Towable cover?

[TonyTheTige]

In July, I'll be towing my boat from San Diego up to Lake Shasta. We're really looking forward to it and are happy to hear the lake is so full. Due to the long trip, I've been double checking everything on the trailer, etc. We plan to put a few things in the boat during the drive and I'm a little concerned about them bouncing around or out of the boat.

Should I be concerned? Would this be considered a towable cover?

I also have a snap-on bow cover, so if the gurus on TO tell me not to tow with my cover, I might just go with that.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[NiceOnes]

I would say no. Don't tow with that cover. It is the same as the one that I have on my '02 22i and it will scratch the gelcoat on the side. You're better off just cleaning up the filth if you happen to get rained on IMHO.

Just go with your snap on. I found that even through the rain most of the dirt ends up in the bow and the very back of the anyways.

[bobbysky]

You can tow with those covers you just need to run nylon straps with the clip on buckle down to the trailer frame, and tighten them up. It will keep the plastic loops on the cover from scratching it.

[robert theisen]

My tige rep said short distancs 50 miles or less is okay on the new covers.But the one like on my 2007 22VE AND YOURS.It's not okay.None are recommended for towing long distance because of scratching the gelcoat.

[Robbie Mac.]

I would say no as well. It's easier to clean the boat than it is to try and get the shine back in the gel coat.

[rickd3508]

I tow with my cover all the time. Does is scratch the jell coat? Yes. Do I want to spend hours cleaning road debris out of my boat and tar off my seats? No! I just had mine buffed this year and its good as new! Who care's anyway, the point is to go have fun! And if your stressing about a few rub marks then you need to ask yourself why your really out there!

[tnvolgrad]

I tow with my cover all the time. Does is scratch the jell coat? Yes. Do I want to spend hours cleaning road debris out of my boat and tar off my seats? No! I just had mine buffed this year and its good as new! Who care's anyway, the point is to go have fun! And if your stressing about a few rub marks then you need to ask yourself why your really out there!

Amen - it's a depreciable asset and you can always make more money to buy a new one. You can't buy time or memories - enjoy it, it's just a boat that you can't take with you when you leave this great world.

[bigdaddy_houseboater]

I wouldn't tow with it... you wont be pleased at the scratches it will leave on your yellow gel coat.

In July, I'll be towing my boat from San Diego up to Lake Shasta. We're really looking forward to it and are happy to hear the lake is so full. Due to the long trip, I've been double checking everything on the trailer, etc. We plan to put a few things in the boat during the drive and I'm a little concerned about them bouncing around or out of the boat.

Should I be concerned? Would this be considered a towable cover?

I also have a snap-on bow cover, so if the gurus on TO tell me not to tow with my cover, I might just go with that.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[bigdaddy_houseboater]

San Diego to Shasta... wow.. that's a haul.

[Dave S]

If I remember correctly when I bought mine I was told the cover on my 09' was made for towing. It even has vents towards the back which suck air out of the inside of the boat to prevent flapping in the wind. I have towed numerous times of about 120 miles round trip and one trip 300+ miles round trip with no problems, accept with the velcro around the tower but that has since been fixed. I am planning a 2600 mile round trip and plan on using the cover the entire trip.

[robert theisen]

If I remember correctly when I bought mine I was told the cover on my 09' was made for towing. It even has vents towards the back which suck air out of the inside of the boat to prevent flapping in the wind. I have towed numerous times of about 120 miles round trip and one trip 300+ miles round trip with no problems, accept with the velcro around the tower but that has since been fixed. I am planning a 2600 mile round trip and plan on using the cover the entire trip.

Dave S you have a new boat.When it's new it tows fine,but as it ages gets wet and dries sits in the sun and such. It then becomes weaker and starts flapping when you tow it.That is what the people that recommend not towing have found out.If you buy a new cover every 3 years you won't have to worry about it.But as a cover ages it becomes weaker and then damages the gelcoat.

[TonyTheTige]

So after all the feedback, I probably won't tow with it on. The cover is definitely a little older and will be prone to flap quite a bit. Plus, vents were mentioned, which totally slipped my mind. In my experience, no vents = not towable. I know it can probably be done, but I don't want to deal with the gel scratches. Been there and done that with our black sea-doo. On a side note, black boats/jetskis sure do look sick in the showroom, but keeping them waterspot and scratch free is a chore.

Any concern over something (say the weight of a wakeboard) bouncing out of the boat while in tow?

San Diego to Shasta... wow.. that's a haul.

Yeah, we will be putting some miles on the trailer. That's for sure. Not a ton of lakes near San Diego, so we hit Powell, Shasta, Bullard's Bar, Mohave....heck, we've even lugged a couple of jetskis up to Spokane, Washington. GREAT camping up there!

Amen - it's a depreciable asset and you can always make more money to buy a new one. You can't buy time or memories - enjoy it, it's just a boat that you can't take with you when you leave this great world.

You bring up a good point and I wrestle with this balance all the time.

[NiceOnes]

So after all the feedback, I probably won't tow with it on. The cover is definitely a little older and will be prone to flap quite a bit. Plus, vents were mentioned, which totally slipped my mind. In my experience, no vents = not towable. I know it can probably be done, but I don't want to deal with the gel scratches. Been there and done that with our black sea-doo. On a side note, black boats/jetskis sure do look sick in the showroom, but keeping them waterspot and scratch free is a chore.

Any concern over something (say the weight of a wakeboard) bouncing out of the boat while in tow?



Yeah, we will be putting some miles on the trailer. That's for sure. Not a ton of lakes near San Diego, so we hit Powell, Shasta, Bullard's Bar, Mohave....heck, we've even lugged a couple of jetskis up to Spokane, Washington. GREAT camping up there!



You bring up a good point and I wrestle with this balance all the time.

I tow with my wakeboards laying down in the boat all the time. I do not however leave my light surfboard in there as it could get lifted out with a bounce or wind.

[hoopykat]

I don't tow with a full cover on, but I also have a snap-on bow cover, and I always tow with it on, because I too keep items in the bow under it for storage while traveling. Never had a problem with anything, no cracking around snaps, scratches, etc.

-Mike