Towing with/without a Cover

[fireflymedic]

For those of you who tow without a cover, do you leave the middle window open or closed?

Closed

 

[USN SCPO RET]

I tow my 242 LS with the premium cover on long hauls. Going on two years with no issues.

When not covered during tow I always keep center window closed.

 

[4wheeldeal]

I'm starting to think I'm stretching to bow of my mooring covering by trailing with it. Anyone else notice excess pooling of water in the bow after a rain? I use the poles, might be part of my issue. Starting to think I should use the storage cover for my long trips 5 hours each way to the cottage.

 

[SoxFan]

Had bad experience towing with mooring cover. Windshield snaps failed.
Have had good results on recent highway towing up to NH with the shipping cover and ratcheting buckle to hold it snug.
Use sliced pool noodles on top of closed windshield to protect cover.

 

[4wheeldeal]

Had bad experience towing with mooring cover. Windshield snaps failed.
Have had good results on recent highway towing up to NH with the shipping cover and ratcheting buckle to hold it snug.
Use sliced pool noodles on top of closed windshield to protect cover.

I've been doing the pool noodle, my issue is when it get sucked down in the bow. Mainly the center front part. I know people have put large beach balls in there, I was hoping to do the same but haven't see anyone around so might need to check online. Should help release some stress.

 

[jdonalds]

My boat has three states regarding covers.

1) Parked in the side yard with a 3rd party $150 waterproof cover. This preserves the expensive OEM cover which is kept in the garage.

2) Short trips under 50 miles uncovered. Windshield and lower door always closed (door in position under windshield) to prevent losing seat cushions.

3) Trips over 50 miles. Covered with the $500 OEM cover.

I never tow with the anti-pooling poles installed. This is to halp prevent tearing the cover, or causing it to stretch.

 

[4wheeldeal]

Good idea with the cheap cover to preserve the OEM One. Something I should look into.

 

[Eric Ballard]

I tow with cover on and poles out. If Im towing a long way i partially inflate the towable tube in the bow to smooth the cover a bit (if anything it just makes me feel better).

 

[Rainmakr]

My boat has three states regarding covers.

1) Parked in the side yard with a 3rd party $150 waterproof cover. This preserves the expensive OEM cover which is kept in the garage.

2) Short trips under 50 miles uncovered. Windshield and lower door always closed (door in position under windshield) to prevent losing seat cushions.

3) Trips over 50 miles. Covered with the $500 OEM cover.

I never tow with the anti-pooling poles installed. This is to halp prevent tearing the cover, or causing it to stretch.

This is basically the same thing that I have moved to for towing the boat with/without a cover.

I recently bought a canopy from northern and store the boat under that with the shipping g cover on the boat.

 

[claiton26]

With cover on. I also use blue painters tape on edges.

 

[Wr3ckdiver]

I tow at highway speeds without the cover on, but unlike many of you I never tow past 60-65 miles an hour. I cant imagine what would happen to the boat if you had a blow out at 90 miles an hour like one of the people posting to this thread...... No trailer is meant to be towed that fast not even a semi truck....

 

[Bernd]

Towing without cover is risky if a stone is window bound. At least the cover might reduce the chance of damaging the window. Check the price on the replacement windows and I guarantee you will ship with cover from now on. For those that say its protected by the car I found a 1 inch rock in the boat when I did not cover it.

 

[2kwik4u]

Had bad experience towing with mooring cover. Windshield snaps failed.
Have had good results on recent highway towing up to NH with the shipping cover and ratcheting buckle to hold it snug.
Use sliced pool noodles on top of closed windshield to protect cover.

I've been using the shipping cover for the last two seasons. Normal tow is about 53miles. Longer tows are in the 100 mile range. Doing our first "long" tow with this boat tonight to Nashville at about 200miles one way.

I started with the poles in, using it "as shipped" from Yamaha. Quickly developed cracks in the outer layer of the cover. Started removing the poles from the setup when towing. Then quickly developed cracks around the windshield in the outer layer of the cover. Put a pool noodle on the windshield. Those stopped. Now starting to get cracks where the cover touches the rear seats. Not sure I can do anything about that though. I've patched the cover multiple times with white duct tape to try and hold off buying an expensive cover for another season. Not sure the shipping cover is going to make it 3-seasons of towing.

 

[Speedling]

So I had a factory cover but with the tower that ripped trying to tow home first try.
I had a custom cover made and it is certainly heavier material, and he doubled up and then put felt anywhere something could rub.
Has worked great but takes a long time to put on as it straps to the frame, velcro and straps to lock in around tower etc.
I really have been contemplating getting a cargo net for trailers/truck beds and just strapping to the cleats over the whole boat so i can get home quicker and worry about cleaning and unpacking the next day or at least when kids are in bed!
It's all about optimizing the time to be on water! I just don't want the bunji net rubbing all the gelcoat etc. Maybe another sort of noodle mod?

 

[2kwik4u]

So I had a factory cover but with the tower that ripped trying to tow home first try.
I had a custom cover made and it is certainly heavier material, and he doubled up and then put felt anywhere something could rub.
Has worked great but takes a long time to put on as it straps to the frame, velcro and straps to lock in around tower etc.
I really have been contemplating getting a cargo net for trailers/truck beds and just strapping to the cleats over the whole boat so i can get home quicker and worry about cleaning and unpacking the next day or at least when kids are in bed!
It's all about optimizing the time to be on water! I just don't want the bunji net rubbing all the gelcoat etc. Maybe another sort of noodle mod?

I think that is an excellent idea. The only reason I use a cover when towing is fear of losing a seat or a piece of carpet, otherwise I wouldn't use it for towing. Our last boat was always "open" when being towed. The seats were all bolted in however, and we took the rear jump seats out and stuffed them next to the front seats out of the wind. The bow seats had storage under them, but also had a little strap and snap setup to keep them in place. The carpet was "glued down" so it wasn't going anywhere either. I think if I had SeaDeck and hinged seats, I would probably tow uncovered.

 

[Betik]

a boat with the cover on ( no poles) has better aerodynamics that a boat that it is not covered.
For example, I get the same MPG towing a covered sx240 than an uncovered AR192. and I do not think it is the tower that is causing the increase

 

[Speedling]

a boat with the cover on ( no poles) has better aerodynamics that a boat that it is not covered.
For example, I get the same MPG towing a covered sx240 than an uncovered AR192. and I do not think it is the tower that is causing the increase

I believe it after my 4000 miles towed with boat during my July vacation! Cover always on!
But... i think the 35 minute tow home i usually do isn't gonna make or break it.

 

[IA_210SX]

Tow with poles up, with factory cover and pool noodles covering the front windshield and side windows. The small port cushion opposite the operators seat blew out. Had to turn around at the lake and go find it on the center grassy part of the interstate, found it. Makes for a good conversation starter when people see the scuffs on it.