- Wm. J. Mills & Co. Products
- Carver
- National boat covers
- a local artisan
Here are my own assessments of those four sources:
Wm. J. Mills & Co.
I don’t really need a mooring cover, and don’t like the idea of drilling holes for the hooks either. Wm. J. Mills & Co. have an excellent reputation. The bow rail goes through their cover. [I am ] unsure of cost. I assume their boat cover will cost more than [$1,200 --please always indicate costs using the dollar sign symbol, and use commas to separate thousands from hundreds]. Some posts in c.2010 indicated [$1,100] for a cover for a MONTAUK 17. Wm. J. Mills & Co.covers are made in [Greenport, New York].
Carver
[The cost] for a CARVER-brand cover is [$1,125] from CARVER [or $910] from Boat Covers Direct. [I am] unsure why there is a price difference. A website says you get [Glen Raven Mills SUNBRELLA fabric] or [a fabric sold under the trade name OUTDURA, a competitor to SUNBRELLA from a different mill] depending on supply, and also remarks “custom” fit. [These covers] go over the bow railing and create more windage [on the boat] and more wear [on the cover], but possibly [these covers create] better water protection for bow rail screws. These covers are made in South Carolina.
National Boat Covers
[Boat covers from National Boat Covers are] much cheaper [than other boat covers] and are “semi custom fit”.[These covers] cost $650 for [Glen Raven Mills SUNBRELLA fabric], have a 10-year warranty, and a 30-day fit guarantee.
Local Artisans
I like my local artisan but don’t want to wait [for them to make a cover].
Q1: Has any reader bought a cover from National Boat Covers?
Q2: Have I missed any providers other than the four listed above?
Give me your opinions.
BACK STORY: My cover for my [1987 OUTRAGE 22--please always four-digits for year and include the model length designator in addition to the basic model] has finally given up the ghost. It came with the boat and appeared to be custom fit and of unknown age.I’ve patched it so many times it looks like a quilt, and now I’m even getting tears along my sewing lines. My [1987 OUTRAGE 22] stays on a boat lift in the South Carolina lowcountry. I rarely tow the boat on the highway. I’m able to hang weights or run straps to hold a cover down.