If you have your boat moored at the dock, you probably want a mooring cover. That said, what exactly is a mooring cover? Are there other types of boat covers out there?
The Mooring Cover
Alright, so a mooring cover is a bit different from other boat covers. If you did not already know, when your boat is moored, it means that it is sitting at the dock, still in the water, but usually prepared in such a way that it can sit there for a long time without taking damage or degrading. A moored boat is one that is stationed and anchored at a dock for longer-term storage without use. Do remember that mooring covers are not designed for storage out of the water, and they are also not designed to cover your boat while on the move, such as when you are towing your boat with your car.
Now, they can technically be used for storage out of the water, but they are really not ideal for this. The main purpose of a mooring cover is to take a lot of rain and wind. They are designed so that when your boat is moored at the dock, heavy rainstorms will not damage your boat or allow water to leak in. For this reason, they tend to be very tall and wide, and they are always designed to be totally waterproof.
Something else to keep in mind here is that if you plan on using a mooring cover in the winter, you will need to brush off the snow after each snowstorm, because they are not designed to take an excessive amount of weight. That said, most generic mooring covers are not designed for super cold weather or heavy snowstorms, so they are not the best for winter.
Besides, you probably don’t want to keep your boat in the water during the winter anyway, because if the water freezes around your boat, you are going to run into a host of super serious issues.
Mooring covers are generally not the best for long term storage, especially not for winter storage. The reason for this is because mooring covers only cover the top of the boat, and a little bit of the hull, but because they are designed for use while the boat is still in the water, they barely go down past the rim of the boat, Therefore, if you are looking to protect the hull of the boat during the winter, or for any prolonged time period, a mooring cover is not the way to go.
On the other hand, for general mooring, a mooring cover is great, because whenever the boat is not in use, you can just slip it on, tie it down, and keep the rain out of your boat.
Other Types of Boat Covers
Yes, there are other types of boat covers out there too, not just mooring covers. Let’s take a look at the various options you can go with when it comes to covering your boat.
Winter Storage Covers
As you can probably gather from the name, winter storage covers are covers designed for long term storage during the winter. These will cover the whole boat, they are made to be waterproof, and generally speaking are quite heavy so that wind cannot get under them.
Towing Covers
Towing covers are intended for those times when you tow your boat behind your car. These are designed to keep out rain, to keep out wind, and so that they don’t billow in the wind while driving. These can be used for mooring and storage too, but not for long term winter storage, as they are not designed for extreme weather, particularly snow.
Cockpit & Bow Covers
Both cockpit and bow covers are designed for short term covering of the bow and cockpit areas of a boat. These are used during towing and while moored at the dock. However, they are definitely not ideal for long term storage, especially when it comes to winter conditions.
Convertible Covers
One of the most convenient types of boat cover out there, but also one of the more expensive, is the convertible boat cover. These snap onto the windshield and can be manually lowered and raised. They generally stay on the boat at all times, and are designed to handle all sorts of weather. Although if you need to cover the hull, they are not the best for winter use.
Conclusion
There you have it, folks, what exactly a mooring cover is and what it is used for. It’s a great option to go with if you have your boat moored at the dock and want to provide some protection.