Protective covers for boats: which one to choose
Autumn is quietly settling in. The summer season is over, and like numerous other residents of Quebec, you’ve undoubtedly started getting ready for winter. While some people are excited by the imminent prospect of once again practicing their favorite winter sport, others are facing the task of safely storing away their summer equipment.
Whether you need to shut down your hot tub or put away your lawn furniture, the lounge chairs around your pool or sports equipment like your golf clubs, you’ll have to shelter them from the winter weather if you want to keep them in good condition. If you own a boat, you must winterize it, as well. Have you been thinking about getting a protective cover for your boat but you don’t know exactly what’s available or what kind you should get? In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know in order to choose the right boat cover.
The various types of boat covers
A boat cover is an indispensable piece of equipment for protecting your watercraft from wear, severe weather and ultraviolet rays. Owning any type of watercraft represents a significant investment, so it’s important for you to take care of it the best you can. Depending on your needs, there are currently several different types of boat covers available on the market. The main ones are as follows:
- Trailerable boat covers (used to protect the vessel during transport on a trailer)
- Mooring covers (an essential element for protecting your vessel from dust, UV rays and severe weather, including rain, wind and snow, during the winter, whether it’s stored on a trailer or onshore)
- Outboard covers (used to protect the base plate, hood and propeller of your vessel’s motor)
- Sailboat covers
Features to consider when choosing a boat cover
To ensure optimal quality in a boat cover, it must meet certain criteria.
Properties of an excellent boat cover
For maximum protection when winterizing your watercraft, a boat cover should do the following:
- Allow for good ventilation: a protective cover should ensure good air circulation around your boat in order to prevent condensation and mold, both of which can cause more damage than the whims of the weather.
- Be very sturdy: a virtually indestructible cover will offer maximum protection for your watercraft, regardless of the extreme weather conditions it’s exposed to.
- Be waterproof: a good boat cover should never allow rainwater to penetrate.
- Be UV resistant: ultraviolet radiation is just as harmful in winter as it is in summer, which is why, when winterizing your watercraft, you must provide efficient protection against the risks of sun damage.
- Be low-maintenance: the more resistant your protective cover is to external damage, the easier it will be to maintain and the less likely it will be to get dirty.
Custom boat covers vs universal protective covers
It’s very important for the cover to fit properly so that it protects every component of your boat effectively against all types of external damage. Therefore, some people recommend getting a custom cover; however, to do this, you must take precise measurements of your watercraft, including any protruding elements, such as the dashboard, windshield, guardrails, arch, etc. The manufacturer of a custom boat cover should have the boat on-site in order to ensure that the dimensions are correct.
On the other hand, you’ll also find various heavy-duty universal protective covers on the market. These covers are economical and versatile. If you can’t decide between two different sizes, it’s always best to opt for the larger one, as it will cover your boat more effectively.
So is it worthwhile to opt for a custom protective cover for your boat?
The answer is that a polyurethane tarp that covers your boat well will be just as effective at protecting your vessel as a custom cover, even though it may not be quite as pretty. It’s also much less expensive, and you’ll be able to get it much more quickly.
Would you like to protect your boat during the winter with a premium protective cover? You can count on the experts in protective tarps and canvases at Toiles GR. We offer imported heavy-duty covers at competitive prices and can help you choose the boat cover that will be most suitable for your needs. If you have any concerns regarding the level of protection our polyurethane covers will offer your boat, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be more than happy to give you all the advice you need.
