I've been fighting puddling on covers for years on my 13ft whaler, what i have evolved into doing is getting a size bigger so it covers my motor as well and putting it on backwards so the front is over the motor and putting 4 traffic cones down the center of the boat to create a nice tenting so the water runs off, with proper tenting keeping it level helps the water run off aswell. I think having a boat with a square front helps with this method. Hope this helps somebody!
@@WayneTheBoatGuy a lot of trial and error but they are the winner, they come in different heights and have a rounded top so not to puncture or wear through the cover
Hi Wayme, I'm going to flip mine over on the trailer with a wood support . Then going to cover the whole boat and trailer with a decent tarp. Thanks for all your nice videos.
For about 22 years, I have just turned my Jon boat over onto its trailer so the hull side is up. This is after taking the motor, seats and live well cover off. I also made up a pressure treated 2 x 4 w/2 2 x 4 blocks screwed in to either end, that rests across the back of the trailer, to keep the boat up off the plastic wheel fenders.
I recently purchased a Seal Skin boat cover that was custom fit to a Rinker Captiva 192 with an extented swim platform. I do have support vents in the front and center of the boat that prevent water from pooling on the cover. The setup works great and the boat stays completely dry after a heavy rain. You can see the water rolling off the cover while it is raining. It cost around $203 and I am very happy with the purchase. It remains to be seen how it will stand up to uv light damage. I usually make my own covers out of Sunbrella but the cost of the material is more that I paid for a custom made cover from Seal Skin.
You could avoid the puddling of water on top by adding top ribs of light pvc pipe cut on the ends to grab the top of the rail and at a length to cause them to bow a little. By installing 3 or 4 of them before placing and tightening the cover, you will create a slope on the cover to shed the rain as it falls and denying it a place to accumulate.
I agree with most of the comments: it would be wise you put something below the cover to keep it up, to prevent water and snow to stay over. Traffic cones, chair, PVC pipe or whatever. Besides I've always been wondering if moisture below the cover would not be almost as bad on a long term (months) than the effect of rain. That could cause mildew, corrosion on electric connections and many other nasty things. I think one should remove the cover from time to time to let the moisture dry.
That cover is probably just for storage inside a garage/barn or a storage unit. You need to prop it up. I have a V14 that I run a long fiberglass tube through it, and on one of my other boats the factory cover came with arches so that the water runs off.
Put something inside to prop up cover like as tent and will have no puddles I use a cooler so stands long ways and fasten straps I don't get any pooling and boat stays bone dry inside
Wayne, I have a cover just like that on a 12' Alumacraft V hull. I made some PVC bows that you can cinch the cover down to. That makes the cover Convex, problem solved!
@inaoifeble Those Amazon photos make me laugh. I wouldn't consider them to be proof of concept. Besides, shedding water is common sense for everything from rain gear to roofs. Tarps are not an exception. SkyBlazer RC (below) uses cones to do the trick. I use a 14' 2x4. The idea is to get rid of the low spots where water collects and eventually finds it's way through.
Great point, those Amazon photos are always ridiculous. That cover is probably just for storage inside a garage/barn or a storage unit. You need to prop it up. I have a V14 that I run a long fiberglass tube through it, and on one of my other boats the factory cover came with arches so that the water runs off.
Very good video! Lots to think on here.. 1st off I don't believe any cookie cutter cover no matter how or where it's made should be calling itself 'trailerable' When I hear trailerable I think of going down the highway at 70mph and the cover is tight as a drum. Probably only a factory made cover for that exact boat or after market custom covers should be making this claim. I'm currently having a trailerable cover made for my boat,.. And there are still drawbacks,. 1st off its expensive 😣☹️ 2nd the maker states sure its trailerable.. Cover your boat and go cross county if you like,.. But every 100hrs or so at highway speeds will reduce the overall life of the cover by a year or so. So it becomes a trade off on some trips of yes the inside of the boat may get wet but I'm not burning thru the life of the cover.. So it's kind of pick your battles deal. My cover I currently have is a generic cookie cutter style with straps similar to the one shown in video, basically used as a dust cover. But when it's parked outside and covered I place a plastic (no sharp edges) lawn chair in the boat, then cover and strap tight,.. it acts as a high point so the cover will shed water. It has worked quite well until the better custom cover is done.
U gotta build a tent inside the boat then Tarp it. Their r alot of Chinese made marine parts that has failed with me. But alot of other stuff that holds up. But rather pay double for better quality than to go in an do a job twice.
I've been fighting puddling on covers for years on my 13ft whaler, what i have evolved into doing is getting a size bigger so it covers my motor as well and putting it on backwards so the front is over the motor and putting 4 traffic cones down the center of the boat to create a nice tenting so the water runs off, with proper tenting keeping it level helps the water run off aswell. I think having a boat with a square front helps with this method. Hope this helps somebody!
Traffic cones- genius!
@@WayneTheBoatGuy a lot of trial and error but they are the winner, they come in different heights and have a rounded top so not to puncture or wear through the cover
Hi Wayme, I'm going to flip mine over on the trailer with a wood support . Then going to cover the whole boat and trailer with a decent tarp. Thanks for all your nice videos.
For about 22 years, I have just turned my Jon boat over onto its trailer so the hull side is up. This is after taking the motor, seats and live well cover off. I also made up a pressure treated 2 x 4 w/2 2 x 4 blocks screwed in to either end, that rests across the back of the trailer, to keep the boat up off the plastic wheel fenders.
That’s a nice and simple approach.
I recently purchased a Seal Skin boat cover that was custom fit to a Rinker Captiva 192 with an extented swim platform. I do have support vents in the front and center of the boat that prevent water from pooling on the cover. The setup works great and the boat stays completely dry after a heavy rain. You can see the water rolling off the cover while it is raining. It cost around $203 and I am very happy with the purchase. It remains to be seen how it will stand up to uv light damage. I usually make my own covers out of Sunbrella but the cost of the material is more that I paid for a custom made cover from Seal Skin.
You could avoid the puddling of water on top by adding top ribs of light pvc pipe cut on the ends to grab the top of the rail and at a length to cause them to bow a little. By installing 3 or 4 of them before placing and tightening the cover, you will create a slope on the cover to shed the rain as it falls and denying it a place to accumulate.
You can use a leaf blower to blow the little puddles off the top of the cover.
All boat covers need some sort of ridge to avoid puddling. My solution was to use an adjustable hight saw horse. Works well.
I agree with most of the comments: it would be wise you put something below the cover to keep it up, to prevent water and snow to stay over. Traffic cones, chair, PVC pipe or whatever.
Besides I've always been wondering if moisture below the cover would not be almost as bad on a long term (months) than the effect of rain. That could cause mildew, corrosion on electric connections and many other nasty things. I think one should remove the cover from time to time to let the moisture dry.
I have a similar cover, it works good but you have to be carefull if you live in a humid area. It'll cause mold to grow if left on too long
That cover is probably just for storage inside a garage/barn or a storage unit. You need to prop it up. I have a V14 that I run a long fiberglass tube through it, and on one of my other boats the factory cover came with arches so that the water runs off.
Can you do another Best boats under 10k because some of the prices have gone up even more
I hope to do some over the winter - 2023 prices might be even higher!
Put something inside to prop up cover like as tent and will have no puddles I use a cooler so stands long ways and fasten straps I don't get any pooling and boat stays bone dry inside
I was thinking the same thing. All covers that are flat like that are hard pressed to hold up the weight of the water.
Use pvc pipes to make the cover bow out so water/snow won't hold as much.
Wayne, I have a cover just like that on a 12' Alumacraft V hull. I made some PVC bows that you can cinch the cover down to. That makes the cover Convex, problem solved!
That’s the way to make it work!
Any tarp set up that way would fail. You need to prop the center up so that the water sheds and not collects.
not saying you are wrong, but the photo on amazon shows the tarp laying completely flat across the top of the boat
@inaoifeble Those Amazon photos make me laugh. I wouldn't consider them to be proof of concept. Besides, shedding water is common sense for everything from rain gear to roofs. Tarps are not an exception. SkyBlazer RC (below) uses cones to do the trick. I use a 14' 2x4. The idea is to get rid of the low spots where water collects and eventually finds it's way through.
Great point, those Amazon photos are always ridiculous. That cover is probably just for storage inside a garage/barn or a storage unit. You need to prop it up. I have a V14 that I run a long fiberglass tube through it, and on one of my other boats the factory cover came with arches so that the water runs off.
Very good video! Lots to think on here.. 1st off I don't believe any cookie cutter cover no matter how or where it's made should be calling itself 'trailerable'
When I hear trailerable I think of going down the highway at 70mph and the cover is tight as a drum. Probably only a factory made cover for that exact boat or after market custom covers should be making this claim. I'm currently having a trailerable cover made for my boat,.. And there are still drawbacks,.
1st off its expensive 😣☹️
2nd the maker states sure its trailerable.. Cover your boat and go cross county if you like,.. But every 100hrs or so at highway speeds will reduce the overall life of the cover by a year or so.
So it becomes a trade off on some trips of yes the inside of the boat may get wet but I'm not burning thru the life of the cover.. So it's kind of pick your battles deal.
My cover I currently have is a generic cookie cutter style with straps similar to the one shown in video, basically used as a dust cover. But when it's parked outside and covered I place a plastic (no sharp edges) lawn chair in the boat, then cover and strap tight,.. it acts as a high point so the cover will shed water. It has worked quite well until the better custom cover is done.
Im going to get one
It has been decent
U gotta build a tent inside the boat then Tarp it. Their r alot of Chinese made marine parts that has failed with me. But alot of other stuff that holds up. But rather pay double for better quality than to go in an do a job twice.