Outboard Vented covers

A

AKFisher

New member
Has anyone used an outboard vented cover while running their boat? Since I do a lot of fishing on mine, I think this would be great for keep the fish mess off the cowling.
 
Aren't all outboard covers vented? How else does the engine get air for combustion?

My Honda BF90 cover has vents at the top rear. Doubles as a handle for removing the cover.
 
I am betting that AKFisher is asking about covers that go over the cowling. I wish I had known about them years ago. Might have saved me a few $$ in paint service. My covers were getting to look like they had measles, or the pox -- paint pitting and looking bad. (My bad, I didn't know I should have been waxing them when I did the boat.) So, I learned a $100 lesson. When I had to have some paint and body work done on my truck I asked the shop owner if He would just spray them the same color as the truck. Yup, he would. He did some masking and they came out nice. Now, I want to add covers so I don't need to do that again in another 10 years.

So, Yes, I'm wondering about running with covers on as well. How to, since I am cruising, do I take them off to run and them put them on when not? Do you have to take them off and and wash down the cowl, let it dry and them put them back on?

I now know the spotting and pitting come from the sun being magnified onto the paint surface by the water droplets that sit there as it dries.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Harvey, I have used canvas/Sunbrella covers on several of my outboards. They did not have any opening for the air intake--thus cannot be left in place while running.
 
Recently, I saw a boat with a Suzuki 150 outboard motor that had a soft leather looking or vinyl vented cover. The cover had reinforced sewn openings with a netting material covering all areas of the vented cowling. It was white and looked professionally made. My concern would be that scratches or blemishes would develop over time on the cowling with the accumulation of dried salt or dirt getting under the cover.

I have not been able to find on-line a Outboard Motor Vented Cover as nice as the one I saw and so I think this cover was custom made. Nice looking though.
 
I have seen some covers, (Yamaha) but don't remember if they were ventied or not. It would seem they woiuld need to be if used when running. I agree, if they are left on all the time there would be wear patterns from teh cover :cry: so maybe it is 6 of one and half dozen of the other : wear from the cover or from not being covered.

Not sure if we are addressing what the OP was actually looking for here, but I'm still curious about some sore of flexible, fabric/textile/vinyl cover to prevent sun damage vs just a cover for storage.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Although there are some tight fitting outboard cowl covers, the majority are fairly loose, and no damage to the paint on the cowling.
 
thataway":3243u4b6 said:
Although there are some tight fitting outboard cowl covers, the majority are fairly loose, and no damage to the paint on the cowling.
Click to expand...

If you leave them on when running, then loose covers can damage the paint underneath by flapping against it.
 
ssobol":18864y4m said:
thataway":18864y4m said:
Although there are some tight fitting outboard cowl covers, the majority are fairly loose, and no damage to the paint on the cowling.
Click to expand...

If you leave them on when running, then loose covers can damage the paint underneath by flapping against it.
Click to expand...

The covers are NEVER left on when running....at least the ones I have used.
 
The white vinyl like cowling cover I saw on a boat just weeks ago was in my opinion a boat that had traveled on the water in the San Juans for a set period of time. The cover had cut-outs for the areas on the motor which required venting. This cover appeared to be securely attached to the cowling and I would not be surprised if the owner kept the cover on the cowling full time while he was traveling on the water. The cover looked nicely constructed in white material. My outboard cowling (without a cover) is black and looks very 'dirty' when I have been in salt water for long periods of time. The looks of the boat with the white cowling cover when compared to my cowling without a cover was night and day. His motor had the appearance of being clean and fresh while mine looked terrible with heavy dried salt accumulation. I still wonder if dried salt (or dirt and dust) under his cover being used in saltwater along with motor vibration and boat pounding and movement would eventually make scratches in the plastic/paint surface over time.
 
I am pretty sure that "down south" of the other border, they use old tee shirts for OB covers. For what, why and do they do any good?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Mark, I looked at that website. CRAZY, must have a problem with decimals or pricing. NO price on the OB cover but . . . . VVVVV

attwood Attwood Boat Seat Swivel, black, 6-1/4"
4.6 out of 5 stars 3,351
₹2,731.00
Only 1 left in stock.

Or maybe the website ended in Dot CHINA instead of .com :lol:

And they are not available now. :evil:

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Harvey,

I've been getting a lot of sites that now provide prices in Indian currency. I don't even know what their currency is called. I must have done something wrong in a prior life.

Anyway, I paid about $25 for a cheap cover that works fine and stays on when trailered. The most difficult part about the cheap covers is deciding what size is needed. You have to read all the unsatified reviews from people who bought the wrong size to figure out the necessary size.
 
Marco Flamingo":2h8k2cte said:
Harvey,

I've been getting a lot of sites that now provide prices in Indian currency. I don't even know what their currency is called. I must have done something wrong in a prior life.

Anyway, I paid about $25 for a cheap cover that works fine and stays on when trailered. The most difficult part about the cheap covers is deciding what size is needed. You have to read all the unsatified reviews from people who bought the wrong size to figure out the necessary size.
Click to expand...

Well, for sure I know it is way more in US$ than I was going to look at, then later noticed the weird mark wasn't a Dollar sign. Sure glad you didn't get skunked on that one.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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