Towing with the cover?

[RTS DC]

When trailering your boat, do you leave the cover on?
When I was taking delivery I went to put the cover on the boat, the sales rep and service manager both gave me a look of you dont do that. I mostly trailer an hour, but sometimes 2 hours.
Sales rep and service manager said strap it tight. Anyone have advice they want to share towing a G23 with the cover on?

[NautiqueJeff]

I always tow with the cover on. I have never had any issues at all, and I tow a lot.

[swc5150]

There's still some residual fear of towing with the cover on, based on covers of old. The factory covers these days are intended to tow with. They fit so tight, that they don't flap in the wind, resulting in gel coat damage.

[jslipher]

I always tow with the cover on. I have always purchased an aftermarket cover for each of our boats from Evolution Covers and those things fit super tight so they trailer very well and shed water like a dream. I will never trailer longer than a few minutes without the cover on. I would hate to get any road grime on the interior. Never had any gelcoat damage either and I've trailered for 4+ hrs.

[RTS DC]

I've always towed with a cover on my Chap.
Thanks for the answers.


2016 G23

[Evening Shade]

I have never towed with the cover on my boat for more than just a couple miles for fear of chafing the gel coat so I can't really comment. I might be more inclined to try towing with the cover on if I had one of the nice tower down covers like Jeff has. There seems to be more of a benefit with the tower down cover because it keeps road grime out of the boat and bugs off the tower.

I know nyryan always warns against towing with the cover on.

[Bevostein]

I would also warn against towing with the cover on. The cover zipper let go on my left tower leg and chipped about a two inch circle of white paint off. Also, I have black, white and red metal flake colors. I can definitely see chafing on the black and red above the rub rail after towing with the cover. Pick your poison...clean your boat after towing a long distance or buff out chafing and risk other consequences. For me, I will deal with a good cleaning and not take the risk. Personally, unless I have been caught in a rain, I don't find the boat that dirty after towing. Maybe its just the roads around here.

[NautiqueJeff]

I use a tower-down cover, so I don't have the issues with the tower leg paint. Maybe that cover stays tighter, too. I never have any chafing.

[Schwiiing]

I had an Outer Armour Vacu-Hold cover on my 230 for 6 years and towed 6 hours each way, at least 6 times a year to my favorite lake and never had chafing issues or any other issues with the cover. It had velcro strips to allow the cover to go around the tower and they never failed. Towed the boat 1 time to let it dry out coming off the lake and got caught in a surprise downpour for 20 minutes before being able to find a place to pull over and put the cover on....... took me 8 hours and lots of different product to get the grime out if the boat..... that will NEVER happen again. I sure hope the new G's cover is up for the task, otherwise a new Outer Armour will be on order.

What cover are those of you having issues using? How does it compare to the new Nautique cover?

Jeff, does anyone still sell the tower down cover that you use? I know you said it was from an older model. Also, how does it compare to the new Nautique tow cover?

[tflradio]

I have a factory cover on my 216V and tow WITH the cover on. The rachet fits securely around the boat and the velcro around the tower is never a problem. I don't like have to remove seat cushions or loose materials, like the carpeting, to tow without the cover. It just makes sense to two with the cover. I usually tow 40 minutes each way and have towed up to 7 hours.

[tflradio]

I always tow with the cover on. I have never had any issues at all, and I tow a lot.

Jeff - where is your cover from? Is it OEM? or someplace else? I'd like to get a new cover for my 216V - 2010 and I've found one on Nautiqueparts.com, but yours looks really tight and over the tower. I'd like to see if I can get one similar to it for my model. Let me know at your convenience. thanks. Bob

[NautiqueJeff]

tflradio Mine is a factory tower-down cover from 2015. I am not sure if they still make them anymore, but you could check with NautiqueParts. If they still make them, NautiqueParts can get them.

[DocPhil]

They still make them. I'm not sure if a tower down cover matters though for the concerns with trailering with a cover on. The concern is that the flapping of the cover where it touches the gel will cause some chaffing.

I have seen some people run some saran wrap around the gel where the cover will touch. I have heard good success stories with this. I'm not sure if it is necessary but my OCD is strongly considering it for my labor day Norris trip this year.

[scottb7]

my boat just come 1,300 miles with tower up and cover on...zero problems, or issues.

[tflradio]

Anyone know where they sell these Outer Armour Vacu-Hold covers - tower down? the company website doesn't see to have contact information other than sending you to a local dealer. Our local dealer in Ohio does not sell them and Nautiqueparts doesn't sell them either. Thoughts?