Help deciding on mooring cover for new boat

[Justin2431]

Needing help deciding on if I should purchase the oem Mooring cover for my 21 ar195. Only owned small aluminum boats, this will be my first time with a bigger boat.

The run down

-boat will be in a smaller heated garage all year around.
-a lot of short trips as we live close to the river
-normal tow time is 5 mins
-longest tow time 1.5hrs (1x a month)
-boat will be used as much as Oregon weather allows (like to fish bad weather is ok)
-will be installing a Minn Kota so cover will need to be modified
Will it just sit in a cabinet or do I need to not be lazy, buy it and just install it every time? If I was reading old posts correctly, you do not want to tow with it on.

 

[2kwik4u]

We tow a lot more than you. 60-70min one way a couple times a week. We use the Deluxe Premium (black) mooring cover and never trailer without the boat covered. We're at the end of season two and it still looks brand new.

Boat is stored in an unheated attached garage. It's covered once dry just to keep the dust off of it from normal garage usage.

We used the white shipping cover for the first two seasons, including towing. If we didn't use it for towing we would have still covered it in the garage with that. Sounds like your tows are short. I would just rock the white shipping cover until it fails on you. With your usage, you'll probably get 4-5yrs of usage.

 

[Justin2431]

No issues towing with it? Rubbing? The more I read past threads the more rubbing worries me

 

[2kwik4u]

No issues towing with it? Rubbing? The more I read past threads the more rubbing worries me

I haven't noticed any rubbing with it. Have some friends with expensive wake boats that are always givinge crap about creating "microscratches" for towing with a non-padded cover.......I can't find any damage to speak of.

I've worn through a set of bias ply tires in 4 seasons of towing, and NEVER tow it without a cover on. 2 of those seasons have been with the black Yamaha cover and 2 were with the factory shipping cover. I leave the support pole straps on, the poles removed, and have a pool noodle over the windshield. Tighten the heck out of the ratchet straps. No whipping or flapping while towing, even at speeds as high as 80mph, though I usually set the cruise around 68-72mph. Several 4+hr trips to TN from KY as well, with no issues. Looks like this if we're going anywhere:



This makes me think I should really track miles on the trailer as well as the truck and boat.

Let know you're areas of concern in regards to scratching/scuffing and I'll walk out and take some pics. Boats about 30ft away in the garage.

 

[robby76]

Well, I had plenty of waiting time for my 195 FSH Cc Sport to get here and in that time I researched a lot of covers for it. Spoke with several boat owners most of whom bought aftermarket covers for their boats that didn’t last a season, some decided to just use cheap tarps large enough to cover it all, and very few got the exact boat model cover from manufacture and happy with it.
My dealer offered me my Yamaha cover upon sale of boat at a great discount which even though it was a couple hundred $$$ more the quality, fit, looks, and trailerable was worth me buying it. It fits very snug and goes over windshield perfectly.
Check out boater pics on this site under 2021 boat pictures.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I have the Yamaha Deluxe Mooring Cover and it works fantastic. It is on the boat in the drive and if I am on Big water I put it up under the front seat in case we leave the boat docked for some time or if it looks like rain.

I do not cover my boat when I trailer though, anything an hour or so and under. have between 30+ outings this summer and no issue. Most are between 15 minutes and 30 minutes to the lakes. On trips across the state I do cover it.

EDIT: I do take out the front cushions and the middle back cushion on my boat model so they don't catch air and hurt someone, and at the very least get lost.

 

[mwalker4]

I have similar situation. In 2 years of owning the boat, I haven't used a cover. I did keep the shipping cover in case I need tow the boat the 6 hrs to Lake Cumberland, leave it outside over night, or take it to the dealer for repair. If you do tow without a cover, use velcro or snaps to secure rear side seat.

 

[toddaltpeter]

I also have the Yamaha Deluxe Mooring Cover on my 2021 Ar190, but I put the shipping cover on for winter storage. Bottom line is I can put the mooring cover on in less than 5 minutes and it looks great. I just put the shipping cover on and it took me about 20 minutes. The whole time I was doing it I was thinking about how much I love the mooring cover! It's very well thought out as to how it's designed. As a bonus, it also made my wallet quite a bit thinner

 

[robby76]

My dealer told me if I was going to travel over 100 miles of 70+mph to trailer with cover. Believe the furthest lake in my area is 70 miles. But I am Looking at a center console only cover to protect the windshield which at $40 -$60 is worth getting.
Dealer said with continuous time and mph the snap on flooring could get some air under it and come loose. Could.
Now I have been traveling during work hours and see trailering boats pass me with stuff hanging on the side/back of boat, so he has a point.

 

[Justin2431]

Seems like buying the cover is worth it or at least I will have some use for it. Trying to stop from just having another thing just sitting in the garage. It seems like the towing part of the cover is a debate though ?

 

[212s]

@Justin2431 Had the premium deluxe mooring cover thrown in when I bought new this past summer and it fits perfect (except gas tank filler is off a bit but workable), keeps the boat clean and dry, and does not scuff the gelcoat at highway speeds - the vacuhold system sucks it down on the boat and keeps it from buffeting. It also keeps everything inside without worrying about stuff flying out. The only time I don't use the cover is if I'm going 5 minutes away to get gas at city speeds. All other times she is covered.

The premium covers are pricey, but worth it for the glove-like fit and protection it offers. Highly recommended.