Thoughts on snap on covers

[slalomskier]

I know it really becomes a personal preference thing but we have tried the mooring cover that covers the whole boat but it's cumbersome to put on while the boat is in the water and we seemed to get a lot of water puddling and soaking through. We leave our boat out all summer long at a dock with out a hoist/canopy.

Anyways, so we are thinking about a 2 piece snap on cover and were wondering about people thoughts on them. We are excited about the opportunity to leave the front cover on and stay out of the wind - up in Michigan it's cold for a while. (I'm jealous of all you southern folks talking about first start ups.)

Also if anyone has material preferences, opinions are welcome. The local canvas shop recommend Aqualon over sunbrella as it is more water proof and vents provide the breathability. She did say that the aqualon will fade more than the sunbrella but the overall performance is worth the visual appearance tradeoff.

Thoughts?

[jmvotto]

we love the OEM cover but it sits in the hoist under another cover(not shown) The bow and cockpit cover can be stowed on the boat without any problems in the OBV. If i store the boat without the hoist cover , i would probably water proof it every year, now i should do it every other year.

[deerfield]

slalomskier - I have the full cover. It's a pain, but still my preference over a snap two-piece. It covers the entire boat, including the deck, keeping it cleaner. Bought it new from the factory with the boat in 2007. - Deerfield

[wolfeman131]

I have the 2 piece snap in cover and like that we can keep the bow cover on when we cruise the lake when it's cooler outside. However, I don't like that the 2 piece cover leaves some of the boat exposed and it gets dirty with the spider droppings that I have to clean off every morning during the summer. I'm also not a big fan of all the snaps as they get wax buildup in them that I get out with a toothbrush (yes, I am anal) and I've caught myself on them a few times when sliding off into the water.

So, I'm going to have both. I want an extended cover will go over the swim platform and protect the back from the sun. I have a fixed dock so I can work from both sides of the boat to get it secured.

My $0.02 is that both styles have their advantages.

[ian ashton]

I love our snap-on cover, and we also keep our boat in the water all summer. I made the decision to get the snap on the day we ordered our boat when I saw the full cover on a boat at the dealer I wasn't at all impressed.

[jbheuerman]

I've got the snap on covers and the full cover. I use the full cover for long term storage to keep it cleaner and the snap-on's during the summer and when trailering. Works out pretty good.

[Razzman]

I'll go with a full cover everytime for one reason only ... i don't want snaps all over my boat.

[Sled491]

Razzman makes a common point. But I have a full cover and my boat sits on a lift all summer as well. I'm going to get the 2 pc snap on cover as the full cover is a pain in the a%$ to get on and off + as mentioned by others the bow cover makes it a little warmer in the early and late seasons.

[hotrod62]

I find the full cover not that bad to put on and take off. To take off I start from the Swim platform and roll it up towards the bow while I'm in the boat. To put on is just the reverse. I did not want the hassles of snaps pulling out of the fiberglass and tearing off the canvas after a year or two.

[sandm]

I have the snap, and wish I had the full cover, but I only use the cover for storage in the driveway between sessions or in the garage for the winter. we don't leave ours in the water overnite unless camping. the snaps just don't do the boat justice imo, however if I left the boat in the water or on a lift, I would think the snap cover is easier to put on and can be done in the boat and out onto the platform..

as stated, both have advantages, but if you don't leave the boat on the water during the summer, I'd vote for the full cover...