To Cover…or Not to Cover?

[gunsinger]

That is the question.
 

So, I recently had relocate my boat to an uncovered area. I bought a boat cover for it but, my question is this.  You’ve been fishing all day and, at the end of the day, the bottom drops out. Your boat carpet is soaked.  You anticipate more rain coming. Do you put on the boat cover with the boat wet? Or do you ride it out until the rains quit and the boat has had a chance to dry in the sun?  Is mildew a concern in this case if you cover it wet?

 

Also, do you put on the boat cover very time?  Or only when it’s going to sit idle for an extended period of time. 
 

Let’s just say I miss my lean to that I used to back it under. 

[TnRiver46]

I ❤️ my carport……. 
 

I would wait for a dry day to cover it I suppose, covering it wet seems like a rolling mosquito hotel. I’ve heard a box fan under the cover works wonders 

[WRB]

Cover when dry.

Tom

[mcipinkie]

Cover the boat everytime.

 

Sun, long term, is more of a problem than rain. 

 

Try to get some ventilation under the cover to prevent mildew.

 

Got to keep the sun off the vinyl and the carpet.  Yeah, a day or two is minimal, but they accumulate.

 

 

[Deephaven]

Depends on how wet it is.  If mildy then cover now and uncover when the rain stops.  If soaked just wait it out.

[S Hovanec]

I cover even when wet.  I don't want all that road spray and grime inside my boat from the tow home.  Uncover once the rain stops so it can dry out.

[NHBull]

Covers with vents are the best of both worlds.  The better ones that use poles often have a solar cell what spins a fan when charged. I have always moored my boats and the combination works great.  The only downside is that the solar fan only last a couple years and have to be replaced, but they are only 35.00

[slonezp]

If you have AC power, put the cover on and throw a fan underneath it

[Glenn]

On 7/1/2021 at 5:08 PM, gunsinger said:

I recently had relocate my boat to an uncovered area.

Is that area a storage facility or on your property?

[TOXIC]

I store my boat outside year round in sun, rain, snow.  I have no storage facilities near me big enough to handle a 21ft boat.  The sun is a killer.  Vinyl, plastic, rubber and gel coat all suffer if exposed all the time.  Mold and mildew is always a concern. I use 303 Aerospace Protectant on everything but the gel and on that I use a sealer and UV protectant wax.  If I get caught in the rain, I prop open all of my compartment lids and put the cover on with a small round fan in the splashwell to move the air and help dry the carpet.  I use the fan all summer because it can get really, really hot and humid under the cover.  If it’s not going to rain for a few days I will leave it uncovered but the picture is how it looks 99% of the time.  I have had no problems in the 8 years I have owned the boat.  

[gunsinger]

3 hours ago, Glenn said:

Is that area a storage facility or on your property?

It’s on my property. I was parking under a lean-to on side of my shop but had to go through the yard to get there.  When it rained, if I tried to get the boat out (or park it), I’d leave ruts in the grass. So,  we poured a pad behind the shop with a driveway  going up to it. It’s too close to the property line to do another lean-to, so I bought a boat cover for it. 

[desmobob]

 

I'm thinking of getting a cover for my cover...  ?

 

My boat sits in my yard with the cover on it.  In the winter, I build an A-frame over it and cover the boat and cover with a double layer of heavy silver tarp.  Though I treated it with 303 every year, my first cover lasted about five years.  I guess the sun wrecked it and it ripped like paper after that.

 

If the cover lasts five years, that's about a c-note per year for a cover.   Is there a way to get more life out of them? 

[Deephaven]

Local place here makes ones from fabric you choose so you can make them last longer.  My Malibu is stored like that all the time.  Cover is super faded but not weak and going on 11 years now.  Snaps on as the boat is moored in the non hard water months.

[David 7]

I don’t have a boat (kayak guy) but could you use a shop vac and then cover it? 

[gunsinger]

1 hour ago, David 7 said:

I don’t have a boat (kayak guy) but could you use a shop vac and then cover it? 

I actually ended up doing that very thing.  ?

[Krux5506]

I keep my boat on a hoist at my family's cottage. If I'm down there and using it, it's going to stay uncovered all weekend rain or shine. Boats are meant to get wet, but the sun will just absolutely cook them after a while. Even though it's the biggest pain in the A, I make sure it's covered and strapped down before I leave it for the week. 

 

Someday I would like to have one of those roof frames + canvas tops they make for these hoists, but last I checked it would run about $1500 and that was a few years ago.

[BrianSnat]

I wait for it to dry out before I cover it. Covering it wet might create a science experiment inside.

 

A few weeks ago I got home let the boat dry out and was going to cover it but decided I'd wait till the next day. It wasn't supposed to rain till later that evening. Well it rained that day and every day since for 2 weeks.

Still haven't put the cover on it.