Do the factory bow and cockpit cover keep rain out?

LakeMinnetonka · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:39 am

I am docking for the first time for a whole season and have the 2 factory snap covers with the poles. I plan on using them, but worry rain can still get in. It does zipper along the seam at the windshield.

Does anyone else just use these while docked for the season? Are they truly waterproof as far as water seeping through?

Thanks!!!!

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:48 am

No canvas on any boat is 100% waterproof. You will get some leaks around the seams and zippers. Just make sure you spray the covers with 303 before the season, and that will minimize any leaks.

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:00 am

These are considered dust covers and they do a good job of keeping dust out. They do help quite a bit with water too. The ultimate cover would be a mooring cover that covers everything above the rub rail. Even still, you may get some saturation. Like Capn said, make sure your covers have a fresh treatment of 303.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:12 am

Do they keep the rain out? Nope. The automatic bilge pump does. Rain is a non-issue, boats are 99% plastic water doesn't bother them a bit. They mostly keep the sun off the vinyl (they don't stop all UV rays), bird poop off the seats, and random shrubbery from entering the boat. I keep my boat at dock 24x7x365 in Florida.

After a year at dock even using 303 UV spray, the Florida sun does get it's UV rays through the covers. The top of my gray vinyl on the front vertical bow seats are turning brown. I don't feel bad though, another guy on the lake has a 3 year old wakeboard boat that looks like a tiger ate the vinyl and they won't warranty replace it. 90k boat, and already needs 4k of vinyl. The sun is an amazing thing.

I found a local upholstery guy that doesn't charge much by the hour if you bring him all the materials and seats. I have no idea what is a good brand vinyl to purchase or how the heck to get the bow seat backs off. I'll probably just have them done in all white also, not white/gray. The gray seems to get damaged much easier then white, as no white vinyl on my boat shows any signs of UV damage... only gray.

chrisvs · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:08 am

Yup, use them all the time at the dock....

As others have said, they do keep most rain out, but not all. The worst area I find is the connection between the bow cover and the base of the windshield walk-thru. It will always leak there, soaking the carpet below.

Having said that, use the 303 on it, and keep the poles high enough and cover taught enough to prevent pooling, and most of the water will stay outside.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:20 am

I'm not sure where you live, but here in Florida keeping the carpet in while docked is not possible. Daily summer rain + humidity + covers that keep it moist and dark = your carpet will be a petri dish for every bug known to man.

SeriousRob · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:26 am

I also take my carpets out when I boat in Florida. They fill with sand and it is just easier to leave them out when I go out for the day.
Now in Maine for 4 weeks I leave them in and don't cover the boat. The sun is weaker there and it actually helps to clean up the vinyl. The boat usually looks better when I leave Maine than when I arrive.
I use the canvas covers at home under a carport to keep the dust out and when trailering to/from Maine.
The worst part in Florida with the covers is the mud dobbers love to make their nests under the covers.
Rob

ric · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:00 am

Where at in Maine? I used to live in St. Albans. The main problem I have with carpet is ants. I didn't spray much in the past though and now I use ant killer weekly on the dock lines. Maybe I'll try it with the carpet in again.

Wet Doggg · **Joined:** Fri May 19, 2006 11:15 am **Posts:** 682

I can be an anal SOB at times...and one of those times are with my boat. Water to me is supposed to be on the outside, not the inside. I use my bow and cockpit cover as well as my Sharkskin mooring cover and my boat stays bone dry all summer. If I use one or the other I do get some water in my boat which drives me crazy.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:36 am

Wet Doggg wrote:

I can be an anal SOB at times...and one of those times are with my boat. Water to me is supposed to be on the outside, not the inside. I use my bow and cockpit cover as well as my Sharkskin mooring cover and my boat stays bone dry all summer. If I use one or the other I do get some water in my boat which drives me crazy.

Do that in Florida and you'll be a mold farmer in no time!

Wet Doggg · **Joined:** Fri May 19, 2006 11:15 am **Posts:** 682

ric wrote:

Wet Doggg wrote:

I can be an anal SOB at times...and one of those times are with my boat. Water to me is supposed to be on the outside, not the inside. I use my bow and cockpit cover as well as my Sharkskin mooring cover and my boat stays bone dry all summer. If I use one or the other I do get some water in my boat which drives me crazy.

Do that in Florida and you'll be a mold farmer in no time!

I take precautions even up here in the north as we get some pretty humid days over the summer. Never had even one spec of mold show up. But in case I ever make the mistake of moving to Florida, I'll keep in mind that your climate and weather might be different.

chrisvs · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:54 am

ric wrote:

I'm not sure where you live, but here in Florida keeping the carpet in while docked is not possible. Daily summer rain + humidity + covers that keep it moist and dark = your carpet will be a petri dish for every bug known to man.

About 1200 miles due north of you Ric.... we don't have that problem here. I can fully understand it down there though.

Between our short boating season and less intense sun, I've seen vinyl on 20 year old boats that looks like new. The stellar oposite of that brown crispy stuff that I seem to see on almost every florida boat that is 10+ years old.

Carpet down there... I can only imagine....

ric · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:20 am

I've seen boats on my lake that are under 5 years old that look like tigers attacked their interior. Mine is 12 years old with only a few brown crispy easy to fix spots. Four Winns did something right I guess.

SeriousRob · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:21 am

Wow,
Small world. I checked on St Albans and it is only abot 30 miles from our camp in Oakland.
We go to MCGrath pond/Salmon Lake every summer for the month of July.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Apr 25, 2012 1:18 pm

SeriousRob wrote:

Wow,
Small world. I checked on St Albans and it is only abot 30 miles from our camp in Oakland.
We go to MCGrath pond/Salmon Lake every summer for the month of July.

Waterville, ah yes. I used to visit the Home Depot quite frequently. The best dang restaurant in the whole world is right there.. The Governor's.

www.iFourWinns.com

Do the factory bow and cockpit cover keep rain out?

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