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So, this is what happens...

MrWizard

MrWizard

Jetboaters Commander
Messages
282
Reaction score
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Points
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Location
Harrisburg, Pa
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2018
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
...when you tempt fate by not covering your boat before towing down the road.

Backstory: Friday night I had finished detailing the inside of the boat and just shortly after experienced a downpour that lasted through the night. In the morning when we were heading out I figured I'd leave the cover off and let it air dry while getting to the dock.
Driving slower than usual (55ish) up a grade someone honked and pointing back to my boat and mouthed 'you lost something' (instant heart rate spike)... Quickly pulled over - and yep. Missing a seat. Turned around and found the seat - on the shoulder of the highway. Road rash. Extreme.

Today I "fixed" the seat and while it is still usable - it's going to pain me to see it like this.

Anyone have any links to purchase a new seat if I decide to go that route?

Lesson learned. :mad:

I'm pretty annoyed at myself.
 

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Ouch... our cover disintegrated when we were bringing our boat home from storage.. from the horror stories like yours we imediately pulled over and removed all the cusions and everything under them.

I hate it happened to u... but a seat cusion can be replaced... but i am like u... it would turn my stomach each time i looked at it.
 
bronze_10 said:
from the horror stories like yours...
Click to expand...

I wish I had read some of the horror stories... I probably wouldn't be in the position I am.
Luckily, it's just a cushion. Didn't cause any accidents - and its fairly usable until a replacement arrives. All things considered - it could have been a much worse day.
 
Bummer Dude... :( I've noticed with my boat if the flip up seat is in the up position it kind of locks in place. The starboard one is the one I worry about when I'm towing to and from the lake.
 
Bill D said:
Bummer Dude... :( I've noticed with my boat if the flip up seat is in the up position it kind of locks in place. The starboard one is the one I worry about when I'm towing to and from the lake.
Click to expand...

Totally makes sense. I rarely, if ever, have that seat in the up position. I like the look of the boat (it seems more open, bigger??) with the seat in the lounge position.
I should also add that I haven't towed coverless since I bought the new cover...

Things ya learn... Why is mine the hard way of learning? :banghead:
 
Yep. Been there, done that - twice.

On the way home from purchasing the boat (used) in 2009 the cover ripped to shreds. My son and I removed the cover and headed home. The seat behind the large port storage flew out and damaged a Honda on the freeway. The Honda owners never asked for compensation.

About three years ago I was towing about 55 mph, with no cover on the boat, and again the same cushion blew out.

We learned that we must keep the windshield and lower door closed to prevent losing that cushion if the boat isn't covered. Our lakes are both within a 15 mile radius so we uncover at home, load the boat, and tow uncovered.

The first cushion was so badly damaged that I had to buy a new one. The new one had an extra "hook" on the back side to help prevent it blowing out of the boat. That hook broke within the first month of use.

The second time all of the damage was road rash. We bought some material from Jet Boat Pilot and had it professionally recovered.
 
Bummer. Sorry to hear about your seat. It's a long shot, but it might be possible to find a salvaged boat that has a used one for sale.
 
I've lost two cushions over a two year period and have a cover that is getting fragile so didn't want to tow with it. I purchased two truck bed bungee nets and put one over the bow and one over the cockpit and they fit perfectly. The spiderweb effect keeps everything inside the boat so I now can put other stuff back there as well and it allows the boat to dry out on the way home. Been working great, only cost me $40.

While most of my upgrades and modifications have come from members of this site, this one came to me on my own and is the mod I am most proud of based on the low cost and effectiveness.
 
@Paul Early That sounds like an interesting idea. Please take some pictures for us.
 
Here is one from when I did it. I dont have a picture from further out and boat is in a storage yard so not easy to do, but it gives the idea.
 

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Paul Early said:
I purchased two truck bed bungee nets and put one over the bow and one over the cockpit and they fit perfectly.
Click to expand...
I used to do that before I bought the expensive mooring\trailering cover. I only did it for the back seats behind the captains chairs. It's a great mod, but I could cover the whole boat with the cover quicker then I could untangle the net to use it. I also discovered that the boat stays much cleaner going to and from the lake an hour each way. It also keeps prying eyes out while parked in a restaurant parking lot.
 
I agree with PEARCE, would prefer to use the nice cover. Mine is 8 years old and starting to show some signs of failure (seams getting thin and tearing). So, I'm using the netting while driving and the cover while storing to hopefully gain another year or two from the cover. I have many other mods I want to spend my money on now. I am 5 hours from the Lake/River where we boat and I just know my cover will fail on that drive.

PEARCE is also right about the tangling. I found that if I removed the clips except for the back two corners, it didn't tangle and I had a reference where the back of the netting was to put it on. I then just clipped the front and side with the spare clips. If you leave the clips on the net, they do tangle quite easily. I also leave the netting on when I store it and just put the cover over it. That way, when I leave, I remove the cover and the net is still in place. Less on/off.
 
Paul Early said:
I am 5 hours from the Lake/River where we boat and I just know my cover will fail on that drive.
Click to expand...

5 hours??!  :wideyed: I don't think I could handle that drive, everytime I wanted to go boating. I'm hoping there's a closer spot you can go - but prefer the 5 hour spot??
 
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