Curing The Cover Conundrum

The first time I put on my boat’s full cover it took three hours of zipping and unzipping, snapping and unsnapping, shifting and redoing – in 20-degree weather! – to figure out the process. If you have a boat with covers, you’ve probably had a similarly frustrating experience. Whether they’re fitted for the console, cockpit, or entire boat, boat covers seem designed to flummox, fatigue, and frustrate you every time you put them on.

Why do boat covers tend to be such an epic hassle? Because they’re custom-designed creations made to fit and secure around irregular shapes and sizes with everything from snaps to zippers to hook-and-loop tape to buttons. So each one is different and each has a learning curve of its own.

Remember that cover that took three hours to figure out? Three years later, I can install it in 30 minutes. And while familiarity and experience certainly play a role, there are several strategies that make snapping it in place, well, a snap. The next time you unroll all that canvas, instead of wrestling with the wrapping, use these tips to ease your cover conundrum.

1. Make your mark.

If you don’t give yourself some visual cues as to how the cover is oriented, you’ll be doomed to putting it on backward or sideways before you get it right. Even covers with a pointy end and a square end can be tough to figure out until they’re partially deployed, yet a simple “Front” and “Back” written on the underside in permanent marker could save you gobs of time. With covers oriented across the beam, always stick with “port” and “starboard” markings, because left and right can change depending on which direction you’re facing as you open the cover.

2. Work in reverse.

Small covers that protect a leaning post or seat should be relatively easy to orient, but when it comes to full boat covers, even one that’s well-marked can take some time to get into position. It will speed the process if you make it a practice to remove the cover in the same direction every time and roll or fold it as you go. That way, when it’s time to put the cover back on, you’ll know where to begin from the start. Going either bow-to-stern or stern-to-bow is fine; just make sure you do it the same way consistently.

3. Make zipping a zip.

Many covers use a combination of zippers on one portion and snaps on another. Wherever zippers secure one portion of the cover and other fixtures secure another, begin by partially putting the zipper on. Whenever a zipper is involved, if you initially secure the other parts of the cover, it’s often impossible to stretch it enough to insert the zipper and get it started. In some cases, you can do the whole zipper and then begin on the snaps, but with most covers you’ll want to just get a few inches zipped, affix the other portion of the cover, then finish zipping.

Different covers go on differently so you may need to experiment to figure out how yours works best. Try a full zip, and if pulling the snaps tight is difficult, unzip it most of the way, put on the snaps, then finish zipping.

Sometimes you’ll be dealing with multiple zippers on the same piece of canvas, in which case it’s usually best to start with just a few inches of one zipper and then get the other started, rather than trying to complete one zip before you get the other one going. Again, every cover is different, but as a rule, whenever you find yourself tugging in vain, look for somewhere else where you can ease tension.

4. Release the ratchet.

Some high-end covers incorporate straps around the perimeter that get pulled tight with small ratchets. When removing the cover, you’ll have to release these. But when you put the cover back on the next time, don’t assume they’re loose enough to accommodate all the tugging and shifting that will be necessary to get that cover properly oriented. And as you tug and shift, the pressure on the strap may not be sufficient to pull an additional length through the open ratchet. Before you even get started, pull an extra foot or so of slack into those straps. If you encounter any difficulty getting the cover in position, pull out even more.

5. Pole position.

Many full boat covers have poles to plant for support to maintain a tent-shape and shed water or snow. It may be tempting to put these poles up as you work, but don’t make that mistake. It will be harder to secure perimeter snaps and hooks after a pole is up, which will slow the process. Instead work your way around the perimeter of the cover first. Leave an opening for yourself to get inside, and once the rest of the cover is secure, climb in and erect the poles. There’s a second reason to leave the poles for last: Many are adjustable so you can extend or retract them to get the best fit. But that fit may change over time as a cover stretches or shrinks, so it makes a lot of sense to leave those poles for last.

With all the hassle involved, does it make sense to cover the boat in the first place? Absolutely! Covering helm stations will protect your electronics, switches, and gauges; covering seats will extend their usable life by years; and full boat covers will keep Mom’s Mink clean and in great shape from stem to stern. And once you apply these tips, putting those covers on will take minutes rather than hours.