Selecting the Best Covers for Your Boat, Part 2
In Part 1 we looked at what makes a good boat cover, at warranty periods and at the various performance levels of available covers. Here, we look at some of the best-known brands, ranging from universal fit designs from under $200 to custom-built covers priced over $2,000.
Whatever level of cover you choose, it’s sure to provide protection for your upholstery and console from many of the ravages of UV rays, rain and accumulating grime - all the stuff that makes a boat look old before its time. Consider it a sort of insurance policy that will not only pay benefits while you own the boat, but also when the time comes to sell.
A boat that has spent its life under a well-fitted cover will be worth far more and sell much more quickly than one that has had to face the elements on its own. This makes a cover a very good investment over the life of your ownership.
American Eagle covers are manufactured in Kentucky and marketed by Empire Covers. They make both a top-shelf line with a 12-year warranty and a more affordable series with a 6-year warranty. The 12-year line is made of heavy marine grade polyester fabric and solution dyed for long-term color stability.
Seams are both taped and sewn for waterproofing, and vents are included to prevent mold. The buckle-and-strap system provides a strong connection to the trailer, assuring a taut, good-looking fit with minimal puddling; https://www.empirecovers.com/boat-covers.
Carver covers, marketed by Covercraft and others, are manufactured in South Carolina, are available in Sunbrella or Outdura fabrics, both premium covers designed for long-term durability. The company builds to fit a wide variety of boat brands and models and offers a large variety of colors for their covers.
Manufacturing their custom covers takes about 7 to 10 days from order to shipping, the company says, and prices range from $500 to $850 for a cover to fit a 22-foot center console. Their custom covers are non-returnable; https://www.covercraft.com.
Empire Covers offers a variety of made-in-the-USA covers ranging from around $250 to over $400 The Aqua-Armor line is made from 1200-Denier polyester that is waterproof, not just water resistant, but they’re vented to prevent mold and humidity buildup. The covers are trailerable, and include both an elastic hem and multiple web and buckle trailer straps.
They have a 5 year warranty. Support poles are an added $30. They also make a wide variety of bass boat and PWC covers in semi-custom styles; https://www.empirecovers.com.
iBoat offers boat covers to custom fit boats from 600 manufacturers, according to the company. Their website allows you to type in the make, model and year of your boat and they immediately find a cover that fits the boat exactly. They offer both trailerable and mooring only covers, in an assortment of quality and warranty levels with warranties up to 10 years. Shipping is free.
They work with Carver, Westland, Shoretex Fabric, Taylor Made, and Attwood among others to assure a perfect fit for every boat; https://boatcovers.iboats.com.
Laporte Products builds premium custom-fitted covers at their South Carolina plant for a huge variety of well-known boat brands. You can order custom-fitted covers on their site with a few clicks. A cover for a Boston Whaler 270 Dauntless in their high-end Sunbrella fabric is priced at $1,950. The same cover in 8-ounce fabric is $1550.
Business is good - they’re currently running about 8 weeks to fulfill orders; https://laporteproducts.com.
National Boat Covers offers a premium line of custom Windstorm covers that are trailerable, made of multi-layer Sunbrella fabric. They’re priced from $1,300 to $2,000, with a 10-year warranty. Their more affordable fitted trailerable models start at about $750 for a boat in the 35’ range.
Their Windstorm line is advertised as being 30 percent cooler than comparable covers, a plus in Southern climates—prices are around $1,300, warranty period 8 years. Universal fit and semi-custom covers are available for much less. National Boat Covers, https://www.nationalboatcovers.com.
Sealskin markets a variety of low-priced covers with good warrantees for the price. Their Supreme line has a 10-year warranty, the Elite line 5 years. The Supreme models are sewn of Gore-Max breathable waterproof fabric and include an anti-pooling support pole.
An Elite semi-custom cover for a Crestliner 20’ pontoon lists at about $230, while the Supreme model for the same boat is $276 - for the relatively small price difference, the latter is likely a better buy. They ship free, and returns are OK for 30 days; https://sealskincovers.com.
Tailor Made is one of the largest makers of covers in the U.S., noted for quality, custom-fitted covers. They also make OEM covers for many manufacturers including Chaparral, Formula and Larson. They’re constructed from polyester rather than acrylic because the polyester does not stretch or wear nearly as fast as acrylic, according to the company.
Their covers are not harmful to gel-coating and other marine finishes, and are breathable to prevent mildew. Their Elite line, the top offering, is made of 9 oz per square yard poly made in the USA, and has a 5-year warranty; https://www.taylormadeproducts.com.
Westland makes covers at four price levels, ranging from about $240 to $510. The top-end series is made with Sunbrella fabric in 9.5-ounce weave, considerably heavier and thus more durable than the polyester fabric used in the least expensive line. The trailerable ShoreFit Platinum 1200 line comes with a 12-year warranty and is priced at about $230.
The top-end Sunbrella lineup comes in six available colors, the base line in three, but both the less costly lines are available for immediate shipping—if you need a cover fast and can be happy with a semi-custom fit, these will be money savers; https://westlandcovers.com.