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Sport Tower/Arch owners... cover question ...(pics of boat as well)

Newport RI said:
I dont think my cover fits with allowing for just one bar in rear exposed.... sounds like that was the alteration that was made? Thanks
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Yes, I'm not sure how it was done, but I think the cut was made higher and the hole was made smaller, I don't know if any fabric was added. I do have an idea that may work. I've been trying to think about this for myself. It kinda ducks that you pay an extra 11G for an option and find out it puts water in your boat. I'm thinking of a simple extension strap. Have you seen those little things that they use for kids pants to hold them up? It's a little nylon piece with snaps on it. Kind of like this

http://www.freeadsci...036533lwwge.jpg

I wonder if youhad that in the tower section if it would allow it to raise up enough to go over that lower horizontal bar. Might work
 
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So I found these little beauties while wandering aimlessly around a hardware store today, I thought they may help with the water issue, they can attach anywhere and I figure a strap going over a bar higher up could help keep the collar around the tube upright and maybe a bit of water out! Let's hope anyways!! Once again, note to TB, this is a serious issue that needs to be resolved, the playpen cover design has to be altered for tower boats and more fabric added in like on the pics I posted earlier. These little clamp things might help in the meantime.



 
Should be a simple task for an upholstery shop to add material. The more material the easier it is to use things like the bungee cords I have (photo in my gallery). OR, for you do it yourselfers, sew a Velcro strip around and then use whatever material (with Velcro) to extend the areas of concern.
 
That's all fine and dandy in a place that has easy access to an upholstery shop that is qualified to do something like this. I'm not so positive we have one. There is a lady the does good work (she made us a dog kennel cover) but part of the point is no one should have to spend 11G on an option only to have to make something custom after to keep the water out. It would and should be a simple fix for Bennington to do as a company. I love the tower, but I also believe that as soon as the first person said "hey this cover doesn't work " it should have been looked at and rectified. Just like they did with Todd's waveshield issue.
 
With any organization, they have discussions and brain storm, and come up with corrective actions, and this forum is a good place for TB to gain knowledge of challenges of their product. This is how companies get better. In doing this, they hit the major things then work towards correcting all flaws, I am 99.99846% sure this is how Bennington has come to be the leader in the industry. I brought multiple things to the attention of my dealer, and I asked that he pass them along to his area rep, who in turn, should work with Corporate, so on and so fourth. I am confident this will be done, and I am confident Bennington will use my suggestions to make their product better, (or work with their suppliers to provide them with better products). I will follow up in a few weeks to confirm this has happened.

We have to remember, this forum is not a vehicle for us to air our grievances, in hopes of getting things resolved. It is to share information with one another, and if TB sees something that is major, they act on it. Who knows, they might already have your replacement cover at the design shop getting prepped for it's initial stitching. But, if TB responds to every challenge, they would not have enough resources to actually get the corrective actions in place to make the product better.
 
Thanks Jared, I am well aware of how good Bennington is, it's why I'm on my third one. I have brought this issue to my dealer, and also the Bennington rep, I do trust that the issue will someday be resolved. I hope it is before water enters through the massive flaw and destroys my batteries and electrical components. I also know that this topic has been on here for 2 months and I have yet to hear of a solution, other than the customer taking care of the problem. I love my Bennington, and will continue to sing their praises, I am merely sharing with other members possible TEMPORARY solutions, like the clip idea,and my strap extension idea.
 
So is there a right way and a wrong way to tie the tower Bimini top on?
 
Red side up...
 
So I sent in pictures of the water sitting on my switch, battery top, and in the starboard side compartment and quite promptly received a call from Jared the Bennington rep (and all around awesome guy!) and he is looking into it. As I said before, I had no doubt that Bennington would be a stand up company, guess we'll wait and see what comes from it.
 
I'd be out there trying to see if lowering the poles would allow enough slack in the fabric to go over the lowest bar on the tower. From there I'm thinking it would only be a matter of keeping the parts of the cover that wrap around the bars higher than the watershed portion. Even if getting the cover over the lowest bar can't be done, the idea of clipping on to that wrap around and going up and over a higher tower bar might work, which is what I was trying to propose with my earlier post. Another work around might be to cut up bleach or antifreeze bottles to use the cone portion under the wrap around. All you need to do is to get the wrap around elevated so the majority of water flows around the opening.

Something like this:

2013-07-26_21-13-26_91_zps2ceb947b.jpg
 
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The bottle idea is a neat one! I actually have the clips that I showed a picture of attached to the collar and zip tied around the horizontal bar. It helps, but doesn't solve. It is physically impossible to get the cover over the lower bars, even without poles, I have it over the bar on one side and under on the other. What I did do for a temporary fix is buy a tarp, around 11'6" by 16' I think, I have it tucked over the seats edges, and the center lifted up with the pole, actually it catches 3 poles. We had a bunch of rain yesterday and everything under the seat stayed nice and dry. So that makes me happy until a permanent solution is found.
 
Hope a solution comes along, as I to get water.... and thus started the topic, thanks for all that chimed in...
 
Newport RI said:
Hope a solution comes along, as I to get water.... and thus started the topic, thanks for all that chimed in...
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Try the tarp for now, it does work, I just crawl under and tuck it over the rear seats between the rear rail and all the way along, only downside is a little less breathable, but it's what I have to do. I also bought a white tarp in hopes of no color coming off!
 
Hey Newport, have you or your dealer ever done anything to fix your cover yet? I still don't have anything resolved. I have received a few updates from the report assuring me they are still working on it, so it's nice to know it's not forgotten about. Hopefully soon, although now that my 2275 sport tower is obsolete who knows what they'll do. If anyone at Bennington reads this, I'd be willing to trade for a 2375 I/O tower!! Hehe just throwing it out there! :D
 
Well, here we are, November 2, and still no luck getting Bennington to fix this problem. It has been over 3 months since I talked to the rep, getting a little sick and tired of being put off. I love Bennington, but this is bull**it. You would think they would have enough pull with Tumac covers to make this happen quite quickly. The problem has been known about for over 8 months. Completely dissatisfied at the moment. I didn't care that the problem happened in the first place, mistakes are human, but lacking to correct the mistake I cannot understand nor comprehend why. Guess I will harass my dealer and rep yet again.
 
I've said it in the past that they are growing faster than they can handle. We are starting to see the stretch marks as a result. Good luck and keep us updated.
 
Hoping before my boat goes back in the water next season they provide a solution..... now in storage. 
 
Well Newport, all I can say is I have been told numerous times that it is being worked on, supposedly. My dealer told me it was supposed to be done at the end of November, but I would get on the phone with your dealer, and if someone has the customer service number for Bennington, PM him and me with it. When I brought it up with my rep and he brought it up to the guy who takes care of these sorts of things, he had no idea there was a problem. Hopefully I'm remembering that conversation correctly, but don't take it as gospel. Thing that sucks for me is I still have to find a way to get the snaps put on and since it is frigging cold and in storage, guess that will have to wait. I am still super disappointed that this has carried on this long with no resolution. 
 
Since I am in the market for an arch and it appears that it has still not been corrected on the tower models .

Does anyone know if the issue exists on a arch ?

Thanks .
 
I really don't think you'll have a problem with the arch. The problem with the tower is the fact that they have a big hole that goes around the two connecting tubes, instead of going over top the lower one,





As seen in these photos. Here is one member who's dealer fixed the issue, notice the cover is now OVER the lowest horizontal bar.







 

So looking at the arch,

 



 

I don't see the same possible issue.
 
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