The Importance of Motor Covers & Our Top Picks for Boat Enthusiasts

Surely as a responsible boat owner, you’ve invested adequately into protecting your beloved boat. Now, whether that’s indoor storage in a secure facility, moored at the marina, or covered under your home garage, chances are you’ve got the boat covered with a high-quality boat cover.

What about the motor? Does it deserve the same tender loving care as the rest of the boat? Motor covers are sometimes seen as essential, but isn’t that always what clever marketing teams want you to think? The truth of the matter is that there are many unique benefits to keeping your boat motor wrapped up and covered when not in use.

UV Exposure

The most precious cargo in your boat, aside from you and your friends/family, is your motor. It stands to reason that keeping the motor in great condition all year round is paramount since you won’t make it far at all outside of the harbor without a working motor.

Just like our skin, constant exposure to UV rays in Florida and other coastal regions can cause serious damage in prolonged periods of exposure. Your motor is well-protected with a cowling assembly, but persistent UV exposure will certainly cause damage over time. Motor covers can block out UV rays thanks to their tightly woven polyester fabric, thus keeping the motor free from excessive damage under the sun.

Appearances Do Matter

It’s subjectively true that appearances do matter. What’s the point in spending time, money, and effort maintaining the aesthetic beauty of your boat if the motor, a clearly visible and essential component, is full of scuffs and faded colors?

Whilst in operation, your boat will naturally undergo some wear and tear aesthetically, including the motor. Just part of owning a boat. Whilst not in use, however, keep your motor under a quality motor cover to preserve the decals, paint, and overall condition of the motor’s appearance.

Protection from Damage

One of the most practical reasons why boat owners should consider using motor covers is to prevent damage. Perhaps the most common source of damage to motor cowling assemblies is during transport. When lifted from the marine onto a trailer and transported, sometimes over long distances to private residences, kicked-up stones and pebbles can cause plenty of scuffs, dents, and scratches. Motor covers provide additional protection against these types of damage.

Cost/Benefit for Boat Motor Covers

Now let’s look at a simple ‘napkin maths’ example showing the cost of a motor boat cover and the benefits, compared to having to replace the cowling assembly of the motor or even to DIY the repairs.

The price of a brand new motor cover for, say a Yamaha motor, can be about $100-$400. At Oceansouth, we’ve got Yamaha motor covers starting at around $35, by the way.

How much does it cost to have a Yamaha cowling assembly repaired? Refurbishing and repairing a cowling assembly for a Yamaha motor can range from around $400 all the way up to $2,000 or more. If no repairs are needed and the motor simply needs to be refurbished, that’ll likely cost you up to around $750. DIY work will probably cost you a couple of hundred dollars for OEM decals and spray paint, plus you’ll have to spend hours doing this yourself.