Boat cover fabrics compared: polyester, acrylic and canvas
Boat cover fabric explained: polyester, solution-dyed acrylic, cotton canvas and vinyl-coated polyester, denier vs ounces, waterproof vs breathable, labels.
Guides to boat covers, bimini tops and winter covering
Boat covers that fit and last
Plain, step-by-step guides to measuring for a boat cover or bimini top, choosing the fabric and fit, tying it down for the road, covering for winter, and keeping canvas clean and sound.
Guides by subject
Five sections: covers, bimini tops, winter covering, engine lay-up and canvas care.
Boat covers
How to measure a boat for a cover, custom vs styled-to-fit vs universal, fabrics, support poles, tie-downs for trailering, and covers for pontoons, center consoles, outboards and personal watercraft.
14 guides
Bimini tops
How to measure for a bimini top, what bow count and frame material change, installing and adjusting a top, trailering with it stowed, and replacing the canvas.
2 guides
Winter covering
Shrink wrapping a boat step by step and safely, a fitted cover vs shrink wrap, snow on a cover, recycling the wrap in spring, and indoor vs outdoor storage.
7 guides
Engine lay-up
Winterizing an outboard, inboard or sterndrive step by step: fuel and stabilizer, flushing, fogging, the right antifreeze, what a winterizing service includes, and recommissioning in spring.
7 guides
Canvas care
Cleaning covers and bimini tops, removing and preventing mildew, restoring water repellency, repairing tears, seams, snaps and zippers, and storing canvas off season.
1 guidesNew guides
Boat Cover vs Shrink Wrap: Which Is Better for Winter?
Boat cover vs shrink wrap for winter: snow, ventilation and mildew, winter access, seasons of use, waste and cost factors, and how storage and climate decide it.
Custom, styled-to-fit or universal: which boat cover fits
Custom boat covers vs styled-to-fit and universal: how each is cut and sized, when each is the right buy, and how to find a custom fit cover for your boat.
Boat cover support poles and stopping water pooling
How a boat cover support pole stops water pooling: why covers sag, where poles go, how many, strap systems, tension, snow limits and removing poles to tow.
Bimini tops for boats: choosing bows, frame and fabric
How to choose a bimini top: 2, 3 or 4 bows, aluminum or stainless frame, round or square tube, acrylic, polyester or vinyl fabric, mounts, boots and pontoons.
How to measure a boat for a cover: length, beam and fit
How to measure a boat for a cover: centerline length, beam at the rub rail, what to add or leave out, the heights that matter and how size charts work.
How to tie down a boat cover for trailering
A trailerable boat cover survives the highway only when it is fitted bow first, pulled under the rub rail and strapped to the trailer frame. Steps and checks.
Boat covers: measuring, fit and fabric
How to measure a boat for a cover, custom vs styled-to-fit vs universal, fabrics, support poles, tie-downs for trailering, and covers for pontoons, center consoles, outboards and personal watercraft.
Boat cover fabrics compared: polyester, acrylic and canvas
Boat cover fabric explained: polyester, solution-dyed acrylic, cotton canvas and vinyl-coated polyester, denier vs ounces, waterproof vs breathable, labels.
Custom, styled-to-fit or universal: which boat cover fits
Custom boat covers vs styled-to-fit and universal: how each is cut and sized, when each is the right buy, and how to find a custom fit cover for your boat.
Boat cover support poles and stopping water pooling
How a boat cover support pole stops water pooling: why covers sag, where poles go, how many, strap systems, tension, snow limits and removing poles to tow.
Bimini tops: sizing, choosing and fitting
How to measure for a bimini top, what bow count and frame material change, installing and adjusting a top, trailering with it stowed, and replacing the canvas.
Bimini tops for boats: choosing bows, frame and fabric
How to choose a bimini top: 2, 3 or 4 bows, aluminum or stainless frame, round or square tube, acrylic, polyester or vinyl fabric, mounts, boots and pontoons.
How to measure for a bimini top: width, length, height
How to measure for a bimini top: mounting width between the mounts, length front to back, frame height from the mount up, plus headroom and folding clearance.
Covering and storing a boat for winter
Shrink wrapping a boat step by step and safely, a fitted cover vs shrink wrap, snow on a cover, recycling the wrap in spring, and indoor vs outdoor storage.
Boat Cover vs Shrink Wrap: Which Is Better for Winter?
Boat cover vs shrink wrap for winter: snow, ventilation and mildew, winter access, seasons of use, waste and cost factors, and how storage and climate decide it.
How to Shrink Wrap a Boat for Winter, Step by Step
How to shrink wrap a boat yourself: the support frame, perimeter band, heat welding, vents and doors, fire and carbon monoxide safety, and recycling in spring.
Boat Shrink Wrap Cost: What Sets the Price
Boat shrink wrap cost explained without guesswork: how yards quote per foot, what raises the price, DIY costs, a cover over several winters, and what to ask.
Getting the engine ready for winter
Winterizing an outboard, inboard or sterndrive step by step: fuel and stabilizer, flushing, fogging, the right antifreeze, what a winterizing service includes, and recommissioning in spring.
Boat Antifreeze: Which Kind and Where It Goes
Marine antifreeze explained: propylene glycol vs automotive ethylene glycol, what a -50°F burst rating means, where it goes on a boat, and how to dispose of it.
What Boat Winterizing Costs and What Is Included
The cost to winterize a boat depends on size, engines, systems aboard, timing and storage. The factors in plain words, DIY supplies, and what to ask a yard.
Fogging a Boat Engine for Winter Storage
What fogging oil does, when to fog a boat engine, and how it is done on carbureted, fuel-injected and direct-injection outboards and on inboards, safely.
Cleaning and repairing boat canvas
Cleaning covers and bimini tops, removing and preventing mildew, restoring water repellency, repairing tears, seams, snaps and zippers, and storing canvas off season.
How to clean a boat cover and bimini top
How to clean a boat cover or bimini top: brush, hose, mild soap, rinse and air dry, when a bleach mix is allowed, and why the care label decides each step.