I am looking for a good boat cover for my Sundance FX17 Flicker flats boat w/ poling platform.
None of the online dealers have the right boat in their selection or they’re really expensive ($1000). I want good quality but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg. I looked at boatcoversdirect.com and they didn’t have my boat in their list. A couple years ago I got a price from a shop in Lexington by they wanted $1600. I was hoping to stay below $500.
Any suggestions on a source to have one made? I am in Aiken but frequently in Beaufort/Port Royal so I can get it done there, Charleston or Savannah fairly easily.
George West awning and tackle down on King street could probably help you out.But seriously, I would just build a boat shed and teach my kids to use all the necessary tools required.You won’t regret it.
My wife got us a generic cover online. 22 ft with t-top. Somewhere around 300 bucks.
It fits pretty good. It don’t bag water anywhere. I’ve had it a couple years and it’s still holding up. What you get what you pay for.
The zippers is upside down in my opinion. It zipps up from the bottom to the top.
I’m in search of the same thing, but for different boat. Taylor made is another site and for my boat the price ranged from $700-1080. Really don’t want to fork out the cash for a cover, but don’t want to clean it all the time either. Do you think the different fabric levels are worth it?
Happy to help. I am actually in the market myself. Probably had a another year or two on mine but a tree limb fell and poked a big hole in mine. I currently have a heavy-duty tarp over it but that never works as good as a fitted cover.
"Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It's Hand", but really, who cares?
On sale right now for 119$ It’s what I run and my boat sat under a gumball tree for years until I removed the tree last year and put down a new concrete driveway. The canopy helps no get eat up by the sun also.
Fishing Nerd
“No bar, no pinball machines, no bowling alleys, just pool… nothing else.”
I contacted Sundance and they don’t make a cover for my older boat. They sell one for the newer flats boats that look pretty cool but you have to pay to look cool ($930).
They pointed out that many of their boat owners go with Carver so I will look them up also.
For $900 you could have one those metal carports put up & would be a lot easier than taking a cover on & off. Plus if the cover is exposed to sun constantly it probably won’t last too many seasons before it dry rots.
I guess some things are too good to be true… Got the cover Sealskins said was exactly what I needed for my skiff. We went to put it on for first time over the weekend and it’s nothing close to right for a skiff. Doesn’t have squared off front, but instead a single point for a regular shaped boat. Trying to return or exchange it has been a real pain in the a$$ so far and can’t get anyone to respond to me. On top of that they want to charge me a 20% restocking fee that I’m going to pitch a fit about. Sometimes it pays to pay a little more…
I hate to hear that about Sealskin. I am in the market for a good fitting cover and don’t want to spend anymore than I have to and, Sealskin was one I was considering. Hearing it is a poor fit AND their customer service leaves something to be desired, I think I’ll cross that one off my list. Sorry you’ve had a bad experience.
"Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It's Hand", but really, who cares?
You get what you pay for when it comes to a boat cover in my opinion. I had a LaPorts Tee top cover on my Contender, it sits in full sun 365 day a year, it also has been subject to several mico bursts and multiple north easters. After 10-years the only issue I had with it was the fabric was just getting enough wear to allow very fine pollen through, still kept the boat clean of dirt and leaves and pretty much dry. I sold that cover used on Craig’s list for $250 and put that money toward a new Laports cover. I am 5-years in on cover #2 and it still looks brand new. They have patterns for most major brands. Their smaller covers are significantly less. Buddy of min just got one for his Hewes and paid less than $500 for it and I will most likely get one for mine this winter.
Well I called Carvers as I said I would. At first I was very pleased that they had the pattern and could make a draw-rope cover that sounded perfect. That was until I told them I had added a jack plate that extends the motor 4 inches beyond the standard transom mount.
They asked is it the “standard” manufacturer configuration for the boat. I said no but it’s the exact same jack plate that they sell as an option. So Carvers said sorry. We can’t accommodate that. Not even something as simple as 4 extra inches on the motor. I was very disappointed to say the least. They a friend told me that he got his cover from LaPorte’s so I called them to see what they could do.
So far they are great. Fantastic to work with and very helpful. They had the pattern and said that they could make adjustments for anything that I’ve added including the trolling motor, jack plate and power pole. We were emailing back and forth after the phone call and they they can handle the additions but if I wanted, I could bring it to them for laser measurements and an exact fit. I expected that going custom like that would raise the price significantly but they said no - same price.
So for less than $500 they are making a custom fit cover. I dropped the boat off Friday and will pick it up next Friday. They think that the cover will be done but if it’s not they’ll ship it to me. WOW! All the other cover makers are saying they can’t turn around a standard pattern cover until December at the soonest.
In addition, LaPorte’s is tight w/ Charleston Trailer just down the street and will coordinate getting my boat down there for some work while they have it.
I am totally impressed with these guys (and Charleston Trailer). I will give a final report and picture when I get the cover.
