Snap-On Boat Cover Question

[Airfooter]

A lot of debate has taken place regarding snap-on covers versus single ratchet type covers. I am in the market for a cover for my '92 Excel Closed Bow. A local cover shop has told me that a snap on cover from the windshield back would be the simplest to do. I said that I didn't want any snaps in the gel coat so of course their response was "We'll put them on the bottom side of the rub rail." I really don't want any snaps fastened to the windshield (front/bottom side) either but I might be able to tolerate it. Based on the online research that I've done, it appears most snap-on covers are installed with the snaps in the gel coat. Can anyone tell me why? Is there a downside to having them fastened to the underside of the rub rail (besides mooring reasons) such as holding strength? Or is it that the snaps installed in the gel coat don't bother a lot of people?

Adam

[NautiqueJeff]

I had a cover that snapped under the rubrail on my '03. It held fine, and I towed it all over the east coast for a number of years with that cover on.

[Airfooter]

I had a cover that snapped under the rubrail on my '03. It held fine, and I towed it all over the east coast for a number of years with that cover on.

I really like the look of that cover. I am leaning more and more towards a full cover after seeing yours. Aside from not exactly wanting snaps installed in the windshield, I'm not sure how I'd seal the front deck vents if I didn't go with a full cover. It looks your cover was modified for the bow stop. Did you end up with a snap or two on the top of the deck just in front of the light?

[NautiqueJeff]

No. You can't see it in the picture, but there is a small loop on the tip of the cover. I used to run a small bungee cord through that and wrap it around the pole for the bow stop on the trailer. It worked great.

[TRBenj]

Do you keep your boat outside? The sun will do a number on your deck and dash if you only do a cockpit cover (windshield back). Even if youre in a northern climate (Ive seen it happen on boats in CT, NY and NH).

Im one who will never put snaps in their boat, not even the rub rail. Why couldnt your local canvas shop do a drawstring style cover?

[Connor]

Hey Jeff, any idea where you got that cover??

[NautiqueJeff]

No. It came with the boat when I bought it from Mid-Ohio Nautiques (now gone).

[Airfooter]

Do you keep your boat outside? The sun will do a number on your deck and dash if you only do a cockpit cover (windshield back). Even if youre in a northern climate (Ive seen it happen on boats in CT, NY and NH).

Im one who will never put snaps in their boat, not even the rub rail. Why couldnt your local canvas shop do a drawstring style cover?

My boat is only outside when it's being used or if we take it somewhere for the weekend. The only reason why I want a new cover is so that I can take the boat somewhere for the weekend and not have to worry about it getting wet if it happened to rain. With that said I'm not exactly concerned about sun damage at this time. If I did just a cockpit cover I would have the cover go over the windshield so that I wouldn't have to look at the snaps while i'm in the boat! I still haven't convinced myself though if I'm willing to let someone put snaps in my newly powdercoated windshield frame period. With a cockpit cover I'm still left with having to seal up the front deck vents somehow as well.

The local shops around here are willing to do drawstring cover but it'll just be more expensive as they make it sound more complicated.... I have not elimiated the option yet though.

It's a good thing that I have a few months to figure it out!