Should I tow my boat w/ or w/o cover on?

I'm heading north with a 17' Alumacraft and wondering if there is a better way to tow as far as drag goes. Thanks.

"I work at the bait shop in waterford on the fox and we make boat covers and the only thing I will tell you is DO NOT TRAILER THE BOAT WITH THE COVER ON. custom or crap walmart cover. It does not matter they will pull the seams and possibly rub a hole in it."

Not a very good endorsement for the covers you make......

I have made dozens of covers. They are over the road covers and are made to be used while being towed. They last many years. If you tow without the cover on make sure every thing is secured and will not blow out of the boat. I figure there are times when the wind maybe near 100 mph. Keeps the rain, snow, salt out of the inside also.The gas mileage is another consideration on longer trips. Of coarse this advice may not work if the cover fits poorly.

I tow an 18ft Lund and have checked the gas milage on the computer , with the cover on and with it off . Interstate gets 2 miles more with the cover on. Highway 1.3 miles more, Plus I dont have to worry about some fool throughing a lit cigarrette in the boat.

price out a new custom cover and see if its worth risking it.

I have a custom cover for 5 years and its in perfect shape. I was coming home on opening weekend when I hit a turkey on I 33 by Point if my cover was not on I would of had a bloody mess in my boat instead I just had a blood on my cover.

Get a good custom boat snap on cover and trailer with cover on. I've got thousands upon thousands of miles on my boat/cover and not a tear anywhere on it!

I work at the bait shop in waterford on the fox and we make boat covers and the only thing I will tell you is DO NOT TRAILER THE BOAT WITH THE COVER ON. custom or crap walmart cover. It does not matter they will pull the seams and possibly rub a hole in it.

Thanks for the replies guys. I was hoping for a unanimous decision but my boat is a single console and I have a custom cover so I think I will give it a shot with the cover on. Just thought I would ask since it will be the first long trip and I figured there probably is a best way to do it. Thanks again.

I think a lot depends on your boat's design and the cover. I've always had dual console boats with custom covers that fit very well.

While it is correct that you can use the boat as a trailer to bring additional gear on the trip, I never did. And with the dual consoles, I found that the material between the console would act as an air dam and cause a reduction in milage.

I towed the boat down to Florida and got 14 mpg with my diesel. On the way back, the boat was wet from being rained in, so I left the cover off, hoping to dry it out on the return trip. I got 18 mpg on the return trip without the cover!

So since then, I have never towed with a cover on the boat. But I do bring a cover along and when it's parked on the trailer at night, the boat gets covered up.

Formerly Steve @ G & S

I think it's a ligitemate question. IF it's a good custom cover, I'd put it on and tow with it on.

Friend of mine claims better mileage but I tow with a diesel and can't tell the difference. Just PLEASE don't be the guy who pulls in front of the landing before uncovering!!!

Advantages - it keeps bugs, rain, cigarettes, etc out of your boat, and keeps things in the boat as well. Allows you to use the boat as storage space on the road trip, as it is securely out of sight. You might possibly get a bit better gas mileage with it on as well.

Miseries - are the time to put it on and take it off, and dry it in between, because it ALWAYS rains on the trip up and back. And of course the time to remount the electronics, windshield, TM, etc. But I doubt I would trailer long distances without removing those anyway.