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Posts: 4266
| I see people traveling with boat covers on and off, what do you do and why? I leave the cover off, because no matter how tight the fit, I think air getting under the cover acts like a parachute producing unwanted drag.
On or off?
Beaver |
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Location: 31 | I run both ways depending on the weather and road conditions. One thing I don't like is having that “road film” all over inside the boat before I start fishing, plus the cover affords a little bit of theft protection if you stop for a burger or something. Normally I leave the cover off on the way back to kind of air it out, but a lot depends on how far away I am fishing, gravel roads, and time of the year.
I think it's a non-issue as far as extra drag being created from the cover being on in my boat, but I have a ratcheted cover that fits tight too. I have a backup camera on my tow vehicle that I can flip on to check the rig out with while driving, I never see it flapping or billowing.
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | I put the cover on for longer trips if the weather is bad or if I am hauling stuff in the boat that I don't want to blow out or get wet. I have not seen a major difference in gas mileage with or without the cover. The speed I drive is the most significant factor for mileage. |
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Posts: 665
Location: Twin Cities, MN | No cover for me when traveling. I do have one to keep the dirt and grime off in the off season though. |
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| On.
Custom built to fit properly so it doesn't "parachute" or "flap" in the wind, it improved my gas mileage by 1.5mpg.
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Posts: 134
Location: Central Wi | I have a 2025 ifs pro v and I seem to get better mileage with the cover on (1-2mpgs), it also seems to protect the windshield and some of the boat from rock chips. I have had times where I traveled with the cover off and I get to the landing and had rocks inside the boat. This is traveling mainly paved roads and with Rock Tamer mud flaps. Wouldnt take much to do some damage. However the good covers are not cheap, and still do rub and wear on stuff in the wind.
I also agree with the theft stuff, out of sight out of mind.
Edited by mattgski 4/9/2012 7:49 AM
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Posts: 55
| I agree with Matt on the mileage. I used to pull a 21 ft bay boat to the Fl. Keys 3 times a year and I noticed a 1 mpg gain with an off the shelf cover. With the big center console on a bay boat, I think I woulld have gained 2 to 3 mpg with a custom cover. That being said, I don't use the cover on my ranger because I have some problems with my left hand and can't really handle it. |
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Location: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin | I travel with it on...
First of all, my cover fits like a glove. I have a custom cover from, "Cindy Covers It" in the Eagle River area. They do excellent work and a good fit is the key. Also, the cover keeps all the road dirt and possible bad weather from making more work after the trip.
My brother doesn't travel with a cover. He believes that the plastic buckles are hard on the gelcoat. I don't have those issues because of the good fit. I have owned glass boats for years and have never had an issue from the cover on the gelcoat. Yet, he is my older brother and he isn't going to listen to his 52 year old "kid" brother:)
Pat
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Posts: 2037
Location: lansing, il | I have a full windshield so I dont like to travel without a cover. Plus with a cover, when you stop I am convinced out of sight out of mind keeps alot of the leeches and lurkers away. That said I am looking for a New decent Travel cover for reasonable money. If anyone knows of anybody in the Chicago area that isnt over priced let me know. I am about to pull the trigger on a Custom Travel cover from boatcovers.com they seem to be about the most reasonable I can find and will custom build it to my make and model.
Edited by muskihntr 4/9/2012 10:14 AM
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Posts: 127
| cover goes on for longer trips where the boat may be parked for an extended amount of time or if there is a chance of rain. never noticed a huge difference gas-mileage wise as long as the cover is secured and fits properly.
Edited by 10,000 Casts 4/9/2012 10:58 AM
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
Two major reasons I travel with a cover on for longer trips:
1st: Mileage. With a properly designed cover, it should not flap in the wind, nor balloon on you. General covers may have more of a tendency to flop and billow because there is too much fabric as compared to what the boat needs. A properly fitted cover will be tight, have the ability to shed water without pooling and will not billow or balloon. It will keep the passing air out of areas in the boat that can trap air or create currents that are not aerodynamic.
2nd: A potential theft deterrent. It is true that if a thief wants in, they will get in somehow. With a cover on, I feel people are less apt to try since trying to take something out of a covered boat is not as opportunistic as a "grab and go" situation. They have to either cut the cover, or untie, which takes away the 'quickness' of the grab. Thus...your items are a little more "safe"
3rd: Keeps things dry (depending on the cover). If you have to travel in rain, it is nice to be able keep things in the boat and keep them dry.
Steve
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| Off, weather permitting. It's easily accessible if rain starts up. Normally it doesn't get covered at stopping points on big trips, but it does get covered overnight when away from home. |
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Posts: 431
| Hey Muskyhunter did you ever hear back on that new cover company that is going to advertise here? |
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| 2 things i always scratch my head at...guys who cover their boats traveling and guys who buy boats based on rod storage length. never cover my boat and never put a rod in "storage". |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | silly - 4/9/2012 1:55 PM
2 things i always scratch my head at...guys who cover their boats traveling and guys who buy boats based on rod storage length. never cover my boat and never put a rod in "storage".
- traveling with a cover is better on gas mileage
- heavily decreases the chances of theft
- not all roads are made equal, a cover on a bad road could potentially save damage to your rig
not sure what there is to scratch your head at.... |
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Posts: 633
| When I go on vacation I have the cover on because I fill the boat, but for local I drive with it off. |
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | I travelled with my custom Ranger cover on my boat for one season, during a number of long trips, and am still paying the price with the 'hazing' that occured to the gunwhale caps of my boat from a cover that is custom fit and fits as tightly as any I've seen. I have buffed and rebuffed and have gotten it out for the most part, but the boat was near cherry when I purchased at 5 years old, and wasn't so after a season of hauling with the cover on. I started to notice it in areas where a rail(my boat is a tiller), cleat, trolling motor etc kept the cover from rubbing ever so slightly. Those areas didn't 'scratch'. I now cover my boat on the really bad roads, and drive easily down them. Otherwise we clean the rig when we get home, and cover at night and in storage. So, in short, it isn't always a complete 'no brainer' to cover the boat on all trips, as no cover is completely imune to the micro movements at highway speeds, which will eventualy cause micro scratches to glass rigs, especially on the tillers.
Edited by Reef Hawg 4/9/2012 9:08 PM
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Location: The Yahara Chain | I get five more miles per gallon when I tow with my cover on. My tow vehicle has a V6, I'm sure a V8 would not have as much of a difference. Pretty simple decision decision for me. |
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Posts: 422
| I travel with my cover on even on shorter trips because when I don't, there is always a bunch of little road pebbles all over the inside, the leaves pile up under the consoles and if the road is damp all that spray just coats the inside. I'll take the extra ten minutes before and after to not have the mess. But that's just me... |
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Posts: 4266
| I have a real nice, custom cover, and I load my boat with almost everything that I take up with me. The guys that make the trailers for Tuffy even beefed up my trailer an extra thousand pounds when I told them that my boat is always loaded for trips. I think that I'll try covering the boat this year when Taylor and I go up to MN and see how it goes. I even added extra straps around the trolling motor head, because that always seems to be an area that I can't get tight. I bought some clamps from Cheaper Than Dirt that I wrote about here, and I can get that cover mega-tight. I'll give it a try and report back. Maybe I'll stow the dogs in there too.
Beav |
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Posts: 128
| On, I also got a custom fitted that fits like it looks air tight. I've noticed better gas as well, I would highly recommend getting a custom cover if you are in the market for buying.. By custom I mean bring the boat in to a person/place who makes it not the "custom" ones you can order online cause those suck! |
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Location: 31 | double post...
Edited by Jerry Newman 4/11/2012 9:58 AM
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Location: 31 | Bytor - 4/9/2012 9:23 PM
I get five more miles per gallon when I tow with my cover on. My tow vehicle has a V6, I'm sure a V8 would not have as much of a difference. Pretty simple decision decision for me.
WOW, that's a ton... I may have to start putting the cover on every time now! |
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Posts: 11
Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI | A proper travel cover reduces wind drag that will improve mileage. Wind drag depends on the tow vehicle and the boat design so the mileage gain can vary a great deal from one setup to the next. |
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | I'm in the same "boat" as Reef Hawg. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | i learned my lesson w my Lund prior to my Ranger that reefhawg learned...no matter how tight dust and other things will rub on your boat and you'll end up ticked off...I NEVER cover my Ranger when traveling..it might provide a bit better gas mileage but I'd rather keep the hull in the best condition possible and avoid those rub marks/hazing etc my Lund got from covering it.... doesn't bother me if it gets wet...we fish outside right? ; ) |
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| My cover is felt lined around the entire edge and has felt lined flaps that position behind the straps/clips as well. Gelcoat looks as good as ever.
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Posts: 109
Location: Spencer, Wisconsin | I travel locally with the cover off but on longer trip(s) I strap it on to keep the road grime down. Then on the way back home I leave it off to air out as well. |
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Posts: 41
| I have always traveled with my cover off as I was nervous of the parachuting effect and the possibility of pulling the snaps out of the fabric if air got under the cover. Has anyone had this problem? I may have to try driving with the cover on this summer...
--Joe |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | For the guys with "custom" covers that were made specifically for your boat, how much did they cost? I am just looking for a ballpark figure. We are getting a mooring cover with the new Lund we're picking up next week, but I don't know how good this would be to have on the boat while towing it. Since we're going to be pulling it to northern Wisconsin a fair amount this Summer, I'd like to be able to protect it on the highway. In the past I never towed my boat with a cover on, but I was generally only going 8-10 miles to Green Bay. But now we'll be fishing up north primarily, so there will be a lot more towing involved--so I'll probably look at getting one made.
Thanks.
TB |
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Posts: 373
Location: Maine Township, MN | I was quoted $600-$700 at Canvas Craft for a 16.5'. |
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Travel with cover on or off?