Covers and material selection

[mphatc]

The Corsican needs a new cover, and am lost on material selection. Too many options

The boat has a new lexan windshield which is free standing. The original ****pit cover put to much strain on the lexan and warped the previous windshield . .

There are so many different materials on the market, I don't know what I need.
HELP!!
My last cover was a thin canvas with a plastic inner lining, ultimately it glued itself to my deck and needed to be peeled off, leaving a plastic residue which was a PIA to remove. I'd like a cover that will work for trailering, but also need something as a mooring cover . . do I need to buy two covers?

The ski lockers are outboard of the ****pit, so my old cover would drain all the rain into the ski lockers, and ultimately into the bilge . .DOH, why even cover it then??

Should the cover for trailering have a lining to protect the lexan?

I've had boats my whole life, and always had them on a mooring, and the standard canvas cover worked just fine, but I think my needs here are different . ??? as this boat is only moored weekends.

Thank you!
Mario L.

[smokediver]

sunbrella is a really nice fabric .. it kinda boils down to how much you want to spend ... like everything else !:yes:

[RickR]

SUNBRELLA, Mine is 7 years old. Except for dust and pollen it looks like new.
www.overtons.com

[raa711]

The Sunbrella on my "16" repels water better than any cover I've ever owned. Problem is, the stuff is getting outrageously expensive. Still, it's the material to use.

[BUIZILLA]

you can use Sunbrella and have a softer liner stiched inside to protect the windshield area, that's what I did on the last 3 I had made...

[Tidbart]

Sunbrella. Keep it clean and it will stay waterproof.
You can also buy it as bulk cloth, if you can sew.:wink:

B

[VetteLT193]

Sunbrella really is a great product. The only down side is it is heavy and bulky. I did the math on Sunbrella Vs. cheap cover and I could replace a cheap cover every year and still be ahead of the game... but, you get what you pay for.

So, I'm probably even more confused than you are... for now I'm using a cheap cover I picked up at costco but may upgrade in the future.

[zelatore]

I too have a sunbrella cover. I don't normally tow very far so I usually just uncover the boat in the driveway before heading out, but when I went to Powell in June I had it on with no real probelms for something like 800 miles each way.

The only thing I'd be worried about in your situation is towing. Usually you have to snug them down really well to keep the cover from flapping in the wind at 75 mph. If it starts to flap, that's where it will start to tear or possibly beat against the boat and chaif the gelcoat. But with your unsupported windshield, you'll have to be carefull about getting a good ballance between tight and too tight.

[BigGrizzly]

I had a vinel lined on the criterion but it would get condensation in it. Last august, I got a sunbrella one made by the guy who did my interior, No condensation and no water. I have towed at a very high rate of speed with no problems. I have a full cover for my docking on the lift. I am going to have him make peoplepit cover that snaps to the wind shield screws and around the back of the seats for towing

[zelatore]

peoplepit cover

See, now that right there is funny....:tongue:

[chappy]

Peoplepit......................:rofl:



Imagine repeating that one with a 12 pack in ya.

[mphatc]

peoplepit . .Now that needs to be added to Websters . .. certainly unique BigGrizzly! good way to hijack the thread!

I actually went in to edit my initial post when I saw it like that , not knowing . .

Sunbrella it is, looks like a consensus here, and at this point what is money, the whole boat thing is just a sinkhole for dollars anyways.

Thank you,
Mario

[Dr. Dan]

:smash:Mario...one of these times you're gonna have to get outside the Box and join us at Winnie... never understood why the absence...but hey...thats another topic!

I have had a Sunbrella Cover from Coverquest.com since 2002, it has on the conservative side 75,000 miles on it...and it doesn't chaf, it does have wear marks... but the important thing with any long term covering is a mixed bag...you want a balance of Breathability and Protection...kinda like a an ideal condem...but really different.... but I digress! :angel:

Fact is I am just now about to order another Cover... I can and likely will repair this one... but I have been very impressed with the overall performance and versatility of this Fabric.

The faded gel all but stopped once i kept it covered and it really protects from Stones and Tar on the highway. If I am running in clear skies I will tow it full uncovered and open.... but heck my vehicle will cause most of the damage on a 7 hour plus Tow...so I usually cover it to protect it... I can buff out any small marks, in most cases you can throw some chaffing protection of your choice over alot of the areas of any real friction.

Great Fabric.... Good Luck... and hey the Lake George Fall Picnic is coming up...Sept 5th thru 7th. It would be way cool to see you again... you can ride with me if ya don't have the boat ready or whatever....

Be Well

Doc of the Bay :doh:

[kramsay1234]

There is also a material called "TopGun" that I used to have a mooring cover made for my last boat. It was between that and Sunbrella, but the Top Gun is a little more water resistant naturally without the spray protectant that is applied to it and should be re-applied every few years. I actually think the Sunbrella is nicer looking and feeling though. I don't think the cost was that much cheaper for TopGun either. I just wanted something with the best water resistance. The TopGun feels more like vinyl than the Sunbrella, which has the canvas material feel.

[BigGrizzly]

Mario, I did forget to mention that I also have an 11 year old sunbrella full towing that I don't use except at mooring-dock, that still looks great. I just found that Sunbrella makes a material that is normal on the out side but with a soft inside layer too. It just came out at the end of last summer.

[knots2u]

Regular Sunbrella for the peoplepit cover, Sunbrella Plus for the full cover. Sunbrella Plus has the soft inner surface that BigGriz mentioned.