Towing with the cover

(doubleup_dan) · (doubleup_dan) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 10-21-2007, 1:50 AM

is it fine to tow my xstar with the cover on? i will be driving for 7 or so hours i just wanted to know will it be bad for the cover?

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 10-21-2007, 7:13 AM

Depends on what kind of cover it is. Is it a towing cover? I've towed my boat 8 hours with the cover on with no problems. You just have to make sure it's on very tight, check it at gas stations, etc.. If it's not tight enough it will make rub marks, they are easlily buffed out though.

(pri3st) · (pri3st) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 10-21-2007, 7:18 AM

I wouldn't tow with the cover on, unless it was absolutely necessary. Anywhere it touches gel coat or vinyl it's going to rub.

(wakereviews) · (wakereviews) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 10-21-2007, 7:32 AM

I personally never do it.

(yubasanger) · (yubasanger) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 10-23-2007, 1:28 AM

I don't, it puts a lot more stress on the stitching and the fabric and will shorten the life of most covers. Also if you have black on your boat as I do, the cover will leave tons of scratches. You will spend more time removing scratches from your gel coat than its worth. JUST MY OPINION.

(monkey) · (monkey) **Join Date: Oct 2002** 10-25-2007, 9:31 AM

I have a cover that was made for towing, and it doesn't scratch the boat at all. I can't imagine driving through the dusty, dirty, insect filled desert for 6 hours on the way to the river without a cover on the boat. The boat would be thrashed.

(baldboarder) · (baldboarder) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 10-25-2007, 1:39 PM

I don't like to tow with the cover on for the reasons already mentioned. But the other reason I don't like to tow with the cover on is because without the cover I can see over the top of the boat in my rear view mirror through the windsheild of the boat. Otherwise I have to depend solely on my side mirrors. It makes visability much better while towing.

(rio_sanger) · (rio_sanger) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 10-25-2007, 2:52 PM

I've always towed with the cover on, with no issues.

As nubu said, keep it good and tight.

Agree with Monk, rather have the boat CLEAN when I get there.

Plus you can throw all your gear in the boat, and have more room in your tow vehicle.

(polarbill) · (polarbill) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 10-25-2007, 3:12 PM

No matter how good of a cover and how tight it is, if you tow on the highway it will rub through the gelcoat. You can keep buffing it to polish up the gelcoat but you are eventually going to wear through the gelcoat.

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 10-25-2007, 3:17 PM

Your right brett, it's kind of like brushing your teeth. Eventually you'll wear through your enamel, I'll stop brushing.

(polarbill) · (polarbill) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 10-25-2007, 3:29 PM

It looks a lot worse if you have color above the rubrail to. I worked at a MC dealer and if there is any color above the rubrail it would get trashed. The MC covers are definatly not good to tow with. I towed a boat 25-30 miles and it completely trashed the colored top deck. It also leaves marks all over your interior.

(05mobiuslsv) · (05mobiuslsv) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 10-25-2007, 3:34 PM

A good cover like Evolution covers or Rankin will do well towing. I've towed with both, have red above the rubrail and no issues. You just have to have them adjusted. I've towed without it on to and regretted it with all the bugs and dirt on the interior. Stock covers that come from MC and Malibu suck and shouldn't be towed with.

(wetsounds1) · (wetsounds1) **Join Date: Jan 2006** 10-25-2007, 3:44 PM

I have towed 2 different boats from Austin to Orlando. With towing covers on. I have found the best thing do is to go to Home Depot and buy some blue painters tape. The type of masking tape that peels off easily. Tape everything above the rub rail. This is the easiest thing to do. It takes no time to put it on or pull it off. It is a lot easier than cleaning the boat and a lot easier then buffing out the gel coat.

Tim
Wet Sounds

(polarbill) · (polarbill) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 10-25-2007, 3:50 PM

That sounds like it should work very good.

(deltaboy) · (deltaboy) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 10-25-2007, 5:14 PM

We have flannel lining the cover above the rub rail and where ever it makes contact with the gel. Not one mark since we did this.

(Message edited by deltaboy on October 25, 2007)