TOP 5 Things to Consider When Buying a Boat Cover

It can be hard to know where to start when looking to get a bespoke boat cover, especially if you are new to boating.

Having a bespoke product made for you can be a significant investment and you will want to make sure that the cover will withstand all our countries weather conditions, be easy to use and last a long time, giving you the best value for money as possible.

Here we look at the top 5 things that are important to consider when having a bespoke boat cover made.

1. Getting a proper fit

Canvasman has been designing and manufacturing boat cover for over 26 years.

Having made covers for nearly every kind of boat you could imagine we have a heap of experience in what works and if you find one that we haven’t previously done, we’re experts in finding solutions.

There are literally thousands of different types of models and makes of boat, often they have been hand built or modified, meaning that one size certainly does not fit all, and the fit of your boat cover is crucial if you want to properly protect your boat and belongings.

What type of boat do you have or what type of boat are you planning on purchasing? This is an important question as whoever designs and manufactures your cover will need to make considerations for the different materials the boat is made from as well as how you will be using the boat, is it for living on or just the odd weekends out with the grandkids? Do you have a dog, or maybe you have mobility issues that need to be accommodated.

Knowing the make, model, and year your boat was built can help you find out whether there is a stock boat cover available or whether you will need a custom made one.

See the links below for some examples of our boat covers.

Narrow Boats: https://canvasman.co.uk/products/boat-covers/narrowboat-covers/

Wide beams: https://canvasman.co.uk/products/boat-covers/wide-beams/

Motor/River cruisers: https://canvasman.co.uk/products/boat-covers/motor-cruisers/

Dutch Barges: https://canvasman.co.uk/products/boat-covers/dutch-barge-covers/

Speed Boats: https://canvasman.co.uk/products/boat-covers/speed-boats/

Yachts: https://canvasman.co.uk/products/boat-covers/yachts/

And so much more. Please feel free to give us a call or follow the link to enquire: https://canvasman.co.uk/product/narrow-boat-cruiser-stern-hood/#product-form

We use state of the art measuring and computer aided design software to make sure that your boat is mapped perfectly enabling our designers to create something really special for you whilst ensuring a perfect fit.

2. Level of design detail

A properly fitting cover is not only essential for effective protection, but a good company will also take interest in how you are going to use your boat cover.

A Canvasman cover is Made for the Elements, Designed for Life.

We always ask questions to help us understand more about what kind of cover you are wanting and what you are wanting to achieve with your cover

Perhaps your lifestyle means that you need an overall cover rather a hood or vice versa, we are happy to spend time with you to go through the options and give you the best advice on what type of cover is going to give you the greatest outcome based on your personal needs.

The main types of boat cover can be broken down into Hoods, Tonneaus and Overalls.

Hoods: Our hoods our custom made and designed to allow you to cruise your boat in any type of weather. Using made to measure, stainless steel frames, we can design the hood to any height to allow you to stand comfortably whilst cruising.

Our hoods usually come with windows as standard, but we work with you to design and create what you want. We take special consideration to you eye line to make sure that whether sitting or standing you have the visibility needed. If you want your front and rear panels to roll up or be removed to let the air in, or if you want no windows at all we can accommodate this we also offer a choice of internal or external windows curtains for privacy and protection. We can do shaped windows and have a choice of different grades of window material to suit any budget.

Hoods provide an extra usable space on your boat which usually means you get more time to enjoy your passion with friends and loved one in all types of weather.

Tonneaus: Our custom tonneaus are designed to allow you to utilise untapped storage space or to protect your boat from the elements when not in use. Our bespoke Tonneaus are designed to fit your boat perfectly and we’ve spent many years designing the covers with the right amount of tension (we will discuss this a bit more later) to ensure that water doesn’t pool and leak through your covers. Tonneaus are an effective way or protecting your boat and kit whilst still looking stylish both on and off the water.

Overalls: Our bespoke overall covers provide ultimate protection from the off-season elements as a protective winter boat cover, whether you’re afloat at your mooring as a storage cover or hardstanding as a towing cover, our Overall covers are designed to cover everything.

The level of customisation a boat cover manufacture can offer you is essential. Look for companies that can offer a fully tailored service so that you get the best fit to your boat as possible. This will mean that your boat is properly protected from the elements and the cover will work for you for years to come.

3. Quality of Fabric

We get this question a lot: What material do you use for you boat covers? What fabric should I have it made from?

Canvasman only makes covers using the best quality materials. The majority of our covers are made from Marine Grade Canvas (MGC)

It’s breathable, more lightweight that PVC, is highly water resistant, and has great UV stability which means that even facing the elements all the year through, it going to lats a long time.

It has a Teflon coating on the outside, which means the rain beads and rolls off instead of seeping through the material and as you can see by the photos on our website; it makes for a beautiful end product. We have a lot of happy customers, and we know you will be as well. If you’d like to learn more about MGC please see the link: https://canvasman.co.uk/product/marine-grade-canvas/

This fabric is great for hoods and larger covers as its easier to handle.

PVC is not especially suitable for hoods or larger covers as its not breathable and is quite heavy to handle, it is however easier to clean and maintain, which some people prefer, especially or smaller storage covers.

The MGC option also come in a fantastic range of colours, including a choice of blues tones, classy greys and more vivid, fun colours like aqua, jade and apricot.

We are happy to send out samples of fabric to clients as nothing beats seeing the real thing in natural day light to make sure you get the exact colour you want.

We’re still waiting for someone to choose the Pink for a boat cover. Maybe you’ll be the first.

4. Accessories and fittings

As well as making sure that the fabric is the right one and in the right shade for your project, the fixture and fittings are of equal importance. There are some cover manufactures that may scrip on this part of the build to save money, but this is not a good investment. At Canvasman we use the finest quality fitting and fixtures from the studs on the boat to the zips and Velcro.

There are lots of different terms used to describe the fittings used on boat covers, but the main ones are press studs, turn buttons and lift-the-dots.

At Canvasman we will discuss this and work with you to provide the best possible solution for your needs, some client especially if you suffer from arthritis will want a fitting that it easy to use.

We have also developed our tensioning system of adjustable webbing straps which means that throughout the life spinoff your cover you can keep it tensioned and doing its job perfectly increasing its longevity and making sure that you get the best possible value for money in the long term.

However, fittings aren’t the only things to consider, you may want extra windows, internal curtains, removable panels, designer stripes or customised logo.  We have the capability to make your cover as unique as your imagination.

5. Guarantee and customer support

Any reputable company will stand behind their product.

Our knowledge and workmanship at Canvasman are why we can guarantee your cover for 5 years and why with our guidance on how to look after your covers, we can confidently claim that they should last you a minimum of 8-10 years.

We pride ourselves on our customer service and ensuring that our customers have a positive experience commissioning a bespoke product made just for them.  We love what we do and want you to love it just as much!