Quick Overview
FEATURES
QUALITY
PRICE
Pros
Cons
Buying a boat cover on a budget can be a risky business. Every responsible boat owner knows that they need to protect their investment from the wind, rain, and sun, but not everyone is willing or able to shell out for an expensive custom-made cover.
While you could just throw a tarpaulin over your boat, that won’t do all that much to protect it from bad weather. A better option is to buy a universal boat cover, which costs a lot less than a custom cover.
MSC Boat Cover
The MSC boat cover is designed to protect your vessel from inclement weather and harsh sunlight without burning a hole in your pocket. It’s suitable for long-term storage, mooring, and for trailering, and it comes in a range of sizes and colors to match all sorts of hulls.
Who is this product for?
This cover is aimed at boat owners who want to protect their vessel for a reasonable amount of money. It’s pretty cheap for what it offers and is light enough to be easy for one or two people to fit without trouble.
What’s included?
When you buy this boat cover from MSC, here’s what you can expect to get:
- 600D marine-grade polyester cover – double PU coated
- 11 adjustable straps with quick-release buckles
- Elasticated hem
- Storage bag
- 2-year limited warranty
The cover doesn’t come with any sort of support system, which is recommended to help avoid water pooling on the surface and leaking through, so you might want to look into purchasing one separately.
Overview of features
This cover is made from breathable 600D marine-grade polyester, which has been double-coated with PU (polyurethane) to help improve its water resistance. The seams are double-stitched, which makes them more robust and durable, thus helping ensure that the cover will hold up against the wind.
It’s available in six different color options and comes in sizes that fit boats with hull lengths from 14’-16’ up to 23’-24’, meaning you should be able to find the right fit for your boat. The fit will be helped by the elasticated cord around the hem of the cover, which helps it to fit more snugly and keep out the wind and rain.
It is designed for long-term storage, mooring, and for trailering. The 11 adjustable straps make it easy to attach to a trailer, and the light weight of the material means that it’s easy enough for one or two people to fit it, unlike many custom covers which can be heavy and unwieldy in comparison.
As this is a more low-budget option, it’s missing a few of the bells and whistles of more expensive covers. It doesn’t have any vents, which would prevent moisture buildup, though the material itself is breathable which does help. It’s also lacking reinforcement at key stress points for trailering, so you may want to put some sort of padding on corners and sharp areas of your boat to increase the lifespan of the cover.
It also seems to not have a UV coating like some other covers, which means that some of the color options tend to fade when exposed to constant sunlight. This makes the cover somewhat less suitable for use in hotter climates.
How to install it
If you need a guide on how to fit a cover over your boat, check out this YouTube tutorial, which should tell you all you need to know:
Alternative
If you don’t mind spending a little bit more to get some extra features that will ensure your cover lasts longer, you might consider the RVMasking Boat Cover. It’s made of thicker material that is also UV coated, reinforced, and has air vents, all of which make it an excellent option that may well last for a few years longer than the MSC cover. It also comes with a storage bag that’s big enough to function as an outboard motor cover, which is pretty handy.
Conclusion
The MSC boat cover is a good option for boat owners on a budget. It can be used for storage or trailering, and it’s got decent waterproofing and is pretty durable. Considering that custom covers can be nearly 10 times the price, this is a viable choice for owners who don’t want to break the bank in order to make sure that their vessel is adequately protected.
It might fade a bit if you live somewhere especially sunny, in which case you might want to get one that is beige or gray, as they hold out better against UV rays. That said, if you need a decent cover for your boat that will last a few years, this one is a good way to go.