Why Your Boat Needs a Cover


By Craig Lamb

Boats are outdoors most of the time, so why bother with owning a boat cover? You certainly don’t use a cover for your vehicle, right?

Boats, unlike vehicles made with steel, are manufactured with fiberglass and Gelcoat. That protective layer and all its glass-like, sparkly finish needs more care than the tough-as-nails painted finish of your street ride. What’s more, the boat’s interior is exposed to the weather that can damage or age upholstery, electronics, and other accessories.

Why Your Boat Needs a Cover Boats are outdoors most of the time, so why bother with owning a boat cover? You certainly don’t use a cover for your vehicle

That makes boat covers worth considering regardless of whether or not your boat is stored inside a garage. Road grim, rain, and flying objects like gravel or road debris can do damage inside the boat in highway driving. That makes a boat cover a wise investment for long road trips. For traveling tournament anglers, there is another benefit. The cover hides from view expensive electronics—on the highway, at the truck stop, and the hotel parking lot. In those instances, the boat cover is a deterrent to theft.

Above all else, if your boat is stored outdoors, a boat cover is a must. You might be tempted to say the cover is only necessary in winter when the boat is put to bed for the offseason. Keeping the boat dry is a given. So is protecting the upholstery from harmful UV rays that can discolor and damage the upholstery. Dust, dirt, bird droppings, and keeping critters out (think pesky squirrels that gnaw on electrical wiring) are just a more few reasons why a boat cover is beneficial year-round.

But not just any boat cover. Before you order an inexpensive universal cover read on. Saving a couple of hundred bucks at the expense of ruining a boat that is worth tens of thousands or more is not worth it. If the cover does not fit, the boat can be susceptible to the damages caused by mold and mildew to the upholstery, carpet, and anything else that comes in contact with water. The cover needs to be adequately ventilated to prevent the formation of mold and mildew, and a cheap universal cover is not a wise choice.

Skeeter Boats recommends its owners choose a customer cover specifically designed for the model and year of the boat. Skeeter Boats’ covers are custom-designed specific models using premium polyesters, which are lighter, stronger, and wear longer than heavier cotton canvas covers. Seams are reinforced for long-lasting durability, and reinforcement patches are sewn in at critical areas to prevent tearing.

Straps are integrated into the cover and ensure a tight fit for road trips short or long. You get a snug fit every time by connecting corresponding straps on each side of the boat with webbing that runs under the hull at intervals down the length of the craft. Securing the cover to the trailer that way saves crawling around under the boat every time you put the cover in place. It also allows you to preset the buckles to the proper length to avoid having to adjust them each time the cover is installed.

You can purchase a custom-fitted cover at your nearest Skeeter dealer. For more information or to find a dealer nearest you, visit www.skeeterboats.com. Find Skeeter news, team activities, happenings, and events by following us on FacebookTwitterYouTube, and Instagram.


Also, to check out this feature and other Skeeter Boats features in the Outdoors Section on Sportsmans Lifestyle.com

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