Cockpit/mooring cover

aero3113

Do you guys find a need for a cockpit/mooring cover? I like using the bimini top and camper enclosure but think it might be good for transport and storms. What do you guys do?

Liberty44140

I used the cockpit/mooring cover for winter. I stored indoor cold so the eisenglass came home for the winter and the cockpit cover stayed on October - April. The only time I used it during the summer was once when I had a zipper blow out and had to take some of the eisenglass home to be repaired, so it was on for one week only. 

aero3113

@Liberty44140 , do you boat with your side curtains up at all? Or remove and install them each trip? I see in your avatar pic you only have your bimini up.

Liberty44140

Due to the “station wagon effect” the 342 has to be ran either completely open behind the arch or completely closed. Most of the time I run open from the arch back like you see in my pic. If I would open only the rear curtain leaving the sides up and would keep the front closed up, the cabin CO detector would go off.

aero3113

Do you install your side/aft curtains after each use? With my 242 I always left the bimini and side curtains up. I had an aft cover that I would remove each trip. Trying to figure out what I will need to do with our new 330. An aft cover like what I had would be nice, this way you don’t have to deal with removing the windows all the time.

Liberty44140

So typically I would have the bimini top and camper top always up, and then the eisenglass on all 4 sides up, thus not needing the mooring cover in the summer. If you use the mooring cover, then you have to take all of the eisenglass down. I like to get to the boat and walk in the enclosed camper. I would never take out the side curtains in front of the arch, but I would remove the rear side curtains and aft curtain as much as weather would permit. When I leave the boat for the week, all 4 sides of the cockpit's eisenglass curtains would be up and zipped. 

YYZRC

I bought a mooring cover for my FW and never used it.  I thought maybe I could preserve the life of my Eisenglass by using the mooring cover, but I quickly realized that I was doing more damage to the Eisenglass by removing/storing/reinstalling it than I was to just leave it installed (not to mention the headache of removing/storing/reinstalling).

In an already too-short season, who has time to swap between mooring cover and camper canvas?

For storms it would make sense, assuming you have enough lead time to swap!

davidbrooks

For me it is seasonal. I use the mooring cover exclusively from June through Sept. The camper cover just helps extend the season. In the summer it stays clean and rolled up in the garage. The mooring cover is also faster to take off or put on than the camper cover.

reneechris14

I'm like liberty camper canvas is always up. I'm an hour and 15 minutes away from the boat so usually show up late Friday unzip the back and just slide in. When under way I try to take down as much isinglass as the admiral will allow. I do use the mooring cover at home and time to time at the dock.

rasbury

Since I store on a trailer and not wrapped in the winter, my mooring cover stays on...most of my boating there is nothing on unless I do slip for the night...then it's back off. I keep the package on the front berth layred with blankets. Cheaper to replace the cover than the package...

Ian

Liberty44140 said:

I used the cockpit/mooring cover for winter. I stored indoor cold so the eisenglass came home for the winter and the cockpit cover stayed on October - April. The only time I used it during the summer was once when I had a zipper blow out and had to take some of the eisenglass home to be repaired, so it was on for one week only. 

Basically the same here, winter storage and until I am ready to float then I put up the camper top. When we had the Bayliner I put on the cover when the hurricane came up here.

Cableguy Greg

I use the cockpit cover all of the time. The only time I use the camper enclosure is in the fall when it gets too tight to put it up and I am trying to extend the season. I don’t like dealing with putting the windows up and down all of the time. 

aero3113

I’m thinking about having an aft storage cover made (from the arch back). I might go a season without and see what will really work for us.

Liberty44140

aero3113 said:

I’m thinking about having an aft storage cover made (from the arch back). I might go a season without and see what will really work for us.

Agree you should wait.... we haven’t even closed on the new boat and I’m already looking at adds and projects, admiral just slowed me down and said first year is just maintenance and needs, figure out the boat, wants for 2021