What Do I Cover My Boat With When It Is Docked?

When you dock your boat in a marina, it's just not sensible to leave the boat uncovered. The obvious answer is a boat cover, but you would have to loop the straps for the storage or trailer cover under the boat. You need a mooring cover, one that snaps onto the sides of the boat, above the water line, to cover the cockpit while you go ashore.

  1. Different Uses, Different Characteristics

    • Mooring covers are designed to cover the open areas of the boat while the boat is docked or moored. Unlike storage covers which are strapped around the bottom of a boat, mooring covers snap on to top of the boat's sides so they can be installed while the boat is afloat. Temporary covers, they cover the open areas of a boat, but are not designed to cover a boat during long-term storage.

    The Mooring Cover

    • Made from sturdy marine canvas, mooring covers protect only the open areas of a boat, not all of the boat above the waterline. Mooring covers may be one-piece or -- for bow rider type boats -- two-piece covers. They do not cover the windshield. Mooring covers are also boat specific: a cover for a boat from one manufacturer will not fit onto boats from another manufacturer.

    What a Mooring Cover Does

    • A mooring cover will keep rain out of an unattended boat that's either laying at anchor or tied to the dock. The cover snaps in place and has a low profile, which aids in keeping it in place in high winds. Because it snaps around the edges of the cockpit, the final parts of putting it in place must be done from the dock or, if the boat is "riding the hook," from another boat. Most mooring covers have limits when it comes to wind resistance, largely dependent on the type of fastenings used. Snaps are more likely to allow a cover to blow free than dzus fasteners.

    What a Mooring Cover Won't Do

    • Be aware of the limitations of a mooring cover. A mooring cover will protect the cockpit of your boat from precipitation and winds below gale force -- about 37 mph -- but a mooring cover will not protect your boat against those who might decide to relieve you of the electronics and personal possessions left aboard. When you leave your boat docked and unattended, put the mooring cover in place, but remember to take steps for the security of your property.