Because I don’t know.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
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I suspect you would be looking for trouble- when a little wind gets under your cover you likely will dramatically shorten the life of your canvas.
 
G Gallagher":34lnc41p said:
...when a little wind gets under your cover you likely will dramatically shorten the life of your canvas.
Click to expand...

And if the canvas doesn't get ripped/ruined, the buffeting will slowly pull out the snaps from the fiberglass as well.

There's no good reason to tow with a cover on, IMO. Weather is a non-issue, and any concerns about theft are better handled by placing items in the locked v-berth and/or tow vehicle. They take minutes to put on/off, and can be easily stowed while underway.
 
Connie,

Bad idea!!!! Don't ask me how I know....

Does anyone know how much a repaint would cost on the motor cover?

Snaps just beat the daylights out of the paint job when you're doing 70mph through Nevada... Oh, and it pops the snaps out of the canvas... But don't ask me how i know :sad :sad :oops: :oops:
 
I have towed with my storage cover on, for short, and low speed trips only. It does not snap on so didn't have to worry about those. BUT, I would not do hiway towing with either the storage or mooring cover. I think it is asking for trouble. I would consider window covers for towing though. I think that is a good idea (to protect the windows) and I have seen some neat bow (forward hull) protectors too. Would consider that for long trips or where towing is going to be the major mode of travel.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

IMGP6319.thumb.jpg
 
Wandering Sagebrush":24kc4y3e said:
Connie,

Bad idea!!!! Don't ask me how I know....

Does anyone know how much a repaint would cost on the motor cover?

Snaps just beat the daylights out of the paint job when you're doing 70mph through Nevada... Oh, and it pops the snaps out of the canvas... But don't ask me how i know :sad :sad :oops: :oops:
Click to expand...

Boy this brings back some nightmares. :crook We do seem to learn our lessons through our wallet it seems. If only the C-Brats site had been around 25 years ago. :roll:
 
I have always heard that “Education is expensive”, if fact;

Derek Bok said: "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance"

Fortunately, this time, I ask before learning the hard way, appreciate your input.

Thank you for the comments.

Regards,

Ron Fisher

If a man must be obsessed by something I suppose a boat
is as good as anything, perhaps a bit better than most -E. B. White
 
I have always towed with the camper canvas up on both the 22 and the 27. Never a problem with either one. Mostly tow around here, everett to bellingham, but we are doing 60mph. I have even gone to portland with the 22, again at 60mph or so. Only time anything flopped around was when I forgot to button something down. I caught sight of it in the rear view mirrow in the first mile and stopped to snap it. I would take it for a test drive to see but thats just me.
 
Might need to add this subject to the same genre as twins-vs-single and trailer-with-motor-up-or-down.

I travel with my mooring cover on all the time at highway speeds; never had a problem. However, my cover is attached across the top and at the bottom forward corner with these. I've never had a problem with the cover coming loose.
 
Ron,

If your Tonneau (Cockpit) Cover is properly designed and installed there should be
no problems trailering at highway speeds.
I have been trailering boats for 30+ years for long (3000 mile) distances with no
problems. Just as a precaution, I periodically check all of the snaps to make sure that they are secured.

The cover has to fit tight when snapped on. It appears that your cover fits pretty loose which can "flap in the breeze" for sure. It also looks like more snaps need to be installed on the sides to prevent "ballooning". Also if the cover material is too
soft it will stretch and fit looser over time. I have had better luck with embossed
UV stabilized vinyl which is made for boat covers, tonneau covers etc..
The cover on my CD22 is coming up on 6 years old and is essentially like new.
The cockpit cover on my SeaRay was 16 years old when I sold it and I never experienced and rips or tears while trailering.
In regards to protection while towing especially with the C-dory it keeps the
cockpit and everything in it clean and dry.
Case in point: We purchased the boat new in St Louis (because that was the closest dealer) and it did not have a cover and by the time towed the boat back to Colorado Springs the cockpit was a mess (dirty and wet) So a properly fitted cover DOES keep the cockpit clean and dry.
Just so you know, a MOORING cover is not meant to be trailered, if you do it WILL
beat your boat to death. (The nice, shiny gel coat that is)

I put a picture in my album at the end showing the cockpit cover.

Hope this helps,
Mike
"Allyson Marie"
 
Still Crazy has been towed around 8 thousand miles with the cover up. It also has the twist locks instead of snaps along the rear cabin top. That is the part that if it comes loose becomes a giant air scoop. I would have no problem towing without the cover up other than the fact that we occasionally stop at hotels/motels and have to put the cover up for security anyway. I suppose there will come a time when the canvas will weaken enough to tear, but then it will be close to time for replacement anyway. The cover I have has been doing good service for almost 6 years.

It does fit very snug, leaving little room for billowing.
 
The only cover we use is the front windshield cover. We have had bimini covers damaged (not the bimini, but the cover over the rolled up
Bimini. ) You can get away with the full canvas cover, or a mooring cover (or even a full cover, it it is absolutely tight. But...it can cause some abrasion. We also tow the Caracal and take the seat covers, the console cover and the engine cover off. The bimini is below the forward casting platform, so out of the wind slip stream.
 
New Moon's Sunbrella covers have survived 60K miles of towing so far. I'd say the windshield cover is essential, as are the covers for the searchlight and mouths of the hailer speaker and horns. The cockpit cover keeps out a ton of road grime on the long trek up to Prince Rupert, and hides the nice crab traps, dinghy etc as well.

The cockpit cover is attached under the roof overhang by sail rope tracks, which have been flawless. Both windshield and cockpit covers have had snaps replaced from time to time, and we've patched small wear spots on the windshield cover, but that's about it.
1998NewMoonOnTheRoad.jpg
 
When we picked up our boat from the factory, we were told specifically to not tow with the windshield cover on, that it would cause abrasion to the glass. Also, to not tow with the bimini or camperback up. We have been considering a cockpit cover for times when the boat is in storage - sure would be nice to keep blowing dirt out of the cockpit.
 
I don't know what kind of window cover your factory was talking about, but some abrasion is a lot better than a rock through the window. That will happen sooner or later without a window cover and when you are towing. You are more likely to throw a rock through your window towing slowly because the rock takes longer to fling out of the tread. Slower movement of the wheel will more likely throw the rock on a higher trajectory. (Laws of centrifugal force). My window cover has a nice soft felty kind of backside. If that will abrade the glass, then the glass is crap from the get go. No indication of wear on the window after many thousands of miles. Also, the window cover is pretty much drum tight. Not much room for abrasive motion.
 
Wasn't my factory, it was the Reynolds' reign at the C-Dory factory at the time. Pretty sure you and I have the same Diamond Sea Glaze windows; mine aren't "crap." I didn't say it was my advice, only stating what the folks who built the boat recommended. Our windshield cover is the stock item made by King - same Sunbrella as the window covers. It is tight, with 4 attachment points, but that does leave some room for flex in the middle. We do have a little experience with towing this boat - upwards of 40,000 miles now. Any way you wanna do it with your boat is fine by me. Sheesh! :roll:

I guess it's time for me to go out on my boat. :hot
 
No offense intended.

I'd just gotten off my collector car website. Those guys are brutal. I didn't change into my C-brats more genteel website mode quick enough.

My window cover is snapped about every foot to 18 inches across the top and bottom. And three down each side. So when I say drum tight, that is what happens with all those snaps.

So, it sounds like the answer to the posters original question is: "It depends."

Jim,

You and I were probably twins, separated at birth.

Photographer? Check
Pilot? Check
Sailor? Check
Power boater? Check
Likes to write? Check
Married for decades to a sexy blond? Check

Have a great day in the warm sun. 40 Degrees with wind here in northern Utah.
 
Ours only has 4 snaps, but is tight--except a couple of times one snap has come loose. Standard Sunbrella. No evidence of abrasion on the glass or frame. We only have a total of about 9,000 miles on this boat towing.

What I have seen is the bra's on both "Toad" or RV fronts get dirt under them, and then abrade paint and glass on head lights etc...so if grit or sand gets under the cover, it can certainly cause problems. I am going to continue to use the cover on the windshield.
 
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