there'll be a lot of cleaning to do.

When you guys say “pull over of it starts raining to avoid the cleaning” is that due to road grime getting on the boat interior?

Travel day today and it looks like it might rain this afternoon…

 

[slaizer2000]

When you guys say “pull over of it starts raining to avoid the cleaning” is that due to road grime getting on the boat interior?

Travel day today and it looks like it might rain this afternoon…

Believe his cover sags which then puddles water which in turn can leak through/rip and soak the inside of the boat? I've traileredd 12 hours with the poppy cover or the the snap on cover. Neither ever had any issues with water puddling. Minus the 1 time I used the Poppy cover most the seaosn and then used the snap on cover and forgot it had support poles. This equated to cover sag, water puddling and water seeping in to the boat.

They key is to make sure it's tight and supported. Any sag can lead to puddling and stretching of the cover.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

When you guys say “pull over of it starts raining to avoid the cleaning” is that due to road grime getting on the boat interior?

Travel day today and it looks like it might rain this afternoon…

Much easier to clean hull(hull is no picnic) than interior but if you're towing in rain with no cover, interior will get incredibly nasty. If your cover trailers well, rain is the best reason to use it.
In the days before these trailering covers, the quickest way to destroy a $450 cover was by trailoring.

 

[slaizer2000]

I always cover. Expensive to replace a cover but more expensive and harder to replace cushions and such if they blow off and get lost or damaged.

 

[mikidymac]

We are all going to have different opinions. I will never trailer mine with a cover because I have seen too many get scratched from the covers even with the ratchet straps and vacuum vents. My boat is a 2006 and still looks brand new without a singe scratch. I will say that we don't get rain in the summers here in the West Coast so I can't comment on the road/rain nastiness.

I did get my boat covered in diesel from a leaking big rig in the middle of the night heading to Laughlin. Now that was a mess to clean up inside and out.

 

[go_panthers]

For the record, I do occasionally tow with the mooring cover only. Mainly when I’m going to the gas station before an outing the next day. When going from the house to one of the three good lakes around (Within about 45 miles), I trailer without the covers. When heading to the coast, I trailer with the poppy cover, mainly to keep it clean through a rain storm. I feel completely comfortable trailering at interstate speeds with the poppy cover, but not with just the mooring cover. The mooring cover balloons too much.

 

[brutal]

I have a Poppy ratchet cover that fits just about as snugly as any cover could....and even at slow speeds, I notice the cover slightly flopping in the wind. Its just my preference, but I won't trailer with it on for any distance or at any speed higher than about 20mph. Again, just my preference. For reference, I have a really nice Kimber 1911 .45ACP that I treasure. It stays holstered unless I'm shooting or cleaning it, and even in its custom fitted holster, there are still scratches on the blueing from taking it in and out of the holster.

When I had a poppy cover, it rashed the hell out of the gelcoat around the belly/strap band. It eventually tore at the windshield so I just got replacement snap on mooring covers made to replace the factory ones I did not get with the boat (2006 Utopia 205SE) when I bought it used. The mooring covers tow fine (behind my fifth wheel), have to keep an eye on them when my son is towing behind his SUV.