Preventing rain water pooling up on my sunbrella custom boat cover?

[trayson]

what are the best practices for preventing rain water from pooling on my sunbrella cover. I have the tent pole for it with the vent, and the rope cinch strap to tighten it below the rub rail.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XEvn0K_a5yQ/UdiKHP2lStI/AAAAAAAAOSU/xXvvSwuya8w/s800/20130706_135911.jpg

I find that water will pool up over the outside two rear seats. I'll also get pooling of water just behind the driver's seat and sometimes just in front of the observer seat. Basically in 4 corners surrounding the tent pole. I've tried sticking a couple 2x4's under the pole to raise it, but that doesn't help, there's still low points that make it pool up. In the back, the rear railing makes for a wall that the rain doesn't get over leading to a pool.

I know that I'm probably making it worse in front of the pole because I typically fold down my bimini, so that makes for another "railing" of sorts--again making the gunwales higher.

I don't really want to get to the point where I'd need 5 tent poles vs. one! So if you all have easy but effective ideas, I'm all ears. I know that when that water pools up and sits there, it eventually seeps through the cover. I'm pretty confident this is happening because I've seen my bilge pump fire up and spit out water when the boat's sitting on the trailer with the cover on. :-/

[inair]

When I bought mine it came with three poles. One in the middle of the play pen, one just in front of the ski pylon, and one just in front of the back seat. Mine are adjustable and I haven't had any pooling issues. Knock on wood!

[trayson]

I have zero pooling issues on the playpen as you can probably guess from the pic.

I guess it's the way mine was designed. Maybe it's because my fabric has stretched in those areas... hmm...

[Moor]

I cover my dog house with a towel, and stack 3 large tire inner tubes on it, and lay a few life vests on the rear ski locker. i hang a one gallon jug of water off each side of the cover, just behind the dog house. This method has kept my boat nice and dry all season... except the one time i was lazy (or drunk, i forget) and left the cover off. Nothing like running down to the lake at 430am in my boxers, trying to get the cover on before the down pour hits. (for the most part, i was sucessful, it stayed pretty dry)

[trayson]

I cover my dog house with a towel, and stack 3 large tire inner tubes on it, and lay a few life vests on the rear ski locker. i hang a one gallon jug of water off each side of the cover, just behind the dog house. This method has kept my boat nice and dry all season... except the one time i was lazy (or drunk, i forget) and left the cover off. Nothing like running down to the lake at 430am in my boxers, trying to get the cover on before the down pour hits. (for the most part, i was sucessful, it stayed pretty dry)

Sounds interesting. I think that my biggest challenge lies in the fact that the water is pooling up in "dead space" where there's no seats or whatever to stack things on

[inair]

Did yours come with straps to tighten it along the sides and back? Mine did and it stays very taught.

[trayson]

Did yours come with straps to tighten it along the sides and back? Mine did and it stays very taught.

Yes, mine has the ratcheting cinch strap. Maybe it's just stretched out where the water pools up? Maybe the modification to the cover to go around the tower arms that was done made a difference. Not sure. I just know that "void" just in front of the rear locker above the rear seat that's framed by the railing is a low spot where water likes to gather.

[villain]

Every boat with a tower should use these.

http://m.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=HangTyte-Boat-Cover-Support&i=92121&aID=601A2A&merchID=4006

[tg0824SSVGG]

I don't use the poles anymore - I use FITBALLS - they can sit on the upholstery and don't harm anything. For the back, I do have a large "tub" from walmart that the ball sits in. Large ball in the back, medium ball in the playpen.

The poles that came with the boat - I had to take the center set piece out int he front, and the pole would slip and fall into the ballast locker. These balls don't move, and are pretty forgiving on the fabric - compared to the stress of the pole in the snap.

[wotan2525]

I think inair was asking about straps to connect to the trailer -- this will solve your problem. My cinch strap works fine but the clips/straps that pull it down towards the trailer are what keep it tight and prevent water from getting in.

I do LOVE the idea of the FITBALLS. I'lll steal this idea when/if I ever get a new boat.