www.iFourWinns.com

I see alot of pics on this forum with trailered boats attached to tow vehicles that have both the cockpit and bow mooring canvas on. I keep my boat in dry storage at the marina, but have rented a lake house next week and will be towing the boat there (2010 H-210). Can you actually leave these covers on to tow the boat ? I understand the recommendation is to leave them off as they may tear at highway speeds. Any thoughts ?

I tow with the covers off

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

I have made a couple a few trips with the covers on my H200 when I had it...no issues. Also, the guy that bought it towed it from Dallas to the Boston area with the covers on the whole way and didnt have any issues.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

There's three potential problems towing with a cover still installed. One is tearing. Highway wind speeds will shred the material. Second, flapping fabric can scratch your boat materials. Either the hull or anything else it rests on. Third is the risk of it coming loose and causing a catastrophic traffic problem.

So it's usually advised to NOT tow the boat with a cover installed.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I bought one of the FW trailer covers. Works like charm. It actually fits over the mooring covers.

Nice and tight

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2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow

My cover is a FourWinns (gray not nice and black like Greg's), but fits nice and tight and I trailered it 1000 miles last week with no issue. Never lifted and fit like a glove. Even stored a bunch of stuff on the boat and did not have to worry about it blowing out. My buddy with a center console had his cover rip in the first 40 miles. Mine has the buckles that you can tighten down. He used bungee cords which I think let air get under.

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

I prefer to trailer with the covers on. I've had a few issues with carpet coming loose and almost flying out of the boat, and I think the wind puts a lot of stress on my sunpad/engine cover. I once had it pop completely open and tear the latch out of the plastic. I always think it looks a little more organized and professional to have the covers on. That said, I admit that I have to be careful with the covers on - always making sure all the snaps are tight, there is no extreme flapping...previous poster is right though, the flapping canvas will put wear marks on some of the exterior or window frames.

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Gregs-

That cover looks awesome, I am going to be in the market for a nice trailer/mooring cover soon for my 200SS. Biggest question I have is whether it will fit w/ the bimini on? Can't tell from the picture if there is enough room in the cover to go over the top of it or if it would go around the outside similar to the factory cockpit cover. Can you shed some light on this for me? Thanks in advance.

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2008 H200SS w/ 5.7L VP Gi
2009 GMC Yukon

Former Boat:
2008 H180 w/ 3.0L VP

Check your state laws. Some states make it illegal to tow with a cover
because of the previously mentioned potential of it coming loose and
causuing an accident. Not sure how well that would be enforced.

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1998 Horizon 170 QX / Volvo 3.0 SX drive

Badger, yes it fits with bimini. Except that, see where the black plastic vent is? The main bimini support squishes it flat when the bimini is laid down in towing mode. I keep meaning to have a canvas shop move it but have not gotten around to it yet. The cover tightens up like a drum and works like a charm. It has serious velcro closures around all the openings. It comes with it's own funky support pole and straps. I don't use that, I put the mooring covers on and then the trailer cover.

Note that my 210SS has the standard windshield so the standard 210 cover fits. Make sure you order the right cover if you have the cool SS w/s. (if it's available). Just checked the FW site, it looks like the trailer cover is only available for full height w/s. Ask your dealer to clarify.

This cover would be a PITA to use as a mooring cover, I was going to try but after putting it on on the hard I decided no way.

Someone else puts pipe insulation foam over the w/s frame when putting canvas on, it stops the frame from rubbing the holes in the canvas. Pretty good idea.

Greg

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2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow

Gregs, is your boat a trailer boat? I noticed that you are using jack stands to support your trailer on your driveway.

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

We take a long trip, day's drive to one destination and I leave our cover on. In our case the RV blocks most of the wind, but I can still see it wave gently, I'd be more concerned with our cover it I towed it behind our truck though.

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2007 Four Winns 190 Horizon Merc 4.3 MPI

Our boat on Crescent Lake in Oregon

Blue, nope we keep it docked from June until late September at a lake 2 mins away from home. We try to trailer somewhere once a summer for an adventure. When the boat is in the driveway I like to use the stands to make it more stable when I am working in it.

Greg

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2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow

Thanks to all. We keep the boat in dry storage but trailer only on occasion, and short distances. I think for the little I do trailer, I will just stow the covers and put them on at the destination.

Whenever I use stands like that I prefer to put a piece of plywood under them. This helps keep the stands from digging into the driveway surface. Stands on asphalt can shift when the sun heats up the pavement. Stands on gravel are a problem when it rains. A piece of 12"x12" by 1/2" outdoor plywood usually works great.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista