I almost always tow with the cockpit cover ON. I dont like road dirt getting into my upholstery and into the stitching. I do take shinkrap tape and tape down the front of the cover to the boat so wind doesnt get underneath and do the damage other people have mentioned.

I never tow with it on, I have had it fly off once and that was enough I tow everywhere I go and I have only ran into a rain prob once, which I really didnt care about because like someone else already said "its a boat, its made to get wet"

I tow any long distances with my full canvas on otherwise its TOPLESS

Went from NJ to NH last summer and had to get some stitching redone on the top of the windshield
OK , so I towed home the same way and had to get the seam down the center redone at home . In defense of the cover , it was getting old

I only use the mooring cover for towing the AT, and only if the weather is bad, or going long distances. Pat had some terrific tape that left no residue behind for taping down the leading edge of the cover (keeps rain from getting underneath at 70+mph).

I do remember reading many years ago (I think it was in Hot Boat Magazine- late 80's maybe) about a young man who had just taken delivery of his brand new Eliminator and was on his way to the lake with it for his first family outing. He witnessed a passing car toss a cigarette into the boat interior. The boat caught fire while going down the highway, and he helplessly watched it burn to the trailer after getting to the shoulder - the fire extinguisher was in the boat.

It's for this reason the cover is always on when towing long trips, and I always have a Halon fire extinguisher in the truck.
Jim

90% of the time I tow with the cockpit cover on (just to keep the road grime out). There isn't a shortage of snaps on it so it is held in place very well.

Off, I've torn the cover 2x now. This time it is beyond repair.

Always off unless it's raining. But if it's raining I'm probably not towing the boat.

My boat has a custom paint job and I tow every place I go. I therefore always tow with the cockpit cover on. Mind you it is custom made for my boat and therefore fits very tight. I have never lost a cover and it doesn't rub or chip the boat. I feel it keeps road dirt out. Not to mention bird droppings. I also feel it makes my boat more areodymanic for towing.

Always on.

I put towels over seats and scoops. I would hate to see my engine hatch go flying over back if a pin broke or came loose. I have had two engine hatch pins fall apart and found a different brand last time and put a safety wire on it.