Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
- thunder550
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Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
Got a 430 mile trip with the boat coming up this week. Was planning to tow with the bow and cockpit covers on...they were on the boat when it was delivered from MD to AZ with no issues. Since then I've added tent poles to keep rain from pooling up. Question is, should I tow with the tent poles in place to help take up slack in the cover, or go without?
1995 Cobalt 252 - 502 Mag EFI - Bravo 1 - 21" Revolution 4
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
Keep it tight. When I towed mine to Tr and back that way no issues. I'll be going 5 hours north too lake superior in 2 weeks the same way.
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
Cool, will do. Thanks BBP 
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
You going to Powell?
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
I wish. Navajo Lake in northwest New Mexico. Going to visit my aunt, she lives about 10 miles from the lake. We decided to take the boat with us and explore while we're there
It's at 7200 ft elevation, should be interesting to see what the performance difference is coming from 1700 ft here
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
I'm sure it will be better. Lolthunder550 wrote: Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:02 pm I wish. Navajo Lake in northwest New Mexico. Going to visit my aunt, she lives about 10 miles from the lake. We decided to take the boat with us and explore while we're thereIt's at 7200 ft elevation, should be interesting to see what the performance difference is coming from 1700 ft here
Do you have any lower pitch props. Or take one of your turbos off the suv.lol
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
I only have the 21p Rev 4 and the original 23p Mirage 3 blade. Going to take both, doubt I'll go through the trouble of swapping though. Big block torque may be less but should still be plenty to get us up and moving.
I'll pack a leaf blower and a can of Pringles though just in case


I'll pack a leaf blower and a can of Pringles though just in case


1995 Cobalt 252 - 502 Mag EFI - Bravo 1 - 21" Revolution 4
Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
We put the bow cover and poles in. We towed 6 hrs that way with no issues and regularly tow about an hour at interstate speeds with no issues. The 1 time I towed without the bow cover on, we lost the large cockpit piece of carpet on the highway.
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
That's factory on the Mercedes. Lol
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
I tow with my poles all the time. It helps that the rear pole has a snap to keep it in place,and the front is tight enough not to need one. Occasionally it will fall over, but only if I'm in very high wind.
When sliderule sees your engine mods he's going to throw up a little.
When sliderule sees your engine mods he's going to throw up a little.
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
Thanks! Does your carpet snap in?klennop wrote: Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:46 pm We put the bow cover and poles in. We towed 6 hrs that way with no issues and regularly tow about an hour at interstate speeds with no issues. The 1 time I towed without the bow cover on, we lost the large cockpit piece of carpet on the highway.
The hamsters love running through the Pringles can too.
All 3 of my poles snap in, so that should keep them upright I hope.Ytmsn wrote: Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:17 pm I tow with my poles all the time. It helps that the rear pole has a snap to keep it in place,and the front is tight enough not to need one. Occasionally it will fall over, but only if I'm in very high wind.
When sliderule sees your engine mods he's going to throw up a little.
I found those pics on a 24 Hours of Lemons page, they were legitimately discussing the merits of leaf blower forced induction. They even had someone try to drive a turbo compressor with a windmill

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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
Roadkill did an episode where they put 6 gas powered leaf blowers in the rear hatch of a car and rigged a forced induction system that actually worked!
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
Man that’s some funny stuff looking at those engine mod pics.

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sailor55330
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Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
I guess I would beg to differ. I have my poles tight and my front cover comes unsnapped at 60-65 mph about every 50 miles. On top of that, one of my rear snaps pulled out---for the second time, leaving a hole in the gelcoat that the dealer will have to fix for the second time.
As much as I like to tow with covers, it hasn't worked out well for me.
As much as I like to tow with covers, it hasn't worked out well for me.
Re: Towing with cockpit and bow cover - tent poles or no?
Sailor, it may be as simple as replacing some of your weaker snaps with new ones.
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