Tarp/Boat Cover Advise Please

[Poodroo]

G'day all,

I have had my new boat nearly a year already and when I took delivery of her I had to make the decision as to whether I should cover her up with a tarp or a boat cover. I decided to go for the tarp because it was wider and not only covered the boat but also the trailer. I figured keeping everything under cover was better than leaving it exposed to the elements. Now the tarp I purchased was the most expensive one that I could find that would be big enough to do the job. It cost me around $80 from memory and was purchased from a leading Auto Accessory retailer. The tarp seemed to be thick and good quality with the silver reflective finish (much better than the blue ones I thought).

My dilemma is this. The tarp has not quite lasted a year. It is not exposed to the weather directly because I park it under trees in the back yard. Is this normal duration for these things? Would I have been better off getting a proper boat cover? Can anyone share with me :-
A) What sort of tarps you use and how long does it last on average?
B) Where the best place is to purchase a high quality product.
C) What's best. Boat covers or tarps?


Thanks in advance,

Poodroo

[Marlin_Mike]

I have a blue poly tarp over mine. cost me $38.

It is 12 months old and still OK. Looks like wil go another 12 months at least before it needs replacing

Mike

[Luc]

Before I could use the garage I used the silver tarps and usually got a couple of years out of them.

If you do a bit of travelling, I'd go for a custom boat cover as it keeps things out of sight.

Luc

[Vitamin Sea]

G'day all,

I have had my new boat nearly a year already and when I took delivery of her I had to make the decision as to whether I should cover her up with a tarp or a boat cover. I decided to go for the tarp because it was wider and not only covered the boat but also the trailer. I figured keeping everything under cover was better than leaving it exposed to the elements. Now the tarp I purchased was the most expensive one that I could find that would be big enough to do the job. It cost me around $80 from memory and was purchased from a leading Auto Accessory retailer. The tarp seemed to be thick and good quality with the silver reflective finish (much better than the blue ones I thought).

My dilemma is this. The tarp has not quite lasted a year. It is not exposed to the weather directly because I park it under trees in the back yard. Is this normal duration for these things? Would I have been better off getting a proper boat cover? Can anyone share with me :-
A) What sort of tarps you use and how long does it last on average?
B) Where the best place is to purchase a high quality product.
C) What's best. Boat covers or tarps?


Thanks in advance,

Poodroo

Hi Poodroo

I bought a tarp from a camping place on Moss St at slacks creek, silver on the outside, green inside.

I have had it over the boat for about 6 yrs now, quite outstanding really.

Has got a few holes here and there now and probably needs replacing.

About $85 bucks on special for memory, good value.

The plain blue ones do not last.

Hope this assists.

Cheers

VS

[tunaticer]

I had a white cover made for mine out of the same stuff that biminis are back in 95 and even now after some 13 yrs out in the weather its still keeping the rain out of the boat. Mind you it is oxidised and stained with tree sap but still does the job it was intended to do. cost me about 130 bucks to get made up then. I would have gone through 13 tarps by now at your current rate of consumption. Big plus is my cover is fully towable and has done the length of the QLD east coast several times over those 13 yrs.

Jack.

[FNQCairns]

Yeah, silver tarps are not silver tarps sol! The supercheap tarps are absolute rubbish and last just as well, still spitting I bought 3 when on special.

I now have a durarig tarp covering the boat, it is fitted to one of those portable 3x6 supercheap carports far almost 2 years, the supercheap ones by comparison last only 6 months up here, d straps on the durarig have dissolved away so I punch a small hole and zip tie, apart from this they have amazed me for the price.

cheers fnq

[Greg P]

Custom cover is the best way to go if you store outside. With your boat though you maybe able to pick up a cover from West Marine to suit (although the $$ isn't a sweetner anymore) but they are better than the off the shelf ones from BCF etc

The taylor covers look good

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SiteSearchView?dispName=SEATING%20_%20COVERS&jspStoreDir=wm51&catalogId=10001&Nao=0&Ntt=Boat%20Covers,%20Shelters&N=377%20710%201300&langId=-1&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&omniTag=Category:Boat%20Covers,%20Shelters&storeId=10001

[Poodroo]

I have a blue poly tarp over mine. cost me $38.

It is 12 months old and still OK. Looks like wil go another 12 months at least before it needs replacing

Mike
Thanks Mike. I don't know how you get that much life out of a blue poly tarp. I have had no luck at all with them. The tend to self destruct in no time.


Before I could use the garage I used the silver tarps and usually got a couple of years out of them.

If you do a bit of travelling, I'd go for a custom boat cover as it keeps things out of sight.

Luc
Yeah I like the idea of hiding things too. May look at the boat cover option a little closer.


Hi Poodroo

I bought a tarp from a camping place on Moss St at slacks creek, silver on the outside, green inside.

I have had it over the boat for about 6 yrs now, quite outstanding really.

Has got a few holes here and there now and probably needs replacing.

About $85 bucks on special for memory, good value.

The plain blue ones do not last.

Hope this assists.

Cheers

VS
Was that a camp store starting with a "B" and ending with an "F?" ::) I might go have a looksy. Mine is silver on the top and a dark green underneath but not the same quality obviouslly even though I paid as much.


I had a white cover made for mine out of the same stuff that biminis are back in 95 and even now after some 13 yrs out in the weather its still keeping the rain out of the boat. Mind you it is oxidised and stained with tree sap but still does the job it was intended to do. cost me about 130 bucks to get made up then. I would have gone through 13 tarps by now at your current rate of consumption. Big plus is my cover is fully towable and has done the length of the QLD east coast several times over those 13 yrs.

Jack.

Jack I might look into that myself. My maths tell me that paying lots more for something that lasts 13 years is a cheaper option long term. Thanks for sharing.


Yeah, silver tarps are not silver tarps sol! The supercheap tarps are absolute rubbish and last just as well, still spitting I bought 3 when on special.

I now have a durarig tarp covering the boat, it is fitted to one of those portable 3x6 supercheap carports far almost 2 years, the supercheap ones by comparison last only 6 months up here, d straps on the durarig have dissolved away so I punch a small hole and zip tie, apart from this they have amazed me for the price.

cheers fnq

Well say not more. Mine also came from Supercheap and suffice to say my next one will not be. The one I have here I can no longer pull tight over the boat without it ripping. Quite poor considering how much I paid for it. Thanks for the reply.


Custom cover is the best way to go if you store outside. With your boat though you maybe able to pick up a cover from West Marine to suit (although the $$ isn't a sweetner anymore) but they are better than the off the shelf ones from BCF etc

The taylor covers look good

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SiteSearchView?dispName=SEATING%20_%20COVERS&jspStoreDir=wm51&catalogId=10001&Nao=0&Ntt=Boat%20Covers,%20Shelters&N=377%20710%201300&langId=-1&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&omniTag=Category:Boat%20Covers,%20Shelters&storeId=10001

Good info Greg thanks. To everyone who replied I highly value your feedback. Many thanks to all.

Regards,

Poodroo

[DR]

i have a white one on mine, appears to be similar material to the silver poly tarps. Has been on the boat for at least 4 years. From memory it is UV stable & guaranteed for 3 years, or something like that. Other than stains it is still in good nick.
Give Boomerang Canvas at Coopers Plains a call, thats where mine came from. Cannot remember exact price but was somewhere between $150 & $200 trade price.

[Poodroo]

i have a white one on mine, appears to be similar material to the silver poly tarps. Has been on the boat for at least 4 years. From memory it is UV stable & guaranteed for 3 years, or something like that. Other than stains it is still in good nick.
Give Boomerang Canvas at Coopers Plains a call, thats where mine came from. Cannot remember exact price but was somewhere between $150 & $200 trade price.


Thanks heaps DR. I have never seen the white ones but they sound like they go the distance. The one I have now looked the goods but self distructed after about 9 months. It has holes big enough to allow jacaranda tree leaves to fill my boat. :-/ Two trees I hate the most are jacaranda and umberella and I have both in my back yard. >:(

Poodroo

[timddo]

Poo

Have you thought about buying yourself a secondhand single carport??, They are only about $100 bucks or so

It will probably last forever.

[Vitamin Sea]

Was that a camp store starting with a "B" and ending with an "F?" ::) I might go have a looksy. Mine is silver on the top and a dark green underneath but not the same quality obviouslly even though I paid as much.

No it wasn't, downu%$nder camping or something similar, up on the LHS heading towards Kingston Rd

Cheers

VS

[Kleyny]

Do you know any truckies Poo or even someone in the rail?

They have the best tarps ever.

I would also look at talking to a canvas upholster you may pay more coin but you will only pay it once.

neil

[Poodroo]

Do you know any truckies Poo or even someone in the rail?

They have the best tarps ever.

I would also look at talking to a canvas upholster you may pay more coin but you will only pay it once.

neil

Neil I was hoping you knew someone and could acquire something for the price of a wet lunch. (just kidding) ::) ;D
I am sure I will find something that will last a lot longer than this last expensive pathetic excuse for a tarp did. Have received lots of ideas from this thread so thanks to all again who took the time to post up a reply. I know I have to spend more but this is what sucks. I looked at cheap tarps initially and ended up buying what I thought was a better quality tarp because I did spend more. Goes to show that we are all vulnerable to being misled by retailers sometimes.

Poodroo

[Leighton]

I use a 4x4 car cover, Silver on top with a felt under lay. Had it for 2 years now and it still looks new after being fully exposed to all weather conditions.
The cover has 2 straps and is vented to reduce sweating.
Cost a couple of Hundred form Autobarn

[haggis]

I bought one of those grey boat covers from bcf but it has only lasted
a year & half . might half to look at one of those trailerable boat covers
from bcf . they are a couple of hundred dollars I think but if it protects your investment then why not .

[honda900]

I also use a Silver tarp, cost 180.00 from the same camping store mentioned earlier, have had it for 2 years and still like new. Ultra Rig Poly tarp, use it camping as well . ;)

So, what does it roughly cost for a custom cover? 6.0m LOA x 2.3m W x 2.5m H

I had the impression I would be looking at the best part of 2k for a cover, just did a quote on the american site, they only wanted $300.00 for a cover. :o


Regards
HOnda

[oldboot]

All cheap tarps aren't equal.
I agree that the realy cheap blue tarps last avery short time....like 6 months or less.

I've been getting about two years out of the silver tarps... but the quality varies with batches.

durability varies a lot with how you rig them too.....if they are just chucked over thier life is considerably shortened.

if they are kept taught, supported, and protected from abrasion and water and organic matter isn't allowed to acumulate on the they last a lot longer.

being under a tree may actulay shorten its life due to falling stickas and mould.

cheers

[Poodroo]

Poo

Have you thought about buying yourself a secondhand single carport??, They are only about $100 bucks or so

It will probably last forever.

In short the answer is no. Unfortunately I am not blessed with that much room in the back yard. It is a small yard and two cars take up the carport and one has to remain in the back yard. Then there is the boat. Once I park the boat in the yard there is just enough room for the guinea pig cage. ::) On a bright note it takes all of two seconds to mow. ;D


I use a 4x4 car cover, Silver on top with a felt under lay. Had it for 2 years now and it still looks new after being fully exposed to all weather conditions.
The cover has 2 straps and is vented to reduce sweating.
Cost a couple of Hundred form Autobarn
Sounds like another good option. I like the idea of the felt underlay because it would be gentle on any paint surface like the cowling on the motor for example. Good suggestion.


I also use a Silver tarp, cost 180.00 from the same camping store mentioned earlier, have had it for 2 years and still like new. Ultra Rig Poly tarp, use it camping as well . ;)
Regards
HOnda
I will be heading out that way on the weekend. Will have a look at the range. $200 on a tarp that lasts for years works out way cheaper than $80 per annum for crap.


All cheap tarps aren't equal.
I agree that the realy cheap blue tarps last avery short time....like 6 months or less.

I have had those cheap blue tarps just to use purely for my annual Fraser trips that I was doing. Used the tarps once and then came home and washed and packed them away in the shed out of the weather. Took the tarps out next year and they were chalky and falling apart. Never owned a blue tarp since.

Poodroo

[fiftyfifty]

I have one of the white custom made tarps that fortunately came with my half cabin boat when I bought it.

Whilst it does a good job protecting the boat, it also does an excellent job of causing water to pool on the top of the canopy when it rains. Initially I didn't know this happened and I came out one morning after a night of rain to see my canopy badly sagging under the weight of the wadding pool up there.

While I was pondering the situation, the rear aluminium support stay snapped in half before my eyes! - it was already weakened because a hole had been drilled in it to hold the anchor light.

I have since I repaired canopy support and now I place two of my kids old boogie boards between the top of the canopy and the cover. The boards are light but stiff enough to ensure the water sheds off and doesn't pool.

That's my boat tarp story!

[Poodroo]

I have one of the white custom made tarps that fortunately came with my half cabin boat when I bought it.

Whilst it does a good job protecting the boat, it also does an excellent job of causing water to pool on the top of the canopy when it rains. Initially I didn't know this happened and I came out one morning after a night of rain to see my canopy badly sagging under the weight of the wadding pool up there.

While I was pondering the situation, the rear aluminium support stay snapped in half before my eyes! - it was already weakened because a hole had been drilled in it to hold the anchor light.

I have since I repaired canopy support and now I place two of my kids old boogie boards between the top of the canopy and the cover. The boards are light but stiff enough to ensure the water sheds off and doesn't pool.

That's my boat tarp story!

Thanks for that. Yes I have had that happen to me as well with my old boat but not with the new boat. Because of the windscreen and canopy there is a natural slope to the rear of the boat so once I pull the tarp tight using octopus straps the water just runs straight off the tarp without pooling.

Regards,

Poodroo

[oldboot]

Yep two things will cause distruction in tarps & the like faster than anything else.... pooling water and flapping edges.

Both have the potential to be incredibly dangerous and very distructive as the scale gets bigger.

cheers

[darylive]

Shop around. How big is the boat? I got quotes from $300 to $600 for a custom trailerable tarp. At $3 to $350 it is a good investment, fits neat and keep prying eyes and hands of you gear at the camp site or pub stop, I wish I had gone that way before I got the off the shelf one we all seem to get first. The cheapies are just that, they keep the sun off a parked boat. I use a piece of ploy pipe in the rod holders from one side to the other to make an arch over the boat to keep the water from pooling. Fortunately at home it lives in the shed. But out side the poly pipe works a treat!

[Peter4]

Daryl,

Where did you get your quotes? Most are quoting me $700 - $1,000 for a custom trailerable tarp for my 4m painted tinny.

Me thinks these prices are outrageous......

Pete

[darylive]

Pete that's what I started out with and it was way too much. Then tried the chandlers around the boat outlets. The bloke behind Caloundra Marine was most competitive. You boat is a little bigger than mine but he seemed to talk sense. A simple cover only not cutouts etc. I have to remount rod holders below gunwales but he was the best I spoke to.

Pete this was a little while ago but he was well below the other quotes. Worth a try. He will get plenty of work if he produces a good product at a reasonable price and what I saw of his work it was top notch from tinny to tanker. Have a look in the yard there he does all the work there. ;)

[Karren41]

Try Ray,s Canvas & Marine @ Caboolture he will be happy to advise you on the best way to go even if you get the job done elsewhere. I have had work done by Ray and due to me leaving it to the last minute i couldn,t ask for better service and advice. He has also done work on other ausfish members boats. He has the photos on his work shop board. Ph 54994911/0410634719

[sandman55]

I have read this thread with interest as I have just bought a Quintrex Dart 355 with a Yamaha 9.9 four stroke. The guy at the shop had a generic trailerable cover that fitted sizes between 3.3 to 4 meters for $139 only I'm a bit worried it will flap in the wind and it shows on the carton it fitting nicely on a boat without an outboard so I am wondering how it will go with my outboard fitted.

To the guy that had his boat under the jackaranda tree I have been told not to park under them because at certain times of the year they drip sap.

[finga]

That reversecycle place in the Westend had some side curtains off the curtainer trucks cheap.
They'll last a hell of a lot longer then a normal tarp from Supacheep.

[Ron173]

tailor made canvas one, from a motor trimmer / upholsterers shop, you wont beat it, water tight, wont flap on highway, no critters get in.

exy though, mine was $1500 option from manufacturer, but it fits like a glove, and includes front lowers which sit out from hull a bit to deflect stones.

Usual story, if you want quality its gonna cost you $$.

Depends on boat value and how much you care about it, mine is on a 48K boat, so I figure its money well spent.

Ron

[sheridan]

Hi Poodroo
I have a custom made one on my boat came with it when i brought it .I rang the guy i I got it from last night he said he had it made at a tarp place in Eight mile plains 3 years ago for about $310 its still pretty good the stitching in one rear corner is starting to fray where it pulls tight over the corner going to glue a small patch on the inside . You can tow with it on also has eyelets up the sides to lash down tight .I intend to tow to Cairns with it on . Never had trouble with water and its open at the engine well to let the boat air .Sorry he could'n remember the name of the place but if he does he will ring me .

Geoff

[Hazard]

I bought a Shorebreak cover. I was told Shorebreak covers was one of the best by the dealer I bought my boat from. My boats a Quintrex 5.4 coast runner. The cover cost about $300 I think from memory and lasted 16 months. Its beginning to tear in places and the tie down straps are rotting and breaking as well as the plastic clips. I am now looking to find someone who will make a tailor made cover for me. I expect to pay about $1500 to $2,000 for one.

Can anyone recommend or know of someone in the Newcastle, Nelson Bay, Lake Mcquarrie area who can make a quality custom made cover?

Regards,

Haz.