Trailering and Covers?

[brucehawsker]

Do you trailer on long distances - eg down to middle of French Atlantic coast, with boat covers on or off. If on, do you tie the cover down with additional ropes or straps?

Thanks


Bruce

[Lets go boating]

I don't tow with cover on, it stretches the stitchin and can cause nasty rubs on craft where tied.

[9D280]

No cover on the rib, but the difference in fuel consumption towing a 470 dinghy with & without cover is incredible. (~5 MPG along a motorway)

Ideally the cover should have a rope round the perimiter which should be done up tight to stop wind getting underneath it. If you have a load of bungee round it, forget it, it won't hold it down.

[Mollers]

Leave it off.

[Rich L]

I have often towed with it on - and gone faster than I should down the motorway (accidently of course). A cover is essential if you are carrying the wifes luggage in the boat

And I use adjustable bungees pulled tight, around every 1/2 metre. I added extra points to accomodate this. I also tape right round the bow with duct tape a couple of times (mainly because my cover is not a great fit and there is excess material at that point).

Never had any problems towing 6 hours plus.

Chaffing of tubes? Not in my experience.

[floater]

I Allways worry that some scroat will throw a fag end into the boat or you pick one up thats been chucked out of a truck etc

Also i find the road grime horid when you get there so I tow with the cover on

but i do have a purpose made to measure cover with tie downs every 3 feet

Andy

[Richard B]

I think it depends on how your cover fits. I wouldn't tow Blue Ice with the cover on because I reckon it would turn into a parachute. But a friend who tows his 8.5m RIB down through Europe to Corsica every year keeps the cover on every time.