Rough water/Open bow boats/Bow moorage cover

Liqning · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:38 pm

I noticed a mention on bow moorage covers and thought this thread would be useful. We bring the bow moorage cover for two main reasons, that being for warmth on cold days and for rough water. If it is really cold out a person can unsnap a side and sneak under the cover to sit in the bow and it is quite warm. Or we just use it to keep the wind out of the helm area and keep the Admiral pleasant (oops, I mean warm).

The main reason we bring the bow mooring cover is for use when it gets really rough out there. It does keep most of the water out. We got caught out in the middle of our favourite lake in a gale that kicked up in less than fifteen minutes. It was not great with an open bow boat but the cover did help. The water crashed over the bow moorage cover and on up the windshield into the Captain’s old kisser quite a few times until we found a leeward location. It was one of the few times the Admiral was quiet for a while. We weren’t in a situation where we could run with the storm to a safe location.

Ever since then we have brought the bow moorage cover for safety reasons. However, it should be noted that in the bigger waves water can still force its way up between the snaps and the hull and then into the boat.

The Liq

Jim_R · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:13 pm

Sounds like you could easily get your admiral to approve a camper canvas for the cockpit. Another worthwhile upgrade would be for you to replace the stock el cheapo bilge pump with something more substantial. There's an old thread around here somewhere where I did this - I can dig it up if you're interested.

Liqning · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:22 pm

Four Winns doesn’t supply a camper canvas for the Horizon 190. We do have the wakeboard tower so a custom canvas is in the planning some day/year when I have a whole lot of disposable cash available. I figure about $2000.00 and a few beers should do it. Actually, for that chunk of change a copious amount of beer so the canvas guy can have one too.

I do have one of those fancy high volume portable hand pumps in case the Admiral gets nervous. I agree that I should trade out the stock bilge pump for a better one and locate it where it actually is the lowest point at the stern. Mine is so high up it seems they put the engine in first and then didn’t want to mount the bilge pump under it. I also plan to get two actually. I spent my mod money already for this season on a transom mount trim switch, a truck front mount hitch, and a fish finder so I’m all played out for a while. I would be interested in looking at your mod Jim_R. Thanks.

The Liq

LouC · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:26 pm

I will put ours on if the water is rough, or when we venture out into Long Island Sound. I have a support pole but I added the triangular shaped plastic piece that comes with the cover support kits that Overtons' and others sell, it spreads the load out so the cover doesn't tear if you do take a wave over the bow.

As far as bilge pumps, we have a Rule 1100 bilge pump with a Sure-Bail auto switch. This boat is moored all summer so I need something that's reliable and these with a pair of dual purpose gp 27 batteries has worked out well. I have a habit of checking to make sure the auto switch works every so often.

Jim_R · **Posted:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:38 am

Liqning wrote:

I would be interested in looking at your mod Jim_R. Thanks.

The Liq

Ok, here's the link to the post on the upgrade of the bilge pump - I noticed that the pic links were broken with the forum move, I'll fix them tomorrow.

http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1206

And here's a link to the second go round where I upgraded the bilge pump output hose, doubled the hose clamps and added a backup pump.

http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1956

Jim_R · **Posted:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:34 pm

Pics working again.

www.iFourWinns.com

Rough water/Open bow boats/Bow moorage cover

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