Boat Covers – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (…or Make Your Own?)
If you keep a boat on the bank at the Upper Thames Sailing Club like I do, you’ll know that a boat cover is not an optional extra. It’s survival equipment.
After wind, rain, frost, tree sap, bird “presents”, and the occasional Thames flood, I’ve come to see boat covers as characters in their own drama:
Let’s explore.
🟢 The Good – Properly Fitted, Breathable, and Secure
A good cover:
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Fits your exact boat (not “something roughly similar”)
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Has strong webbing straps under the hull
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Uses breathable fabric
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Keeps tension without sagging
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Has reinforced wear patches
On our RS Toura, a well-fitted cover keeps the cockpit dry, the control lines clean, and the spinnaker halyard free from turning into green biology coursework.
Why it matters:
A good cover saves hours of cleaning and hundreds of pounds in replacement kit.
🟡 The Bad – The “Almost” Cover
You know this one.
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Slightly too big
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Slightly too small
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Slightly cheaper than the proper one
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Slightly ripped after the first storm
It pools water.
It flaps.
It chafes gelcoat.
It eventually tears at the corners.
It looked like a bargain.
It wasn’t.
Ours for the Toura was expensive, it just doesn't fit the Toura, even though RS say it is correct.
🔴 The Ugly – Blue Tarp and Bungee Engineering
We’ve all seen it.
A blue tarpaulin.
Elastic bungees.
Half a brick.
Optimism.
It lasts approximately:
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One gust
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One heavy rain
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Or one cold snap
After that, you’re basically storing a paddling pool.
Make Your Own? 🤔
Now here’s the interesting bit.
Boats like the Whaly - It has a different shape to other Whaleys, with the A -frame, so this needs a custom cover.
So… do you make one?
What You’ll Need:
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Proper marine acrylic fabric (breathable, UV resistant)
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Heavy-duty sewing machine
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Reinforcement patches
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Webbing and buckles
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Patience (industrial quantities)
Pros:
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Perfect fit
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Choose colour and style
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Repairable
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Deeply satisfying
Cons:
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Time
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Cost of materials
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Domestic harmony risks if using dining table as sail loft
If you already run workshops, film studio gear, and boat restorations, adding “marine sailmaker” to the list may or may not be wise…
Top Tips from a River Sailor at 65+
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Always remove leaves before winter.
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Lift the cover slightly so water can’t pool.
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Check straps after storms.
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Never trust a single bungee.
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If in doubt, over-spec it.
A boat cover is not glamorous.
But neither is scrubbing mould out of a cockpit in March.
Blog Closing Thought
We polish hulls.
We tweak rig tension.
We debate handicap numbers.
And then we protect it all with £40 worth of blue plastic.
Perhaps the humble cover deserves more respect.
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