Marine: Boating, Sailing, PWC, GPS and Navigation - boat covers, how long do they last?

I need to replace my cover and there is a custom boat cover place locally that everyone uses. They make a good quality cover, how many years shoulod I expect it to last?

Second question, did you have your cover made to cover the engine or did you leave it exposed?

As long as you don't let water and snow accumulate, keep it clean, and don't let it flap in the wind when you trailer it, there's no reason why it shouldn't last up to ten years.

In 1998 the guy who made the mooring cover for the 20-foot Four Winns offered me two choices: A canvas cover with a 3-year warranty or an acrylic cover with a 5-year warranty. The acrylic was only $200 more, so I went with it. I sold the boat in 2008 and the cover was still in decent shape. I'd had it back to the shop twice for seam repair and some reinforcement around the stress points.

I think I'd opt for a separate engine cover. That way there's a good seal around the boat that prevents vermin and bugs from taking up residency.

when we bought the cover for our boat we had it made with the same canvas type material that they would use on the covers over window openings on buisiness out here, I think it was called Sunbrella, it lasted almost 10 years out here in our sun

I have an awning made of sunbrella, that is good stuff. I see on their website that they offer it too. The materials that they offered me was aquaknot. I guess because I asked for a trailering cover.

Sunbrella makes all kinds of different materials, but they're best known in marine circles for bimini and camper top fabrics.

I was also talking about a trailering cover, a.k.a. mooring cover.