Cover or no cover?

[ck256]

How many of you out there trailer your boat somewhere without the cover on it? I have always kept the cover on my boat while its being towed. I just bought a new 2008 tigé 22ve and the sales guy told me that it rips up the gel coat if you drive with it on. Thoughts? Pitted windshields? It was not a tigé dealership.

[Booms]

The longest I trailer my boat is 50 - 100 miles.

Some other owners might have more insight.

However, I cover when raining and trailer with out cover when it is not. I look at it as a chance to air dry the wet boat after a long weekend of playing.

[AdaminMN]

It really depends on the cover. I've found with my last three trailerable boats, they pull better w/o the cover. It seems like less wind resistance. But if the cover fits tight enough so it doesn't billow up and flap around, I don't see a problem. None of my covers have fit that good though.

[hoopykat]

The only cover I use when I tow is the snap on bow cover. No matter how tight you snug a 'trailerable' cover, it still billows a bit, and I don't want to risk scratching the gel coat. Why would you need to tow with a cover on, unless it's raining?

-Mike

[Guapo]

I trailer with my cover on, but I'm typically trailering 170 - 200 miles. I do it just incase it rains and to keep road grime off of the boat/interior. I'll leave it uncovered if I'm going 50 miles or less and it's sunny.

Next year I will be keeping it in a slip, on a lift in a marina, so I should only have to worry about it in the spring and fall

[Jason B]

I use my cover for winter storage and forget it the rest of the year. My boat stays in a garage with fans on it though.

[laserfish]

I was told the same thing, that it would rub on the gel coat. My sharkskin cover fits great, but seems a little rough. I would not trailer with it even though it fits very tight.

[ajholt7]

I trailer both ways. If it is raining or looks like it is going to I use the cover.

[R&T Babich]

I only trailer with a cover. Have had a Rankin for 3 years and have had no problem with the gelcoat. It doesn't billow. I like that a rock won't likely crack the windshield, things won't blow out while on the road, it's covered if we stop for a meal and the sun is not baking the upholstery. After drying and cleaning up from a trip I'll put the Rankin back on lightly snugged down and put a sharkskin over it to keep the dust off.

[loudelectronics]

I think it depends on the cover. I heard that Rankins are really the only ones you can tow with. I know my cover actually rips if I tow it with it on so I always tow off rain or shine.