Securing Cockpit Cover While Towing
 

What do you use? I see people tape the cover to the boat but with what?

Mines simple, make sure I secure all the snaps and the poll ups so the cover is tight

Have towed 1200 miles before like that no problem.

My friend towed all the way across the country one time zero problems, on the way back the cover came loose and the snaps beat the **** outta the paint.

My last boat the entire cockpit cover blew off after a few hours with zero problems.

Don't tow with the cover on unless your prepared to lose it or damage the boat, Or you have the cover specifically designed for towing, its new, and in great condition.

These are the problems I'm afraid of. It is newer and in great shape.....BUT.

See ya at Boyne, slip 13. Let's grab a beer!

We used shrink wrap tape a couple times and worked well. Just don't leave it on there for days

I always tow with mine and have never had a problem. I tape the front of mine for a long tow like Boyne or Florida but I've towed more times than I can count to Cumberland and that is a 4 hr tow without doing anything. If I know it will be a dry run I just tape with the blue painters tape but when I head to Florida I usually use a 4 inch shrink wrap tape. I don't know about other boats but with my A.T. even if I don't need the tape to keep the cover on it sure helps to keep the dead bugs out of the boat.

Do I just tape it on right off the roll or is there anything else needed? Referring to the shrink wrap tape.

I just use 4 inch tape right off the role. I went to a small local guy the does winter wrap and bought a roll. The tape is pretty aggressive stuff so you don't want to leave it on when you get to where your going and be careful when you pull it off.

Thanks for the help. I see many places online sell it. Around 25 bucks for 4 inch by 180 ft.

PS. I really like Active Thunders!

I agree with Boatfreak. You can buy it on amazon.com as well if you don't have anyone local

Thanks and you know it's kind of funny that a some time ago when PQ came out with the 34 Vyper I fell in love with it but at the time I thought it was crazy money and there was no way I was ever going to spend that kind of money on a boat......Wow how times change.lol

When I bought my 25ol from Shogren, they had some white shipping tape looking stuff. Not sure if that's what y'all are calling shrink tape. We don't shrink wrap down here :-)

No issues towing 70mph all the way home ! 1000 miles.

Towing the 33ol back from Va, they didn't have tape and cover was off so I didn't put back on for ride.

Locally, we only tow for an hour or so, so I don't tow with cover for fear of damaging!

4" preservation tape works for me. Pretty much the same thing as shrink wrap tape.

Yea, the PQ was my first boat ever, put 100 hours on it in 2 years. Took Tres Martin on it also.

Time to step up to something a bit bigger.

525 in yours? How fast with what props?

What he said!

Let's see, $25 for roll of tape, $4,000 for paint damage. Hmmmmm.....

I tape the sides as well as the front anytime I tow on the highway above 60mph. Have towed thousands of miles no issues. White 4" shrink wrap tape takes the guess work out.

Mine has a pair of Eddie Young 572's making a tic over 700 HP. I've pulled 95 out of it but I know there is quite a bit more if I wanted to dig for it but I like it just the way it is. I would like to try a pair of shorties on it though.

Very nice! How does it ride at 95?

Mikes boat is a BEAST Keith! Looks sweet and sounded snotty as hell at Boyne.

You should look into a 37 AT Keith...you might like it. Lol

can you guys be more specific? what and where do you tape?:helmet:

Thanks Drock, it gets me where I need to go. lol
As has been said just get some 4' tape and run it down the edge of the cover taping it to the boat. I do tape mine all the way around for my trips to Florida.

+1 on the painters tape to keep wind from getting under the front edge.

I use tape as well for long tows, but I also had a few twist lock fasteners installed along the front to keep the cover attached. No issues.

weigh it down with a couple of fat chicks... if they get blown off, or you lose them on the highway, who cares... carry on

Www.dr-shrink.com

4" white hull preservation tape.
NOT the shrink wrap tape.

Hull preservation is designed to affix shrink wrap to the boat.
Shrill wrap tape affixes shrink wrap to shrink wrap.

Also, on boats with a windscreen, like many ATs, I strongly suggest foam pipe insulation across the top of the windscreen under the cover to keep from chaffing.

Tape all the way across the front, and about 4-5' down each side; which is what I do. My boat is a 2003 with original cockpit cover and it's been fine with these methods; towed all over the US.

Yes, Preservation tape. Also available in clear, can buy on-line through West Marine.

Will not leave adhesive when removed and not so aggressive that it will lift paint. Works great.

Great idea on the pipe insulation Brian

I like the white as it will reflect sunlight. The clear allows the sunlight to penetrate and over-activate the adhesive.

Don't leave it on for more than 24 hours unless a long tow.
Don't leave it on in direct sunlight unless on the road.
Make sure you put it on the cover when the cover is try. Worthless when wet.

Ok 30+ years of towing everything everywhere here is my free advices or what it is worth. 4" 100MPH Blue 3M painters tape a whooping $4.00. / roll at Home Depot or Lowe's. Tape entire cover from back forward with long continuous strips. Make sure to overlap new pieces good as you go forward as this will keep the wind from ripping it off. Remember it sticks to glass much better than canvas so in some areas I will put a full strip on the canvas the a second to seal to the deck. Towels taped to head rest to protect from chaffing. And I seal pop up cleats, lights, gas caps and vents.

Shrink wrap tape is a pain to remove. It was on my 338 shipped from KW this November. Took two days and a bottle of Crown Royal to get it off. You will have to guess how the crown was used

As discussed before:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...earchid=836430

Search "hull preservation tape".

The only issue I've had is during a driving rain storm the water running up the deck pushed the cover open. Luckily, it never came off.

I have the DOT 1/4 turn fasteners along the front and first couple down the sides, then snaps to the back and bungees hooks across the back. I trailer all over like that and have had 0 problems.
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Thanks to all. I ended up getting 4" preservation tape from Dr Shrink. Taped the cover down and drove 850 miles with it pouring rain and had zero issues.

Thanks again!

The answer to this question is simpler then tape, straps, and fat chicks...don't put a cover on.

On a more serious note, we never tow with a cockpit cover. even if all sides are taped, the cover will still chatter in the wind ultimately scuffing/damaging the paint. leave it off. even with a rain storm I rather have the cockpit wet then ruined paint. the only part of the boat that makes sense to cover/tape is the keel and hull where rocks can potentionally hit.

My 0.02