Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Boat Cover

Chances are, most of the fun and excitement of owning a boat comes from having it uncovered and out on the waters alone or with friends. Hopefully, those enjoyable experiences happen more often than not and you’re getting plenty of use from your investment, but the reality is that you’ll need to keep it covered and protected whenever it isn’t in active use.

Boat covers are essential for the longevity and proper care of your boat in these duller periods, and the right boat cover can protect that asset and give you many more pleasurable outings as a result.

Shopping for a boat cover isn’t as simple as just picking the biggest cover you can find and tossing it over like a big ol’ circus tent. There’s a lot to consider. What are some of the most common mistakes that boat owners tend to make when looking for a new boat cover?

01. Choosing the Wrong Size

In the world of fashion, it’s often said that fit is king. Doesn’t matter if you spend a cool thousand on a new suit or designer shirt, you’ll likely look like a fool at best if it doesn’t fit well. For boat covers, the idea is similar. Too tight of a fit might mean that the boat cover doesn’t adequately cover the boat, thereby letting in rodents, dust, debris, and so on.

Too loose of a boat cover could mean that your boat cover is essentially like a circus tent, billowing in the wind and perhaps coming loose and having its canvas wear out sooner than it should.

Just the right fit, the Goldilocks fit, is what you should be aiming for. That means selecting the appropriate boat cover matching your boat type, manufacturer and model. This will ensure that your boat cover fits snugly and is able to do what it’s supposed to do.

You don’t need to be a rocket surgeon to figure out the exact dimensions of your boat, however, if you choose a semi-custom boat cover from Oceansouth. Select your boat’s manufacturer and model and click “Find Cover” to get the exact right boat cover for your needs.

02. Not Paying Attention to Material

A boat cover needs to be made of durable materials that protect your boat against the elements, so going cheap on materials is a big mistake. Instead, choose boat covers made of materials such as high-tech polyester (e.g. ATLAS marine fabric), offering UV protection, tie-down straps, and hemmed webbing. If your boat cover isn’t able to withstand the elements, it’s certainly not worth having!

03. Overlooking Ventilation

Just as a boat cover shouldn’t be too big, it shouldn’t fit too snugly, either. Ventilation is necessary to avoid the buildup of mould and mildew inside of your boat under the cover. There should be ample room for air to enter and leave freely so that you don’t need to deal with these sorts of issues when boating season kicks up again.

Look for boat covers that have a breathable membrane, such as ATLAS dope-dyed polyester marine grade fabrics used by Oceansouth for boat covers. The canvas naturally lets air circulate which greatly reduces the chances of mould and mildew from appearing, yet fits tightly to the boat to prevent debris or animals from tucking underneath and calling your boat home.

Oceansouth

Shop for custom and semi-custom boat covers and much more at Oceansouth.