Alright, I'm in a spot...  I have a 12 year old Ranger that runs great and looks good too.  I have to keep it outside.  I live in Arkansas where the summer temps get to 100, and the winter tips dip to almost zero.  I bought a $75 cover thinking it would be good enough, and abruptly learned my lesson  ;D

So, I am in a spot..  Do i go spend $200 or $300 on a better quality cover?  Do I buy a cheap tarp to put on top of the cover I have now?  

The second part to this equation is that I only have enough money to either buy a new cover - OR - go get some weatherproof gear:  Boots, jacket, etc...

What do you guys think?

I say leave your old cover on it, get a heavy duty tarp from Lowes to

put over that and get yourself a nice set of Columbia Sportwears gear.

JT Bagwell

10-4, and thanks for your input

You are welcome.

How far are you from Jonesboro?

My family lives a little ways NE of Jonesboro.

JT Bagwell

I agree the tarp is the way to go

With an older glass & wood boat, your biggest concern is keeping the wood in the floor and transom from rotting. Keeping that boat dry would be 1st and 2nd concern. If you can do it with a tarp (my neighbor does) go for it. Just make SURE it keeps the water out.

I did the same and bought a West Marine special that came apart is short order. I replaced it with a cover from Carver Covers that I found on the net. So far I am very happy with it. It fits nearly as well as a custom cover at about $150.

If I were in your position I'd buy a cover from Carver and then put a tarp over that when I wasn't going to use the boat for a while.

My boats are 17 and 19 years old. they sit out side in all weather. I had used those cheep tarps for years, never really did a good go. in 1999 Had a custom tarp shop make both of them tarps.$600 for both. Water proof and travel great. Best money I have spent on the boat. I don't care how wet it is outside they stay dry. 700mile trip to Cananda, in storms that were left from a hurricane, Heavy rain and and the boat never got wet.

If tyou plan on keeping the boat for a while, I would look into getting a custom cover made.

I've had similar problems with boat covers in the last year or so since I bought my 17' Tracker jon boat. I think I finally came up with a solution--at least it has worked well so far. Last winter the problem was that the Stearns boat cover wold sag when it rained and formed a large pool of water in the boat. It was a lot worse when it snowed, or rained then froze. I had to chip large chunks of ice and bail cold water on several occasions. That even though I had created basically a tent by putting two 5/8" wooden dowels about 2 1/2' in length and ran a rope between them. This set up failed. The dowels couldn't hold up against the weight of the above mentioned pooling. So plan B. I replaced the wooden dowels with 1/2"  EMT conduit. Rather than a rope, I cut two tennis balls and placed them over the conduit ends. Most importantly I purchased the same Stearns cover--only a fitted variety this time with an elastic cord that better holds it in place. Combined with a number of bungee cords securing it at the perimeter the new set up has worked so far this fall and winter despite some pretty serious rainfall--no pooling. We will see what happens when (if) it snows.

I've got about a $300 cover on my boat and I cover that with a 10x20 tarp I get at Walmart for around $15.  I change the tarp about every 4 months. It works great, boat is always dry.

These replies are an example why this is such a great forum. Where else are you going to get this kind of advice this quick?

Those cheap Wal-Mart covers are not worth the time it takes to one on, as much water goes through them as off them.   The one I'm using is also a failry cheap cover (about $140) from Acadamy but I've had not complaints with it.  I've been using it two years, it's Towable, it keeps the boat dry and very reasonably priced.  A couple of things you should always do when you cover a boat.  Prop all hatch lids open, I use my markers for this and keep a small blower/fan under it to keep the air moved.  I have a little 10' fan I paid $9 for I lay in the splash well so it pulls fresh air in the rear and blows it out the bow around the TM.  This little $9 fan has been running 24/7 for three years while the boat is covered.  I recently found another and bought it as a replacement for when this one does finally quit.