Back to the main site

Full Boat Cover on the Road?

Spoiledrotten

Spoiledrotten

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,050
Reaction score
2,170
Location
Below the Mason/Dickson Line
I just put the full cover over my new Benny, today. It's looks like it's well made, and it certainly snaps and hooks in many points around the boat. Just wondering if these things were meant to protect your boat while traveling, or if it's only good for the driveway.

On edit, I just found the tips by Bennington in the forum where they discourage the use of the playpen cover for traveling. I don't need to take the chance with that, anyway. It just seemed sturdy enough to do so.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I posted this response previously in another thread to a similar post. The pontoons come with mooring covers and they are not for towing.

KC24, on 22 Jun 2015 - 5:16 PM, said:

I guess I have been really lucky. I pull my boat on the interstate for an hour one way( Centerhill) to one lake and ( Dale Hollow) 2.5 hours at 55 mph speeds to another lake with my cover on for the last 4 years. Am I beating the odds? It doesn't seem to stress anywhere and I'm sure if a snap was to come loose it would not be good. But I love my cover it keeps the bugs off my beautiful interior. :(

My response:

I don't tow my pontoon except to seasonally launch and take out once a year. I did tow my previous boat - a bowrider - and did have the cover rip off on the highway, taking the support poles with it. Ripped out 16 snaps when it happened and fortunately there wasn't a car close behind me. I wouldn't tow without a dedicated trail or cover with straps.
 
I recently had some straps added to my 'mooring cover'. I've towed it about 650 miles since doing that last month and so far everything is great. We towed with no cover on per the Bennington instructions for the past year and it was awful. Bugs splattered all over, seat cushions blowing out, seats blowing open, little deck plate above gas tank blew away. And the rain. Ugh. Granted, we usually tow 300 miles just to get to the lake, so it's probably not so bad for short distances, but man am I glad to finally have a cover when I tow. 

cover-straps.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
bcpnick,

Are the straps you added only across the front?  Did you add them down the sides as well?
 
scubadad said:
bcpnick,

Are the straps you added only across the front?  Did you add them down the sides as well?
Click to expand...
At the moment, yes. I need to bring it back to the canvas shop to get a couple things finished up. I think I'll put at least one more strap on each side where the cover goes down to the deck, but I'm not sure if I'll put more on behind that. I don't want any potential rubbing issues. We'll see though. They are also adding on a zip-on panel that covers my back deck. They already added the zippers to my cover, they just need to install snaps and install the panel. I won't use that when towing, but it'll be great for storage to keep bird poop, etc. off the deck. 
 
woodhog said:
When I took delivery on my Q the weather was rainy so the dealer put the cover on and tied a rope from front cleat to front cleat and taped the front edge to keep the wind from getting under.  

It traveled fine.
Click to expand...
That my friend is a damn fine looking boat!
 
Another thing that could be done is to double or triple up on the snaps in places where you think the wind might tend to pull a snap open. Certainly the front edge and front corners are target spots to add more snaps since if those come loose the wind will likely rip the cover off.

If you really wanted to see where the wind pulls on it you could snap on some thin ribbon pieces between the snaps (pinching the ribbon inside the snap) then leave them dangle a foot or two, and go drive it. The ribbons that tear off are where you want to put more snaps or straps.

Or watch in your mirror or follow the trailer on the interstate in another car while a friend drives your rig. It really wouldn't be much work to put the ribbon on since you remover the cover a lot anyway. Just time it right before a trip.
 
kaydano said:
Another thing that could be done is to double or triple up on the snaps in places where you think the wind might tend to pull a snap open. Certainly the front edge and front corners are target spots to add more snaps since if those come loose the wind will likely rip the cover off.

If you really wanted to see where the wind pulls on it you could snap on some thin ribbon pieces between the snaps (pinching the ribbon inside the snap) then leave them dangle a foot or two, and go drive it. The ribbons that tear off are where you want to put more snaps or straps.

Or watch in your mirror or follow the trailer on the interstate in another car while a friend drives your rig. It really wouldn't be much work to put the ribbon on since you remover the cover a lot anyway. Just time it right before a trip.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good application for a GoPro.
 
I only thought I had found the answer. Great ideas, here..... and I'll second that on the great looking boat, Woodhog!
 
You saw it: I'll post it as a reminder to others.

UPDATE NOTE JUNE 2012 REGARDING HAULING: Bennington does NOT recommend towing with your playpen cover installed. The playpen cover is a "mooring cover" for use when the boat is moored at the dock or stored on the trailer. Although you could easily haul at low speeds/short distances many times and never have an issue, it's the 1 in 100 situation that can catch you. The fabric is durable, but snap-whip from a loosened snap, snap-strain from high speed towing, and various other situations can cause damage to your cover. Use common sense when hauling! Please review your state's boat trailering laws for more information.
 
Check my gallery for a trailerable cover.
 
I Trailered mine 160 miles last Friday. Its the 26' Q series, kind of intimidating when I pulled up and saw the size of this thing. Was not looking forward to towing a long distance, but once I manned up, wasn't too bad. Just no sharp turns. Anyhow I asked the dealer if I should tow with mooring cover on or off. He said with the cover off, one reason was fear of the snaps hitting some nice part of the boat but there also was nothing that could blow out of the boat other than the removable cup holders.
 
I'll have to post some pics, just had a local shop make a trailering cover and its been good to 80mph. covers the boat from under the rub rail all the way back over top the bimini in trailer mode and down the back side of the motor. Had to modify the front of the trailer to get the cover all the way over the rub rail. Keeps the whole boat clean. Not cheap but clean!
 
Mind sharing what you paid? I'd love to see pics. My modified cover is still holding up fine. I've put upwards of 900 miles on it at high speeds now. 
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top