Which boat cover-any opinions with after market

[Tall]

I need a new boat cover for my Ranger 2000 488 VS. I took mine off yesterday and the one on there is leaking and my carpet is turning green in a few places.

A new Ranger is 795 + tax and Shipping right at $900. I have looked at several on the net and ebay but I just don't now a quality cover that will be water proof and last. They all say water resistant. I gotto do something in a hurry.

I can find them from $230 to 430 or so that all look like they may work but I just don't know how long they will last and how water proof.

Any experiences with after market covers that are good at a decent price. I will be able to clean some space out in a few weeks when I am better from my stenosis surgery and can put it under a dry storage area but I need to move plywood etc. I have stored that I am not able to do now. That is why I really did not want to spent $900 for a custom Ranger tarp but I may. I know that Ranger will be trailable with ratcher straps but I dought I will ever need to trailor with a cover on.

I thought I would pool some of your thoughts while most places are closed till after the Holidays including Ranger.

[carolina-rig-01]

ranger owner here and let me tell you that their boat covers are top notch. very heavy duty material and while i understand why you may not need a cover that cost that much, as far as covers go mine is probably worth the money. i don't use mine because i keep mine in a storage facility but i do use the cover from time to time. really can't help any with alternative ideas but thought i would tell you that if you have to buy the ranger cover it won't be a cheap piece of crap that will fall apart on you.

[Wags]

Hey Tall, I bought a 1990 Ranger towards the end of this season this year, it came with the cover which looked to be original. It looks to be a very high quality cover but the previous owner had it in storage on and off for the last few years, mostly outdoor. The cover had some wear, a few spots where you would expect the first signs of trouble, around the troller, around the windshield, ect. I am storing it outside myself this winter so I had to do something quick. I just got some black duct tape and patched the few bad areas and then I bought a Stearns Boat Cover for it and put it over the top of the Ranger cover. It only cost $100 and we have already had plenty of ice, rain, sleet, snow,....and some 40mph plus winds. I have checked on the boat a number of times and have been thrilled with the run-off and tightness of the two covers together. I have placed various items in the boat and on the front and back decks to create a nice run-off angle so that the water doesn't pool in the low spots. I don't think I would trailer the boat with ANY covers on it but I think this set-up might even work for that. My Ranger is 18' so I got the cover marked 17'-19'. D v-hull Runabouts beam width to 102" 84048. It comes with a nice buckledown system that keeps it tight around the sides and also front and back. So far I am very pleased with the investment of a roll of black duct tape and the $100 cover.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...T&cmid=PP_P0_2

I just noticed the link provided was for BPS and the cost was $115, I picked mine up at Gander Mountain for $100

[Jackl]

TALL,
I have to agree with RIG on this. You can spend $400 on a aftermarket cover, then in a few years either spend another $400 for another aftermarket cover, or you can spend the $800 up front and have a cove that will last for many years if you don't abuse it. Replacement Ranger = $35,000 or quality cover=$800, it should not take a rocket scientist to do this math!!!
JackL

[MIbasser]

Tall, talk with some of the local boat dealers (not just Ranger) around you. A lot of the time they will work with a canvas shop for their covers. We did this with our old boat and it sat on a hoist all summer long and that cover lasted 10+ years.

[woody]

Hi Tall,
There is now doubt that a quality boat cover is an investment that one would be a fool to skimp on, especially if one has no choice but to store their boat outside like I do, with that being said your probably thinking that I'm gonna suggest a manufacturers cover, but I'm not. I purchaced a Westland Sharkskin Custom fit boat cover, which came with a 5 yr. warranty, fits like a glove and is trailerable. I bought mine thru iboats.com and paid a little over $300 for it, and can say that it was $300 well spent.

[Tall]

Thanks guys for the posts.

Woody I have looked at those at Iboat and they did look like they would work. If I was planning to keep this outside extended I would not hesitate to go with Ranger for the probably longivity and the quality. I hope to have this in my shop with in a month or so and it will stay there so I may not need the use of a cover for an extended period of time. If I could get Camo then I may get a real good one in case I decided to duck hunt on the AR River but I do not think that is an option.

Thanks for the comments. If I were to go with a Ranger I would probably recoup the price if I ever decided to sell the rig I think so I will keep pondering which way to go. It is not like $$$$ grows on trees around here being a firefighter. That does come into play on the consideration.

My Ranger is 20' 3" including the 15" set back/whale tail, so a after market is still going to cost a pretty penny.

The cover that was on it looks like junk and was a sun screen at best, but maybe ten years has just made it real thin. That is why I am so cautious to buy a after market cover without reviews from users on here.

[zooker]

i store my boat inside but due to birds and boring bees i keep it covered..

mibasser is refuring to a "shipping" cover..

if i pull my boat a long way 100+ miles.i use a cover.. even a cheap walmart cover will gain you about 2 mpg when towing..

zooker

[Tall]

I guess I had not thought about the MPG you could save by having a cover. I have showed my wife the comments about spend $400 now and another $400 later if you don't get a good Ranger and now the MPG I would save. She is all for that $900 cover.

Wonder what she is wanting. I think it may haft to do with that big 50 birthday she has coming in April. This was way to easy, know what I mean. I will call Ranger when they open back up.

Thanks for the comments.

[bamabassman]

i got a wally world cover. under 60 bucks. ain't the greatest, but it does ok for now. not sure about useing it while in tow though. wouldn't want to try it....might come off and cover the car behind me.

[bamabassman]

oh...and for that big 5 0 birthday gift....she wants 2 25's,hahaha, kidding buddy! get her something that doubles the cost of the cover, that way you can say that you spent twice the amount on her instead of the other girl in your life (boat).

[MIbasser]

Originally Posted by zooker

mibasser is refuring to a "shipping" cover..


zooker

Zooker, it was a Sunbrella boat cover. Back when it was actually cheap to get one.

[woody]

Hey MI, is that the same cover made by Westland Industrys, I almost went with the Sunbrella boat cover but I wasnt ready to drop $500. Wish I knew they would last 10yrs.

[MIbasser]

Woody, keep in mind that the boat went onto the water on Memorial Day and came off the water Labor day. Other than that it was in a garage. Never pulled the boat with the cover on it either.

[woody]

Oh, I see...

[Tall]

Yes sir Bama I agree something special for her 50 B day because she is special and has been a long time. It is also our 30th aniversary this year too.

Man thats still a lot of money for a cover $900, but if water gets in there and freeze a pipe or the carpart is damaged to be being wet and freeze etc., it want take long to wish you had the best on it, and a repair or replacement of items could be costly. I still am not 100 % on the Ranger cover if a $300 cover like Woody has will work for a month or two till I can get it insde my shop. Still ini the ponder stage but leaning toward the Ranger but still looking around and will see what other boat companies have locally nest week when they open back up.

[flfireman]

I have a cheapy from walmart and so far so good. Have yet to travel with it yet though.

[Tall]

Well Ranger priced themself out of the game when they went up on the cover after they came back from the Holidays. I still considered them because of the quality but when I asked questions they only have a 1 year warrenty and pro rated to 5. When I asked about the ratched system I watched in the vedio they have on their site the saleman said this model did not come with them only straps. My boat is now in my shop in the dry and the cover I ordered is $310 trailable with the strap package included. Not canvas, but no more then I will use it, it will work fine. I expected at least a full 5 year warrenty and ratchet straps on the Ranger for their price.

Thanks for the advise guys.

[dantatro49]

There is a guy that makes covers and they are really good the website is
http://www.deanstop.com they are about $ 525.00 check them out.

[Tall]

Well I was not smart enough to find their web site when I did all the searching I could back at the first of the year. Their site never came up when I google for boat covers. I would have keep my business here in Arkansas, but to late now. Thanks for the info.