Bow and Cockpit Tonneau Covers for a 242

[wss48126]

Does anyone know the manufacture of the Bow and Tonneau covers that came with the 2010 242's? My boat that I bought this summer did not have them with the boat and I want to replace them since it already has the snaps installed. I figured I would rather get the factory ones and then just have to spend a few hours pressing the snaps into it and fitting it. I bought a new cover this past year from Commerical Sewing, but was not sure if they were also the makers of the Bow and Cockpit Tonneau's as well for Cobalt.

[Big Block Power]

They probably made those in house. Everyone is diff. Bring it to an upholstery shop and they can match it up.

[wss48126]

Thank you for the info. I was trying to keep from having to take the boat to an upholstery shop. I would have loved to have had the old ones no matter how beat up they were to at least use as a pattern.

This might be a project for next winter to have done while it sits unused for about 4 months.

[NHRSP]

Hello wss48126-
I ran into an issue tonight coming home from the lake. My cockpit cover flew off. A SUV waived me down while driving but by the time I circled back… it was gone!
How did you make out finding a cover? Did you source one?
Looking for your input to aid another 242 owner in need.
All the best.

[AsLan7]

Hello wss48126-
I ran into an issue tonight coming home from the lake. My cockpit cover flew off. A SUV waived me down while driving but by the time I circled back… it was gone!
How did you make out finding a cover? Did you source one?
Looking for your input to aid another 242 owner in need.
All the best.

.
So glad you found us NHRSP...and sorry to hear about your cover loss.

Hopefully you can source one but the snap on one's are difficult to find on their own. May need to do a local custom job.

Any pics?

And welcome aboard mate.

.

[NHRSP]

Thanks for the welcome!

You’re absolutely correct. The snap covers are nearly non-existent. All I need is to get a template of one for my upholstery guy. Winter is approaching and I’m hoping I can find someone to lend one to me, even at a fee. I’d even buy a ripped one to copy.

Today I bought a full morning cover which goes down to the waterline. This will be my full time summer cover, but need to find that evasive snap cover for trailering.

I’ll get a picture next weekend as it’ll be my last day on the water before winterization and shrink wrap.

All the best.

[jhnmdahl]

Snap covers are a fair bit easier for a local manufacturer to make than the mooring covers, so hopefully a local canvas shop is willing to take it on. I don't know whether Commercial Sewing did the snap covers as well, but a dealer should be able to reach out to them and find out if they don't want to talk with you directly.

[NHRSP]

Thank you for the input. I did call my local Cobalt dealer and he’s 100% confident my 12 year old 242 will not fall in range of boats the mfr still keeps covers for. They do have a local shop who can make a very nice cover though. I’ll work on that to have done for next year’s boating season.

Thanks to the responses I’ve received to source a replacement.

I look forward to more conversations to refresh my boat and keep it running and looking great.

All the best.

[jhnmdahl]

To be clear, Commercial Sewing does not "stock" covers, they make them to order, including a lot of the original covers for Cobalts provided from the factory for decades now. The only way to get one is to go through a boat dealer that is willing to work with them directly - they don't sell to end users.

Sounds like you found a good solution, though - I expect it will turn out well if your dealer endorses them.

John

[Avg_Guy]

Hello wss48126-
I ran into an issue tonight coming home from the lake. My cockpit cover flew off. A SUV waived me down while driving but by the time I circled back… it was gone!
How did you make out finding a cover? Did you source one?
Looking for your input to aid another 242 owner in need.
All the best.

Same experience...cockpit cover blew off due to a 35-45mph headwind (added to my 55-mph made for 90+ mph gusts) returning home to SF Bay Area CA from Lake Chelan WA, and I had duct taped the cover's perimeter. I don't even know when it ejected...just happened during one of the 2-3 minutes that I was watching forward. I circled back but that same wind carried it somewhere that I could not see.

In researching a replacement, I found https://rnr-marine.com/cobalt.shtml out of Mt. Pleasant, SC. Their website says: "Factory Original-Equipment-Manufacturer (OEM) Canvas for Cobalt® boats: RNR-Marine™ is a leading dealer for who patterned and manufactured Factory Original-Equipment-Manufacturer (OEM) canvas for Cobalt® 206, 226, 227, 243, 246, 262, 263, 273, 292, 303, 323 and 360 boats from 2000 to 2014."

My experience with RNR has not been very good. They only communicate via email, except after you have ordered, and a customer service phone number is then provided. My first two email inquiries for a cockpit cover were unanswered, but after ordering a full boat cover and emailing customer support (which this time they did respond and quickly), I was advised that they no longer make the cockpit cover for my 263. In fact, no OEM canvas is still produced for my 263, irrespective of what is advertised on the website. I noted that the 242 is not listed among their original OEM manufacturing, but the only way to know is to contact them.

A side note about the full cover that I did purchase, it is a good quality Sunbrella material, with heavy stitching, and I expect it will last a good long time. HOWEVER, it is one their "styled-to-fit", which is guaranteed to fit, whatever that means. By this I mean, here is the full description: "We hope the Sunbrella(r) or Outdura(r) Acrylic Silver [21] Boat-Cover-CSF-Model fit your COBALT 263, I/O (sterndrive), With EXTENDED SWIM PLATFORM, NO TOWER OR ARCH (NO Raised Bimini) (2005-2007) V-hull Runabout I/O boat (including Euro-style) with Windshield and Hand or Bow Rails (height: 14-16ft=4-inch, 16-20ft=8-inch, 20ft+=12-inch), sterndrive, No Tower or Arch; Bimini Lowered; Pedestal Seat(s) Removed ( this Boat Cover fits just below the boat's rub rail and: 1) is Trailerable when properly tied down with straps, 2) May or May NOT be suitable for In-Water mooring use due to specific cover style, swim platform location, hem style and/or draw-rope exit location, 3) is GUARANTEED to fit this specific boat configuration per https://DealerGuide.CarverCovers.com/mmy/boat ) properly!"...yet, it does not cover the extended swim platform. AND, it fits the boat like a Trojan Magnum fits me! Not my desired fit but it will do the job, I guess. But further, it is not intended for mooring use, so why not cover the entire boat when the extended swim platform has been definitively identified?

I do have the original OEM full cover, and it is AWESOME. Cutouts for bimini, pockets, snaps for cover poles, Cobalt logo patches, everything as it should be. If I could do it over, I would have taken that to a canvas maker and had the same cover made.