Towing with Mooring Cover

[jdunn]

I have a 2018 R7 Surf and tow 2 or 3 times a year to Powell which is 500 miles one way for me. I did not get the cockpit and bow covers that snap on because I just didn't want all those snaps on the boat. Petty, I know. Anyway, my brother tows his Moomba with his mooring cover on all the time. What are your thoughts? The cover I'm talking about secures with ratchet straps near the tower mounts. It fits snug and when ratcheted tight I don't feel it would go anywhere. I have never used the poles because the boat is stored inside.

Without the cover the carpet gets beat up and pulled out multiple snaps out of the floor last year. I started to pull the carpet up and store it in the bathroom but I hate how dirty the boat gets.

I welcome your advice on rub marks on the gel coat or about how secure the cover is at highway speeds. Thanks in advance.

Josh

[JTinMO]

The factory cover can be used when towing. Tighten it down and go.

Of course you may see a minor rub mark in the gelcoat over time, so if that bothers you be prepared. I will deal with a minor rub mark to buff out occasionally over tearing up the interior or losing carpets on the highway.

[Bigghauss]

Good info. I hope I don't hijack here, but the mooring cover tow question is one I'm constantly dealing with. I had a custom fit cover out of Sunbrella material made with the goal of it providing substantial coverage and was purpose built for towing. However, we did not put any vents behind the windshield. Now, I've seen some tow-able covers WITH those aerodynamic vents right behind the windshield, much like the stock Cobalt cover, and others like mine that DO NOT have the vents. The Cobalt covers are oriented to the side, or perpendicular to airflow, while most other covers are parallel with airflow, with the vent opening towards the rear of the boat.

Now, I've seen advertisers talk about how those vents help the cover to 'suck' into the boat and thus the cover does not move when being towed. What is the science behind this? How do those vents cause a 'negative pressure' situation as so claimed?

I'm trying to envision the wind and pressure movement over the cover starting at the tip of the bow, up the slope of the windshield, and the across the slope of the cover to the back of the boat, and can't seem to connect it in my head. At the very top of the windshield, where all the air is being driven up, I would imagine the Pressure to be highest for the windshield is slowing down the air. But then when I think back to my college days, the Velocity of the air right above the very top of the windshield would be the highest, thus wouldn't that make the pressure lowest? Then what would happen after the windshield where the cover slopes away? Wouldn't pressure increase at that point as the velocity of the air is reduced as it expands into the larger spacer after the windshield and thus push DOWN on the cover? Or would it crate a vacuum and try to pull the cover up? So then what would the vent do?

The cover manufacturer claims it pulls air out of the cover but again, I'm just not seeing how the physics works. Basically I'm trying to figure out if I should add vents just behind my windshield on my cover in an effort to reduce cover movement. I would love to see what airflow looks like around a boat that's being towed.

Any takers on this????

[jdunn]

The factory cover can be used when towing. Tighten it down and go.

Of course you may see a minor rub mark in the gelcoat over time, so if that bothers you be prepared. I will deal with a minor rub mark to buff out occasionally over tearing up the interior or losing carpets on the highway.

Should I use the poles to prop up the cover at the low spots. I really wouldn't see why not, it was made to be used with them. Just not too familiar since I haven't used them yet.

[Islander208]

[quote=jdunn post_id=56193

Without the cover the carpet gets beat up and pulled out multiple snaps out of the floor last year. I started to pull the carpet up and store it in the bathroom but I hate how dirty the boat gets.

I welcome your advice on rub marks on the gel coat or about how secure the cover is at highway speeds. Thanks in advance.

Josh
[/quote]

I can't speak on the cover, but for your shorter trips I would close the bow doors. My issue was that the wind would pull out the back seats at highway speeds. So, after driving an hour to the lake my ice would be melted from my built in cooler. Close the bow doors and the wind is diverted over the cockpit. Problem solved. I would assume this would help with your carpet issue as well.

[AsLan7]

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Hey jdunn. Welcome to the Cobaltchat forum. So glad you found us!

I’m a big fan of the cockpit snap on covers which I’ve had on my last three boats. Yes, snaps can make it look busy but I wouldn’t trade that system for any others with our trailerable 263. It’s just easy and fast (if you can reach over the windscreen....Ytmsn )

Others , like you, can’t tolerate the snaps & have different ideas. They will chime in shortly.

Do you have any pics??

In any event, welcome aboard mate!

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[akorcovelos]

I have a single piece snap on cover with the vents fore and aft, the cover does suck down and not move at all, even at highway speed. I always use the poles because the boat sits outside and it keep rain from pooling. Wish I had two piece snap covers, but I think AsLan and I are the only ones here that feel that way, lol.

[ajcampen]

I have the ratchet strap mooring cover from cobalt and use it to tow all the time. Great towing cover

[JTinMO]

The factory cover can be used when towing. Tighten it down and go.

Of course you may see a minor rub mark in the gelcoat over time, so if that bothers you be prepared. I will deal with a minor rub mark to buff out occasionally over tearing up the interior or losing carpets on the highway.

Should I use the poles to prop up the cover at the low spots. I really wouldn't see why not, it was made to be used with them. Just not too familiar since I haven't used them yet.

I've used mine both with and without the poles. Seems to be fine both ways. I've seen more cobalts on the highway using the support poles when towing vs. not though. The prior owner for the boat never used them and was fine. My dealer rep said go either way.

[Ytmsn]

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Hey jdunn. Welcome to the Cobaltchat forum. So glad you found us!

I’m a big fan of the cockpit snap on covers which I’ve had on my last three boats. Yes, snaps can make it look busy but I wouldn’t trade that system for any others with our trailerable 263. It’s just easy and fast (if you can reach over the windscreen....Ytmsn )

Others , like you, can’t tolerate the snaps & have different ideas. They will chime in shortly.

Do you have any pics??

In any event, welcome aboard mate!

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Hey I'm sitting right here and heard that!

[jdunn]

Pics of the boat, not even a year old. Have had a few issues but I'll save that for another thread.

[akorcovelos]

Wow, LOVE the color combo.

[AsLan7]

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Hey jdunn. Welcome to the Cobaltchat forum. So glad you found us!

I’m a big fan of the cockpit snap on covers which I’ve had on my last three boats. Yes, snaps can make it look busy but I wouldn’t trade that system for any others with our trailerable 263. It’s just easy and fast (if you can reach over the windscreen....Ytmsn )

Others , like you, can’t tolerate the snaps & have different ideas. They will chime in shortly.

Do you have any pics??

In any event, welcome aboard mate!

.


.

Hey I'm sitting right here and heard that!

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Love ya’ like a brother YT....(red headed stepbrother that is).



....and sharp combination jdunn. Thanks for posting!


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[Islander208]

Beautiful Boat!!!!

[no_rulz25]

I tow all the time with the same mooring cover you're talking about without any issues. As long as the ratchet straps are nice and tight it won't move. I did read somewhere that they don't recommend going faster than 75 on the highway.