Cover advice

[Jeffb]

Anyone order an aftermarket storage/trailerable cover and was happy enough with it to recommend it? Looking to get one for our 2015 220 that will hold up and not break the bank for now (>$500). I found the Taylor made semi-custom from west marine, as well as carver style of various material types and shorefit amung others. Stored anywhere from the heat of north Florida and up into the winters of eastern PA. Preferably one that’d cover the platform as well.

TIA!!

[NautiGirl]

Check out iBoats.com They sell custom westland covers, same company that makes the OEM covers for Cobalt. iBoats will usually do a coupon code for 20% off on big holidays, check out what you can find on Labor day weekend.

[Big Block Power]

I always send every one to BaldMikes.Com
Just tell him I sent you. A few guys have purchased from him already.

[Sublimecat]

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Westland, 227. Not a high dollar cover but keeps the boat dry. The straps to the trailer (not installed) keep it tight so it sheds water. Includes a vented pole and is reinforced over the windshield and ladder area. No complaints for the money. This cover will not see snow. The boat will be stored inside for the winter.

[skno]

I bought the Westland cover for my 220 in sunbrella fabric from coveranything.com seems like a nice cover

[JTinMO]

It kind of all comes down to what you want to pay. The factory one made by commercial sewing is $1K. It will work.

I am very much in the "buy once cry once" camp. You can probably find my other thread about a leaking cover for my 232. Because of this, my boat is currently sitting at Aurora Canvas in Missouri getting a custom cover made that going to cost every bit as much as the factory version. I will pick it up friday.

This will be my third custom cover from Aurora Canvas. My first was sold with a boat in fine shape. My second was just sold a month ago with another boat, and is 8 years old and still does not leak. It ran me $800 for it, and is made of the Aqualon fabric. It sat outside 365 days a year under whatever mother nature brings, and held up. I think I could have gone through 2-3 of the lesser covers in that timeframe. Aurora is also going to repair my factory cover while they have it.

My new one is going all out. Full custom cover with zip on sidewalls that extend below the boat. Also zip on secondary cover to fully cover the swim platform. It should be ready for war. I've got Seadek on the way, so want/need to cover the swim platform from the elements. I'll post up pics and review once I get it back and can take good photos.

Sorry if this does not help your quest directly, but wanted to add another option. In the long run, my cover cost per year evens out or maybe is less than buying lesser covers every other year or so.

[BIGGUSBLOCKUS]

Westland Sharkskin cover. +1 for Bald Mike too. Great honest guy who is easy to work with.

[cmattj]

I’m a big fan of Aqualon material for custom covers. Our last Boat had it.
Slightly plyable. Waterproof and the best UV protection. Very dark inside in direct sunlight as compared to sunbrella or sharksin. Pricey but worth it.

[JTinMO]

I’m a big fan of Aqualon material for custom covers. Our last Boat had it.
Slightly plyable. Waterproof and the best UV protection. Very dark inside in direct sunlight as compared to sunbrella or sharksin. Pricey but worth it.

Oh yes, it's pretty dark under the aqualon cover. It's thick.

They offer another grade material that is thicker than Aqualon. I almost went for it, but was afraid I would not be able to physically lift the cover to use it. I figure if my last aqualon cover lasted at least 8 years, that's good enough. I better have a dedicated man cave/garage built by then.

In reality I have a 12 month plan to have a garage built for it. So only need it to last a year.

[JTinMO]

There's not much info out there on the Aqualon, but found this youtube video that shows how tough it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG5phdWG1ow

I can attest to this as my last cover survived being hit by our tractor (wife issue, don't ask) and simply tore in a localized spot. Was able to be repaired easily with a patch.

Care is as simple as wash with a soft brush once a year with soap/water, and apply 303 Fabric Guard. Will be waterproof.

[Ytmsn]

I can attest to this as my last cover survived being hit by our tractor (wife issue, don't ask) and simply tore in a localized spot. Was able to be repaired easily with a patch.

Oooh no, I'm asking! That's sounds like a great story!

[JTinMO]

not much to it. She was mowing with the tractor (along side the boat) and the light guard on the roll over protection structure got too close to the boat and grabbed the cover and ripped it. It hit the boat as well, but only created a small scratch in the white gel coat. So no biggie. It was more of the issue of a torn cover that needed fixed asap.

Needless to say, ever since that episode there has been a 2' buffer rule employed around the tractor. And also not allowed to spray clippings all over the boat and trailer either. I had enough of that and had to law down the law.

Not fun.

[Driller]

I I better have a dedicated man cave/garage built by then.

In reality I have a 12 month plan to have a garage built for it. So only need it to last a year.

Check out this thread for a first class garage.

viewtopic.php?f=44&t=534&hilit=tuscany+garage

[Ytmsn]

not much to it. She was mowing with the tractor (along side the boat) and the light guard on the roll over protection structure got too close to the boat and grabbed the cover and ripped it. It hit the boat as well, but only created a small scratch in the white gel coat. So no biggie. It was more of the issue of a torn cover that needed fixed asap.

Needless to say, ever since that episode there has been a 2' buffer rule employed around the tractor. And also not allowed to spray clippings all over the boat and trailer either. I had enough of that and had to law down the law.

Not fun.

Hey I'm impressed that she'll mow! The closest mine ever gets to the lawn is walking across it.

[JTinMO]

not much to it. She was mowing with the tractor (along side the boat) and the light guard on the roll over protection structure got too close to the boat and grabbed the cover and ripped it. It hit the boat as well, but only created a small scratch in the white gel coat. So no biggie. It was more of the issue of a torn cover that needed fixed asap.

Needless to say, ever since that episode there has been a 2' buffer rule employed around the tractor. And also not allowed to spray clippings all over the boat and trailer either. I had enough of that and had to law down the law.

Not fun.

Hey I'm impressed that she'll mow! The closest mine ever gets to the lawn is walking across it.

Well, we have 10 acres, and 8+ of it is grass that needs mowed weekly. Went 5 years with a tractor and 60" deck, mowing 6 hours every weekend. Put in over 120 hours on the tractor yearly. And that's simply mowing. So two years ago we decided we needed our saturday's back. So we dumped $13K on an additional commercial zero turn mower, and we both mow and have the mowing time down to 2.5hrs all in. So it was either she mows as well, and she sees me on saturdays, or not. So she rides on the tractor and mows the easy flat part, and enjoys it, while I burn up ⅔ of the yard on the zero turn.

So now we have $30K in John Deere equipment, and bought the Cobalt earlier in the summer. And now need a separate garage to house it all. I'm thinking mowing all day was the cheaper route........