Boat Covers

[jcclark]

I have bought two different covers from BassPro,
both their most expensive best ones and they both leak.
What's the deal? At $150.00 they shouldn't leak,
but 1 week after useing it, it leaks.
I got my money back and put a $15 tarp on my boat.
Anyone with any suggestions?

[coombro]

If you don't get air under there they will condensate. Give the tarp room to breath. I cover mine with the $15 tarp during the winter months yet I give it plenty of air flow. Hope this helps.

[Embrey]

had mine for 3 years and still dont leak

[Gulpfan]

I have bought two different covers from BassPro,
both their most expensive best ones and they both leak.
What's the deal? At $150.00 they shouldn't leak,
but 1 week after useing it, it leaks.
I got my money back and put a $15 tarp on my boat.
Anyone with any suggestions?

On my 3rd year with my Bass Pro shop one, It does not leak but needs replaced this next spring starting to dry rot

[joey heller]

Basspro has stuff in blue bottle says waterproofing with ptef. water is scared of this and runs from it. It will keep water beading off like it was on great wax job.

[Moveon]

I used to buy a very expensive custome made heavy canvass tarp from Vessel's Trim Shop and had to pay cash only for it. They would not take credit or checks at that time. It was reinforced at points of contact like where the canvass touched the anchor and the console etc. It lasted about 4 or 5 winters before it finally tore while I was towing the boat on a trip.

Since then I have been using the cheaper boat covers from Walmart. I have to replace the cover about every 3 years.

But I found that if you support the cover better with curved fiberglass flat bows that the cover will not leak as much and will last longer. I get my fiberglass bows from BPS and they are about 7 ft long in total and come in two pieces. They are about 1/4" thick and about 2.5" wide and about 4 ft long each. You can buy the steel holders for the ends at Walmart in the Boating section. I added two more sets of holders to my boat and now have three of these bows to help support the boat cover and that's working much better. This keeps snow from weighing down the cover along the sides of the boat. Sometimes without adequet support the snow will accumulate along the side of the boat and wieight down the cover and then cause it to leak.

One winter I had a lot of snow fall and a lot of snow got onto the cover and weighted it down badly. I forgot to take the plugs out and when the snow melted the water leaked into my boat where it sat for a few days. The floor of my boat is made out of wood and it's about 33 years old now and the more it gets wet the softer the wood gets. So now I make sure that I pull the plugs out and rise the front of my boat up with the trailer wheel to make sure that any water that gets in the boat does not sit there and drains out the back end right away.

The past few winters I've stored my boat in the garage and left the truck sit outside. But I may put the boat back out this year. I need to keep my truck protected from the cold weather this winter.

[Carter1]

My boat is an '89 model. I bought it used from original owner. I don't know how old the cover is but I know it is over five years old. There is some dry-rot showing and it leaks occasionally. I use the silicone spray that you can find on the shelf in sporting goods like at Walmart. One treatment usually lasts six months or so and is cheaper than a new cover.

[410th]

I got one from Stokley's Marine located in Nicholasville for my Lowes Boats this past spring and for the price, I think about 130.00 or something, it fits my boat like it was made for it, very thick materal, reinforced at points of contact, has a cover for the motor attached to the boat cover and keeps my boat dry. How long it will hold up, well so far so good.

http://www.boatingstore.com/us/boat-...tops-c739.html

I dont remember what cover I bought, but they told me it was the med grade cover.

Hope this helps
Billy

[crappiepappy]

You could consider using a water-proofing spray, like "Camp Dry" !!

... pappy

[linedrager]

try having a custom cover made from aqualon, I just had my third cover made since the mid 90s, never had a leak till it ripped while driving, they will dry rot after a while but well worth the money.

[Duayne]

Covers Inc does any and all cover/uhpolstry work and they are in Louisville, if you live close by. You can take your rig over and they'll set you up. My brand new cover leaked right away and it's made from that Sunbrella stuff. I like how light it is, but you must treat it regularly. Treated the seams with a seam sealer and sprayed it over all with a sealer. That took care of it... for now..