To Cover or Not to Cover?

[ColinC]

Made the call. Went with a Sunbrella cover in Captain's Navy by Westland. Should be pretty snug with two poles and the cam lock cincher.

Will post photos once the boat and cover arrive!

[Big Block Power]

Colin it's got to be there soon. What's the word.

[vans]

I have same dilemma, I had a cover made with ratchet strap but it also has straps that go to trailer, worried about chafing, my cockpit cover has blown off and got tore up twice, I believe it doesn't stay on as I take tower down and put cockpit cover over which it wasn't designed for

Anyone trailer with tower up? I pull mine 6-7 times a year on a 250 mile round trip
Thanks

[Big Block Power]

Yep tow mine with tower up every time. Came from Kansas to Wisconsin no issues. I've never had a bow or cockpit cover blow off. Yes I've heard of that happening. I boated with a guy this weekend that used ropes instead of the straps to attach out to the trailer. He hasn't had any issues with his chafing.

[vans]

Big Block
What I call "tower" is actually just Bimini top, I'm afraid it isn't supported well enough for highway speeds, although it's a pain in the a** lowering top every time I trailer it
Are we talking same?

[Big Block Power]

No tower is for wake boarding and a binimi is used for blocking the sun. No I would never tow with my binimi open. Yes I have towed it across the country in the closed position. Sorry but what model and year boat do you have? I never found a Cobalt binimi that difficult to take up and down?
Towed this from Colorado to Wisconsin and from Wisconsin too Missouri. No issues.

[vans]

I have same boat as you, 06 350mag, bravo 3

Yes, I would never trailer with Bimini open, I don't hardly ever run boat with it up, I'm glad you've had success trailering with Bimini up, I'll try same.
As far as lowering Bimini frame it's just removing the two braces, I took a noodle, cut in half to fit Bimini tubing when laying down on rear cushion

I'm in SW Michigan

[Big Block Power]

Correct that is the same thing that I do when I lay it down. I use bungee cords to hold the poles together so they don't flop around. I also put the cross support poles in the binimi boot though. I wouldn't hesitate about pulling with it up. Oh just don't back it in the garage with it up.lol

[Skiingstrongman]

We towed my fathers 2001 226 all over creation with the Bimini up and closed never had an issue. I guess you could run into an issue if you're worried about height from overhangs but not a structural integrity issue.

[ColinC]

Colin it's got to be there soon. What's the word.

Another week. The wait is killing me!

[Big Block Power]

Man it's killing me and it's not even mine.lol

[Southernboatman]

BBP - Good idea. Sunny skies, go topless!

2Burgs - As BBP indicated, the Westland is factory OEM for my 2007 212. Prices vary by material and size, but in Sunbrella it runs about $700 and for Sharkskin Supreme (Cobalt spec) it runs about $500. It doesn't have the nylon band with ratchet. Rather, it has a rope instead and some people add a cam-lock to simplify the tightening of the rope. At some point Cobalt switched from Westland to Commercial Sewing and their Outer Armor covers with vacu-hold. Some good videos on YouTube on the Commercial Sewing / Outer Armor cover:

Product Demo - Towing a Cobalt @ 65 MPH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjTHYjhz45o
(looks like they are using poles)

How to Install
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL3CPmNIW5k
(shows how tight it should be at about the 4:05 mark)

Thank you ColinC for this link "how to install mooring cover"!!!