How to Choose your Outboard Motor Cover
One of the most important accessories for boat owners is an outboard motor cover. While there is always some new accessory that is tempting, a motor cover is an investment that you must make. With that said, learning how to choose your outboard motor cover is not an easy task. You’ll find yourself with an intimidating number of choices, each with the claim of being the best. So how do you know which one will protect your pride and joy the best? This post will help guide you on your journey into these unknown waters.
Understand its Purpose
An outdoor motor cover’s main purpose is to protect the motor. While water protection might be the most obvious, it should also protect from debris during transportation and from elements during prolonged periods of storage. Investing in a cover will lower the amount of maintenance needed on the boat motor. In short, it will pay for itself in the long-run. Some specific protections that a cover provides include:
- Sun damage that is caused by dangerous UV rays.
- Water damage.
- Scratches that might otherwise occur during transport, such as rock chips and other road debris.
- Weather damage caused by prolonged storage.
Choose the Right Type of Cover
Your budget and needs will determine the type of cover you will want to invest in. There are some covers that are designed to fit a large range of outdoor motors, making it the most popular choice. You should also take a measurement of the boat motor to ensure that you are getting the right size.
Note: Online retailers will have their boat motor covers categorized by the make and model of the motor. This is the best way to ensure that you’re getting the right type.
With that in mind, some of the types of covers available include:
- Full Covers
- Splash Covers
- Mooring Covers
- Combo Covers
- Universal Covers
Make Sure you Get the Right Fabric
Boat motor cover fabrics play an important role in the protection of your boat motor. You are looking at two factors here – water resistance and breathability. In short, the goal of a cover is to keep out rain water while also allowing trapped water from motor usage to escape. It’s a delicate balance. You are only going to find a handful of fabrics that actually meet this balance perfectly. If your budget allows, then you will want to invest in a coated synthetic fabric. Cotton is much more affordable, but does not hold up to the elements as well as synthetic fabric.
Get the Right Color
Dark colors are generally the best choice for an outdoor motor cover. Most people would think that lighter colors provide more UV protection but that’s not the case. Darker colors contain more dye so it provides an additional layer of protection against powerful UV rays. The only downside of dark dyes is that they absorb heat. Therefore, they will transfer more heat down to your motor. But I personally feel that the extra UV protection outweighs this minor inconvenience.
Size Does Matter
The next thing you’ll need to do is determine the size of the outdoor motor cover that you need to buy. Most online shops will allow you to search by model. Local outdoor shops will also be able to point you to the right covers based on the model of motor on your boat. Ensure that you get the right size. Too small and it won’t fit on your outdoor motor. Too large and it will not provide adequate protection.
Final Thoughts
A boat is a significant investment so you will need to do whatever it takes to protect it. Always choose quality over saving a few bucks. Get the best outdoor motor cover.
