Trailer boat with cover on ??

[Cubacheski]

Is it ok to trailer your boat with the cover on ? I have the factory cover with the ratchet straps built in. Thanks for the info.

[dukesofhazzard]

i will give you my opinion on this as I have a new to me boat and trailer 300 miles each way, first time I did, some slight hull rash, very minor but enough to cause concern, even some around the tower bases, wax took care of it, towed home without cover then spent time cleaning the interior, make sure to put wind dam in if towing without cover, I almost lost a cushion, so was not happy either way. Searched this site like crazy and saw that some guys use packing wrap around the hull where the cover goes, So this is what I do now, I wrap the hull 3 times and then wrap the tower bases 3 times, then put the cover on and tighten up with staps. This so far has been the best, over 600 miles towed and no probs. hope this helps

[Tulsah]

Same here. For shorter trips (<60m), we insert the wind screen and go without the cover - our corner cushions get removed and stowed in the locker. Anything longer, I wrap the hull with pallet wrap - once around above the rub rail and once around below, overlapping by about 1/3. The tower bases also get wrapped in a similar fashion and then the cover goes on.

[BLucas86]

I tow with my OEM cover on majority of the time. If you let the slack out of the string that attaches to the tower, and let it sag, you won't get any hull rash. Ive been very impressed with the stock cover. The only thing I do to be extra safe, is put a folded towel under the rear rachet so that is does not scratch the rear Chromax Logo. My $.02.

[gwhite94]

I tow covered due to the amount of interior clean up. As others have said some packing wrap around the rub rail will help with the rash!

[SBM1234]

I would try the packing wrap thing. Towing with the cover and stretch out the cover and you can get a little rash from it vibrating. It really depends on how far you are going.

[Booms]

I towed our 08 RZ2 14hrs to Tennessee and back last year. With and with out the cover on. I did not notice any rash, but the cover was old and the boat was well lubed as it was raining most of the trip down and back. I would prefer to trailer with cover on as the road grime, oil, tar, bugs and etc. were a pain to clean off of the white seats in the bow.
We are making the trip again this year with our 15 Z3. Just like last year I am going to wrap the entire tower with packing wrap. This saved the tower and speakers from thousands of bug hits.
I like the idea of going around the boat 2 or 3 times with packing wrap but I am worried that dirt would get in-between the wrap and the hull and rash the gel coat even more then the cover would.

[MoneyPity]

I used to trail my 20V with bow and a cockpit covers not the full cover. Since these covers snapped to the boat above the rub rail and I used tension poles to take out sag in them I never had an issue towing. I had the same type of bow and cockpit covers on my previous boat and trailered with them for the 20 years that I had that boat with no issues other than replacing the sunbrella covers after 15 years of use. I towed an average of 3500+ miles per season when I was an active boater. Only down side was that in heavy rain water would get into cockpit area of boat where covers met at windshield

[Cubacheski]

Thanks for the information. We leave tomorrow and we wrapped the boat with that packing shrink wrap. worked great. Thanks again !!

[Booms]

Anyone trailer their boat with the swim platform cover on? If so did you strap it down or does the bungee corners keep it in place?

[BLucas86]

I have towed with the platform cover on and it blew off. Thankfully found it quickly, but it's not made for towing, just storage.

[Z3CO23]

Closest water to me is about 35 to 40 minutes away depending on traffic. I pretty much travel all highway when we travel to lakes and I tow with my main cover and platform cover on each time. I've never had a problem. My transom straps to rest against the side of my platform, not sure if that has any effect.

[dj2]

I tow my boat on 80 miles of highway, 15 miles of paved winding road and 12 miles of dirt winding mountain road. I keep my cover and swim deck cover on for the whole ride. Before I replaced my cover this spring I used to stop and cover/uncover where the dirt and asphalt meet to keep dirt out of the boat.

[Surf406]

I tow with the cover on and also the swim step cover on but I had my local shop sew in a buckle strap for the platform cover after reading on here of everyones flying off, no problems now

[Knowledge101]

If anyone wants some insight those straps and ratchet straps. Suck . I had a old centurion cover with the cable ear straps that are geared . Locks in and works great . No other straps needed. Just my two cents. If anyone. Wants a easy intermitive I travel 75 mph no worries with the cover on