Boat cover

  • My boat is kept outdoors. I've learned that the boat will start to look nasty being kept this way after a few weeks. The most obvious culprits are dust and little particles of vegetation, especially these little round pieces that I think are coming from the palm trees. Once the plant matter stays on the boat for a while it discolors the gel coat and requires a really good scrubbing. How much structural damage the gel coat sustains from the sun I don't have the experience to know. But I think with regular washing and waxing before it gets too dirty should keep it in good condition. I don't think water should make a difference as long as it can drain and evaporate.


    So I've been looking at boat covers and they're expensive. I'm also not sure of their durability, and suspect there's a lot of heat built up under them as they're not really made to allow air to circulate. So I got an idea to use this material and I want to know if anyone has used it before for a boat cover. For my patio I installed about a year ago these Coolaroo sails. They're basically very durable shade cloth, and relatively expensive because they're chic nowadays. They'll keep the rain out some but are water permeable, they're made of loosely woven synthetic fibers, almost like very thin fishing line.



    The main thing they do is provide shade while still allowing air circulation (these pics are not my house).




    Once I had the coolaroo sails for a while I wanted to install them in other parts of the house. But because they're expensive I tried to find something comparable that's just labeled shade cloth. I ordered some material online that looked similar but the construction was completely different and looked inferior so I returned it. I was at Harbor freight recently and noticed what they call a mesh tarp. Surprisingly it was much more similar to the coolaroo fabric than the other stuff I bought, and looked durable. Not at all like the blue or brown tarp which I know disintegrates in the Florida sun after a few months.





    This one is 12' x 19', perfect size for my boat. I'm thinking that it will definitely stop the dust and vegetation, provide some sun protection and at the same time allow air circulation so things don't get too hot underneath. In heavy rain some water will make it into the boat but it will drain, and the rest will evaporate quickly because of the air circulation. The only thing I don't like is the color but for $50 vs. a $400 cover you can't complain. I think it's worth a shot, but maybe someone has experience with this material for a boat cover and can give me a heads up.

  • Dan that looks a lot like what my stepmom uses over on if her garden beds in the hottest part of the summer. If it is them I can tell you it holds up well to UV, she's used one for two years w no rotting or cracking, an it does a great job at stopping the heat, temp under it are about ten to fifteen degrees lower.


    My only thought is that the shade works because it is suspended above the garden, not draped over it like I envision the boat cover. I think that enough air should move through the tarp so the heat won't build up so I still don't see that as a problem.


    Also be sure nothing can get stuck under the cover, like plant material, as now that will be held in place and could do more damage/ discoloration than in the old setup.


    Seems like an elegant and simple solution to a big south Florida gripe. Please let us know how it works out

    i like to spear fish

  • The mesh worked to keep plant material out of the boat, but it didn't stop small sandy particles. After mowing my lawn the boat was dirty inside from all the dust the lawn mower lifted up off the ground. So I won't be using the mesh, although it can be an alternative for some situations.


    I was able to find a good quality cover that fit my boat well. It's a StormPro cover size D and I bought it at mytarp.com for $140 http://www.mytarp.com/stormpro-boat-cover.aspx. The cover material feels durable to me, it's Denier 600. The rain is sliding off of it like water off a ducks back. The specs for the cover are:
    17'L TO 19'L
    FITS BEAM WIDTH TO 102"
    My boat is an 18ft Zodiac rigid inflatable, and the cover fits pretty good. The main problem with a RIB is the beam vs. length ratio, because of the tubes the beam length tends to require a cover that is too long for the boat. I opted for the right length and the cover ends at the rub rail on the tubes which is at about the midway point. Everything is nice and tight, and rain water doesn't collect anywhere because of the center console.


  • Boat cover....or chain saw.
    I keep my boat under my house on a concrete slab and it gets dirty. I live about 2 miles from the sea with salt water shrimp ponds about 50 yards behind my house...upwind. Nothing really dries and dirt sticks to it. But if I take the boat out every week....which is pretty much the case, I wash it once a week. If it sits for 3 or more weeks, it collects all kinds of dust and dirt.

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