Finally bit the bullet and had a custom cover made

Having one made is almost prohibitively expensive but you can be assured that it will fit like a glove. I bought one of those semi custom jobs that was supposed to fit my boat. It fit like a potato sack so I returned it.

I have been keeping the boat in a storage unit since March and could have almost paid for the custom cover by now with what I have been out.

The guy did a fantastic job. It is made from Sunbrella material and is 100% waterproof. He normally makes trailerable covers but I wanted to be able to let the motor all of the way down so water doesn't freeze in the prop and exhaust this winter. I might be able to play with this one a bit and still trailer with it by taking up some of the slack ahead of the motor when it is raised. I figured it would have come with some sort of straps but the ropes that he used will probably be less of a pain. I can always add some cheap straps if need be.

Nice! Looks like he did a great job!

ST

that looks awesome. I have got to do something with my jon boat too... I don't want to leave it outside uncovered, so right now it's taking up my parking spot in the garage....

yep, it was worth it.

He did a great job 8)

Nice cover! 8)

I cleaned the boat up yesterday so that I could put a coat of wax on the trailer since it will be sitting outside full time.

Now I just need to find something that would serve as a sort of wax against sun fading for the flat paint on the boat. Going on past experience, it fades out very quickly when exposed to the sun daily.

I wonder if you could just leave the wax on it over the winter? I've never done it, so have no idea about any adverse effects?

ST

Conventional wax on flat paint normally doesn't work very well in my experience. The wax either takes the paint right off, causes it to chalk or makes it glossy.

I will use this boat over the winter duck hunting as well. Hopefully there is something out there meant for protective use on flat paints. I just haven't found it yet.

Quackrstackr said:

I cleaned the boat up yesterday so that I could put a coat of wax on the trailer since it will be sitting outside full time.

Now I just need to find something that would serve as a sort of wax against sun fading for the flat paint on the boat. Going on past experience, it fades out very quickly when exposed to the sun daily.

Click to expand...

I do the same thing (wax the trailer) before I move the boat outside to sit through winter. My cheapo cover from WalMart covers the sides fairly well, but I've also thought about waxing the lower half of the hull sides. Treat the trailer wheels with some good tire treatment (I use Meguiar's Tire Gel), let dry, then cover with some plastic to keep the UV rays off the tires while setting all winter. I also remove the spare and keep it in the garage unitl warm weather returns.

nice looking cover

Quackrstackr said:

Conventional wax on flat paint normally doesn't work very well in my experience. The wax either takes the paint right off, causes it to chalk or makes it glossy.

I will use this boat over the winter duck hunting as well. Hopefully there is something out there meant for protective use on flat paints. I just haven't found it yet.

Click to expand...

#-o ...lol, you know I read that (about flat paint)......but it didn't even register......lol, so....nevermind

ST

That is very nice! If you don't mind me asking, Roughly, How much have you got in yours? And who did you get it from? I'd love to look into one of these for my boat....Just really doubt i'd be able to afford one anytime soon. :?

Everyone that I called about making a custom cover (even the big manufacturers that you find on the net) charge per foot. All of them were in the $500 neighborhood for a 17' boat with Sunbrella material.

I really did not want to spend that on a cover for this boat but I had to factor in what it was costing me for a storage unit (even at the one my in-law's own, so I was getting a big discount), what I had spent previously on tarps of equivalent size that I was buying for the ski boat that I sold in July and how long one of these custom covers is supposed to last.

I was spending $50 a month for storage. A tarp from Lowe's big enough for this boat is $50 and you might get 6 months out of one. They tend to delaminate and fill your boat with little chips of nylon that are a pia to clean out. The quality of them vs what you get for your money has really gone downhill in the last 10 years as well. After much research, a Sunbrella cover is supposed to last 10+ years and I don't have to worry about the thing busting wide open in the middle of a snow storm or downpour.

I bought one of the semi custom covers with the 3 year gaurantee from Wal Mart initially for this boat. It was $90 and change. Since my boat has cable steering, it left a gaping hole in front of the motor where the cables are and the motor cover didn't come anywhere near fitting. There was a lot of extra material here and there that would have required either bows or some sort of stands be installed to take all of the slack out and keep it from becoming a swimming pool.

I had an area upholstery guy make it for me. He was the name that kept coming up in recommendations from the various boat dealers that I was talking to in the area about having one made.