Make it Last!
Use and Care of Your Boat Cover
You make an investment in a boat cover to keep your boat protected. You can make your boat cover last longer by following these tips.
Putting the cover on the boat
- When you put the cover on the boat, start at the stern and pull it up over the boom. A helping hand on the other side of the boat makes it easier. Pull both sides of the zippered bow part forward. Close the snaps and the loop and wooden toggle at the shrouds.
- Go forward and bring the zippered ends together and start the zip for about 6 inches. Tie the top grommet with the matching line above the gunwhale. The lower grommets below the gunwhale. Now pull the drawstring tight and tie it. Close the zipper now.
- Both sides are taut now and the slider will shut the zip easily. It also will wear less if you do it this way.
- Time to close it around the mast and tie it.
There. Stand back and look at it. Enough tension along the hem? Part of the drawstring is a piece of shock-cord in the stern. It lets you increase the tension by pulling out the line at the wooden toggle (try 10 inches) and shorten the drawstring. Just re-tie the wooden toggle. Then check it out. The more tension you desire, the harder you have to pull at the bow-string ends. The shroud slot should be vertical!
Tying down the cover
To tie the cover, get at least 1/4” soft line. Do not use a stretchy cord of any kind. It will stretch at the wrong time. When trailing, it will make the cover flap and wear. A rainshower will collect water in the cover from puddle to bucket.
When you tie it down use all the grommets; a long line of users demanded that many! Before you walk away from your boat, tilt it so no water collects on the cover. The lines you use could be washed once a year, they get gritty and start “sanding” your boat. Put a drop of oil into each snap or they will get harder to close and open. Eventually you could tear them out.
Waterproofing your cover
Some day, the cover may lose its waterproofing quality. An application of a protector such as 303 HITECH Fabric Guard by Sunbrite will restore it. It comes in those trigger pump bottles. You’ll need 2 quarts, at least. Follow the instructions!
Is all this worth it?
You will sell the boat one day, right? The prospective buyer will see how much care you took.
But before that: Fair Winds.
Hans
