Towing With Cockpit Cover on 42 EX
12-19-2016, 10:25 AM
#1
Towing With Cockpit Cover on 42 EX
Who tows there 42 EX with the cockpit cover or who doesn't? If you do what do you do to protect the sun deck and windshield from getting scuffed or scratched? Do you need to make modifications to the factory cover to be able to tow with it? What did fountain recommend? I tow quite a bit and had always towed my 38 fever with the cover and can't see towing with out it. My 38 didn't have a painted windshield and the sun deck definitely showed some darkening to the upholstery where the cover touched it. I know this has probably been covered but couldn't find it specifically on 42 EX. Thanks in advance.
12-19-2016, 10:58 AM
#2
VIP Member
Not specific to the 42 Fountain.
But here are a few things I do:
1) Buy the foam pipe insulation from Lowes/Home Depot, and place this across the top of the windscreen/windshield frame.
2) Place white towels over the tops of the bolsters.
3) Place white towels on the sunpad at the back edges where the cover touches, and also be sure to have a towel where any seam (namely, the center) would touch the sunpad as the seam doesn't stretch and places more stress and wear on the vinyl since it's heavier.
4) IF your cockpit cover uses a pole, do not just have it pinned against an open floor. For towing, it needs to be placed against something like a seat base or similar, angled into the cover; of course at the right height. (On my AT, I would place a plastic milk-crate against the back of the center bolster, and the base of the pole touched the crate, creating tension and no potential to slide on the floor.)
But here are a few things I do:
1) Buy the foam pipe insulation from Lowes/Home Depot, and place this across the top of the windscreen/windshield frame.
2) Place white towels over the tops of the bolsters.
3) Place white towels on the sunpad at the back edges where the cover touches, and also be sure to have a towel where any seam (namely, the center) would touch the sunpad as the seam doesn't stretch and places more stress and wear on the vinyl since it's heavier.
4) IF your cockpit cover uses a pole, do not just have it pinned against an open floor. For towing, it needs to be placed against something like a seat base or similar, angled into the cover; of course at the right height. (On my AT, I would place a plastic milk-crate against the back of the center bolster, and the base of the pole touched the crate, creating tension and no potential to slide on the floor.)
12-19-2016, 11:58 AM
#3
Registered
Huh, never had a cockpit cover pole slide along the floor of my boat and fall down.
12-19-2016, 12:07 PM
#4
Basically, what I described above always keeps the tension; especially if you have a fixed length pole.
