Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

A conversation among Whalers
Nathanael Greene
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Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby Nathanael Greene » Thu Mar 23, 2023 1:33 am

I have a 1969 Katama that my brothers and I just refurbished in Summer 2020. I'm looking for a good cover, but don't really want to pay for an expensive custom fit cover.

Q1: what generic boat covers work well a KATAMA 16?

I keep my KATAMA 16 boat under a car port, so I am not really worried about keeping water out with the cover,. I just want to keep outdust, dirt, and animals (especially the barn cats). I would also like to be able trailer the boat with a cover on.

jimh
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby jimh » Thu Mar 23, 2023 2:51 am

ASIDE: I seldom trailer my boat with the cover on. Towing the boat at 60-MPH on the highway places a lot of stress on the cover. If there is rain, I will put on the cover when towing, but otherwise i don’t use the cover when towing.

Nathanael Greene
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby Nathanael Greene » Thu Mar 23, 2023 6:35 pm

I totally understand that [keeping the cover on the boat when towing at high speeds] will put the hurt on the cover when driving, however, we live on a gravel road; if we drive anywhere we have to rinse the boat once we get there.

Q2: do any of the generic covers fit?

Most of them show the cover on a more pointy bowed speed boat, and the Katama with the bow rail is a pretty different shape than those.

Thanks,
Nate

Kapharms
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby Kapharms » Mon Mar 27, 2023 7:45 am

Nathan, I have a 1977 SPORT 15 with an aftermarket center console, so finding a suitable reasonably priced cover was a challenge. I finally ordered a cover from SealSkinCovers for under $300. It is a "made for my boat" cover that fits perfectly. I have been quite happy with the performance of the cover as it does what it is supposed to do. I have not towed the boat with the cover, however it is designed to do so if you desire. It has a robust system of tie down straps and a full cover lengthen cinch cord.

Best of luck, Ken

PatSea
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby PatSea » Sun Apr 02, 2023 7:20 pm

Look at a Carver cover.

I have a 13-footer with a Carver cover made to fit my boat. I've made four round trips, Ohio to Florida, with the cover on.

The cover is in very good condition—save for the road dirt.

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Phil T
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby Phil T » Mon Apr 03, 2023 2:12 pm

There are covers and there are trailerable covers.

Trailerable covers need to fit well and are tight with straps to keep it in place. Areas in contact with the console, rails need to be reinforced.

Even with 6-8 hour drives, I do not use a cover. Just a headache.

I do recommend Carver and Westland. They make very good covers.
1992 Outrage 17
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PatSea
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby PatSea » Fri Apr 07, 2023 9:10 am

Phil T's comments are right on the money. The cover must fit tight. If it flaps in the road wind it will wear itself out. I use two fiberglass bows across the rails to provide a tent effect, I have 6 ties under the boat from side to side with bungee straps. Pool noodles are great for cutting to size to protect the cover from sharp edges. I learned the hard way that slight movement of the cover over the motor cover will abraid the paint off, so now I put a terry cloth cover over the engine before I put the cover on.

jimh
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby jimh » Fri Apr 07, 2023 12:01 pm

Even though my custom-made boat cover was made by an excellent artisan, and it fits tight, and it does not flap in the wind, and it is reinforced at all stress points—about a dozen or more—and it is fastened down with about 40 snaps (which align precisely and snap on without any fuss), as I already mentioned earlier in this thread, I STILL seldom if ever tow the boat on the highway at speed with the cover in place.

There is little point is making any cover stand up to 80-MPH wind forces when driving at 60-MPH into 20-knot headwind.

The cover for my REVENGE 22 W-T Whaler Drive boat cost me $1,100 about five years ago, and I had to wait months to get it made by a really good artisan whose work is in high demand. Making a new on—if the price follows the recent inflation trends—would probably cost twice as much if I could even find that same artisan to make a new one because maybe he gave up on boat canvas during the pandemic.

Nathanael Greene
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby Nathanael Greene » Wed May 03, 2023 3:46 pm

Hi Folks, and thanks for all the advice.

So I'm almost convinced now that I don't need to trailer it covered, and I definitely don't want to pay for a cover that is heavy duty enough for that. And since I keep the boat under a permanent roof, I don't need to worry about it shedding water properly. I just need it it to keep dust off--I live on a gravel road--and keep out animals out--we have cats.

My main concern with all the generic covers out there is they always show a very pointy speed boat as the examaple, and as any of you know, a Katama or Montauk has anything but a pointy nose.

Q3: will a generic 17-foot cover work fine?

Thanks,
Nate

Tom Hemphill
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby Tom Hemphill » Wed May 03, 2023 7:58 pm

I have a 1970 Boston Whaler 16-foot boat, the same hull as yours. I just purchased (through boatcoversdirect.com) a Carver cover described as fitting a "BOSTON WHALER 17 MONTAUK O/B W/ BOW RAIL W/ SIDE RAILS (THRU-02)." It fits my boat's non-pointy bow and the rest of the hull very well. In other respects, I have no idea how it (or the no-bow-rail version) would fit your boat.

Nathanael Greene
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Re: Generic Trailerable Cover for Katama 16

Postby Nathanael Greene » Wed May 03, 2023 11:02 pm

Yeah, I had looked at those, the only problem is the price. Since I don't need a perfect fitting cover, I am hoping to not have to pay custom prices.

Nate