Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

A conversation among Whalers
e_digg
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:06 pm

Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby e_digg » Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:12 pm

I have purchased a 1970 Sport 13 with side rails and bow rail. This boat is all original and in good shape; I want to keep it that way.

I need a mooring cover—something to keep the elements out while on the boat lift.

Recommend a mooring cover for a SPORT 13 with side rails and bow rail that sells for under $300.


Thanks
Ed

PatSea
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:52 pm

Re: WTB Boat mooring/cover for 13' classic

Postby PatSea » Sun Jun 23, 2019 3:15 pm

I have a 1972 13-footer with front rail and side rails. I have a Carver cover and it works great. I've trailered with it on from Ohio to Florida twice with no problems. I added two fiberglass arches to the front to shed water.

e_digg
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:06 pm

Re: WTB Boat mooring/cover for 13' classic

Postby e_digg » Sun Jun 23, 2019 4:30 pm

Q1: Which Carver [product number or model identity] did you buy?

The Carver website was one of several websites that did not have a cover with front rails as an option.

Q2: does the cover have cutouts for the rails in the front?

Q3: which fabric did you choose?

Q4: were the fiberglass arches an add-on item from Carver?

Q5: Were the arches something you came up with on your own?

Thanks
Ed

PatSea
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:52 pm

Re: WTB Boat mooring/cover for 13' classic

Postby PatSea » Mon Jun 24, 2019 9:04 am

I have the Carver #71613S. WSB-13 with bow rail allowance Sun DURA khaki.

My SPORT 13 boats rails are about 14-inches high and this cover even coming over the fibreglass bows comes down a foot onto the hull. It comes over the railing.

I don't store the boat outside with the cover. It's in my garage or in the water for a month or two with no cover.

The cover took some adjustments when I first received it, adding two bows.

I have lines with elastic cords going from side to side.

The cover works great for trailering.
Hope this helps

PatSea
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:52 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby PatSea » Mon Jun 24, 2019 3:10 pm

I bought the fibreglass arches online. Don't remember where but Google “boat support” and you'll find them. They also are available in wood.

macfam
Posts: 180
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 9:24 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby macfam » Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:18 am

When we had our 13 Whaler, we had a Mills Canvas mooring cover: expensive, but I thought worth it.

With their unique “gunwale clips” and draw string around the hem, it’s a tight, perfect fit.

Now with the 150 Montauk, I ordered a helm seat cover, and console cover, as well as a Bimini sun top all in black.
Superb quality and fit, and looks great.

I recommend Mills Canvas.

e_digg
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:06 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby e_digg » Sun May 03, 2020 8:26 pm

I purchased [a cover] from [a vendor called] Blue Gator. I was surprised by the [wide] range of prices for the same cover.

[The cover] fits very well. There is a 14-inch bow rail in the bow.

I used fiberglass support bows in bow and in the middle aft of the steering wheel.

I was going to put two [bows] on the smaller rail but the plastic rail clamp flew off into the water when I was test fitting.

I also had to remove the [stern pole lamp because] it was sticking up high.

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jimh
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Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby jimh » Mon May 04, 2020 8:32 am

Describe the method used to tie down the cover on the Starboard side of the boat, that is, the side away from the dock.

PatSea
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:52 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby PatSea » Mon May 04, 2020 9:09 am

I use a Carver cover on my 13 Whaler with rails. My cover looks just like the one in your photos, and I too use two fiberglass bows to support the cover. I have trailered the boat twice from Ohio to Florida with the cover installed. The only difficulty I had was learning how to properly space and support the fiberglass bows so the road wind did not blow them off the rail. I've driven through heavy rain and snow and the boat stays dry inside. This is a very good cover for these Whalers.

e_digg
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:06 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby e_digg » Mon May 04, 2020 10:09 pm

PatSea wrote:The only difficulty I had was learning how to properly space and support the fiberglass bows so the road wind did not blow them off the rail.


Where did you put the bows? How many did you use?

Thanks
Ed

e_digg
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:06 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby e_digg » Mon May 04, 2020 10:14 pm

jimh wrote:Describe the method used to tie down the cover on the Starboard side of the boat, that is, the side away from the dock.


I climbed in front and rear on the bunks. The only one i couldn't reach was the one in the middle. For that one I used a paddle board.

Thanks
Ed

PatSea
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:52 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby PatSea » Tue May 05, 2020 9:32 am

e_dig, the key to a good fitting cover that will survive the elements is to support it in a tent like fashion so that the water runs off and does not puddle, and to draw the cover tight so the wind does not cause it to flutter. On my 13 foot Boston Whaler I have two upholstered folding seats with backs attached to the two seats. I leave the backs upright so they act as cover supports in the back and toward the center of the boat. I then added two fiberglass support arches that fit onto the rails with plastic rail pieces that are screwed onto the ends of the arches. One arch is right in front of the helm and the other is about 2 feet in back of the bow light. So basically I have the cover supported in 4 approximately evenly spaced locations front to back.
I found early on that the front bow would occasionally get blown over from the force of the wind coming over my SUV when trailering at highway speed. So I attached a bungee from the center top of the front bow to the front railing and this holds it in place. Each cover, each boat is slightly different and will require some playing around to get the right fit. It took me awhile to get it right but my Carver cover has made two round trips Ohio to Florida and still looks almost new. I store the boat in my garage so it is not stored out in the elements.
I hope this helps.

PatSea
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:52 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby PatSea » Tue May 05, 2020 10:11 am

One more idea regarding cover fit. All boats have sharp items that can wear a hole in the cover. These items must be identified and additional protection provided. For example, with my boat the top of the throttle control handle was a potential wear point with my cover. So I took a small nerf football and hollowed out the inside so that it fits snugly over the top of the handle and provides a cushioned area for the cover to lay against. Works great! (as long as I don't lose the football!)

Jefecinco
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Location: Gulf Shores, AL

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby Jefecinco » Wed May 06, 2020 9:11 am

On the Carver cover for our 190 Montauk the portion of the cover supported by the windshield upper rail is lined with a tough vinyl insert to protect the Sunbrella fabric. Our 190 has no bow rail so I use a towel to protect the cover where it goes over the navigation light and chock assembly. It works just fine. The cover uses one support pole with a vent behind the RPS. We installed a vent a few feet forward of the windshield We trailer the boat with the cover in place and have never had a problem. Carver makes good covers.
Butch

jimh
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Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
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Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby jimh » Wed May 06, 2020 10:28 am

e_digg wrote:
jimh wrote:Describe the method used to tie down the cover on the Starboard side of the boat, that is, the side away from the dock.
I climbed in front and rear on the bunks. The only one i couldn't reach was the one in the middle. For that one I used a paddle board.


That sounds very awkward for use as a mooring cover. The cover sounds more appropriate for installation on a boat when the boat is on land and on a trailer.

Having the boat covered with a cover that requires considerable effort to remove and perhaps even greater effort to re-install tends to act as a subtle discouragement against using the boat. We used to have a very heavy boat cover, more suited for winter storage than for use between boating in the summer. We finally bought a custom-fitted mooring cover that can be removed in about 1-minute and reinstalled in about 2-minutes. The effort of working with the cover no longer influences or decisions to go boating or not. The $1,100 expense of the custom mooring cover was worth every cent.

e_digg
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:06 pm

Re: Mooring Cover for SPORT 13

Postby e_digg » Wed May 06, 2020 11:46 am

I understand. I mostly use the boat on weekends and the extra effort is worth it. I used all the straps that came with it to see how it worked. I probably won’t use them all anyway but will need all of them when I am away and I know it will be protected from high winds from hurricanes and tornados as we have them once or twice a year. That is also why I switched to a four post vs a single post lift as after a bad storm, the Whaler fell off the lift and was beached.