Should you tow with or without cover?

[bmorgan4]

General question - we have a 2018 with an over the tower cover. Love the ratchet system and how tight you can set it. Noticed some minor scratches on the rear of the boat where the cover sits. I think this is from towing with the cover on. Anyone else experience this? If so, is the general reco to tow with cover off? Or maybe we had the ratchet system too tight?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[JohnE]

Probably didn't have the ratchet tight enough. Get it as tight as you possibly can and make sure you use the trailer straps. I've towed my 2018 XT22 with cover on and have had no issues. And my boat is black, so they'd show. Others on here have had the same experience as you. I don't know why. Since having this cover, I'd never go back to an under-tower cover.

[bmorgan4]

Thanks John. That is very interesting. We have only towed once (and likely will not two again except for the last trip back down to the lake) - but when you say as tight as you can, you mean ratchet until you can't ratchet anymore? I am concerned that I could damage the fiberglass if I over tighten, so just wanted to make sure I understood you correctly. I absolutely love the cover, love protecting the tower and it is so simple to put on.

PS - our scratches are on the back left and right corners of the boat. Some on the line where the belt hits the fiberglasss, but some above it as well (which I find a little strange). We also only have a trailer strap on each side, not sure if we are supposed to have more that that?

[Keith2230]

Most of us don't tow with the cover on for just this reason. Some have gone as far to get a softer inner lining sown on their cover. I choose to never tow with the cover on. 100% guaranteed to not leave scratches behind.

[epnault]

I rarely tow my boat but when I need to bring it to the dealer I use an industrial roll of shrink wrap above and below the rub rail before I put the cover on. This elimates rubbing.

[Thrall]

I rarely tow my boat but when I need to bring it to the dealer I use an industrial roll of shrink wrap above and below the rub rail before I put the cover on. This elimates rubbing.

^This.
Which isn't practical for day to day use. In general, any canvas cover, regardless of how tight or how well it fits is going to cause some sort of abrasion if used repeatedly, or at high speeds.
Our 06 had more scratches from the original owner towing it with the cover in the first couple years of the boats life than all other scratches combined in over 10 years.
I made one road trip with the cover on because we were moving and the boat was loaded with the stuff we'd need before the moving van caught up.
Even with multiple layers of shrink wrap around the rub rail and upper deck, windshield frame protected and towels taped to the sun deck and top of seats to keep the cover from turning them brown, I had scratches and damage to the cover after 1200 mi of pounding down the highway at 80mph plus head winds part of the way.

Bottom line, don't use the cover when trailering unless you have to for a short period for a rain storm or dusty gravel roads. Period. Unless you like scratches.

Or get a soft liner sewed into the cover or an under cover. And even then, be careful to keep it and the boat clean.....or lower your MCOCD standards and trailer on!

[mustangtexas]

I have not had any problems towing with the cover on. I would not head down the highway more than a couple hours and no chance of rain with out it. Proper preparation and a tight fitting cover is the trick.

[bdwb]

Better to tow with cover off - worst thing that can happen is the interior gets wet - so u just clean it out. With cover on you take the chance of scratches.... which is a bigger issue

[Canwan]

I tow with the cover off wherever possible. If it's raining I may choose to leave the cover on. Waaay too much work to clean the road grime out of the boat and the cushions take days to dry.

I carry a roll of plastic wrap that I use to wrap a couple laps around the boat to prevent the cover from scratching.

I also have a nice chip in the windshield from towing without the cover. Hopefully in never cracks.

There are definitely pluses and minuses to both. You need to choose the lesser of the evils.

[bturner2]

None of the guys I know tow with the cover on unless possibly to a very close location using surface streets. There are very few covers (Evolution Covers come to mind) that are designed to be used going down a freeway at 70 mph but there are pluses and minuses to that type of cover as well. I would think an over the tower cover would be more sail than cover at highway speeds and will sooner rather than later experience failure if not complete with a blown seam then by water intrusion where the stress points start to pull apart where they're sewn together.

I did try to pull once with the stock cover that came with my 07 X2 in the rain once. While the cover did manage to stay in place quite well I ended up with minor scratches that I had to deal with and the rain went through the cover soaking the interior. In short I never recommend pulling with the cover on and will do everything I can to avoid doing so.

[dt37803]

I have the original shipping cover Mastercraft used in 2014,. It has a soft cotton liner inside and waterproof vinyl outside. even has the cinch ratches and under boat straps. If it was good enough for MC factory to ship with its great to tow with. I always tow with it on if there is any chance of slop. I also use it for a winter cover also to keep my black one clean while parked in indoor storage.

[Miss Rita]

...after 1200 mi of pounding down the highway at 80mph...

That's impressive. Why in the world do you tow your boat that fast? Seems to me that is asking for trouble: cover scratches, tire blowouts, blown bearings, errant deer, etc. Trailer ST tires are rated for 65 mph.

(I know this sounds like rants from an old man. But hey! Get off of my lawn!)

[BRADP43619]

I have to tow the boat every time . The first time I towed I used the cover and after reaching the lake the extra step of uncovering and then loading the boards coolers EXT... was enough to not cover again. the other thing Is I am paranoid that my boat will start to smell like mildew. I like the Idea of the wind blowing thru the boat helping to dry it before I get home and open it up, and remove everything wet to hang and dry!!

[wilhelmwake]

I have the original shipping cover Mastercraft used in 2014,. It has a soft cotton liner inside and waterproof vinyl outside. even has the cinch ratches and under boat straps. If it was good enough for MC factory to ship with its great to tow with. I always tow with it on if there is any chance of slop. I also use it for a winter cover also to keep my black one clean while parked in indoor storage.

I am using the same cover from 2015 and it really is great for towing. I towed my boat for 1200kms at one go at speeds ranging from 55 to70mph and that cover leaves no marking on the boat. I highly recommend that cover.

[JohnE]

Thanks John. That is very interesting. We have only towed once (and likely will not two again except for the last trip back down to the lake) - but when you say as tight as you can, you mean ratchet until you can't ratchet anymore? I am concerned that I could damage the fiberglass if I over tighten, so just wanted to make sure I understood you correctly. I absolutely love the cover, love protecting the tower and it is so simple to put on.

PS - our scratches are on the back left and right corners of the boat. Some on the line where the belt hits the fiberglasss, but some above it as well (which I find a little strange). We also only have a trailer strap on each side, not sure if we are supposed to have more that that?

Yes, ratchet it as tight as you possibly can. And check it after an hour or so if it is a long trip and tighten again. And yes, I only have the one trailer strap on each side.

If this were not an over the tower cover, I'd agree more with the others who say don't tow with cover on. I've towed my old X14's with cover on, and got just a little bit of very light "scratching" in a few areas. I used to have 2 strips of car cover material that I'd lay down on the gunwales under the cover if I towed with the cover on. (similar fashion to the industrial grade plastic wrap that was mentioned.)