How to Make a Trailerable Boat Cover

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Driving down the highway at high speeds can be rough on your boat cover. A special, tight-fitting trailerable cover is recommended to stand up to those high winds. A custom cover will provide the best fit and longevity when trailering. You can get a custom cover for less when you sew it yourself. Learn how to pattern, sew and install your own trailerable boat cover in our comprehensive how-to video.
Video Chapters:
  • Discussing Cover Design – 0:55 min.
  • Determining Fabric Required – 5:24 min.
  • Cutting Fabric Panels to Size – 8:46 min.
  • Sewing Fabric Panels Together – 10:02 min.
  • Patterning Cover – 22:25 min.
  • Clean Up Pattern Lines – 32:29 min.
  • Sewing Darts – 36:24 min.
  • Adding Edge Reinforcement – 41:40 min.
  • Sewing Binding on Edges – 49:05 min.
  • Installing Stayput Shock Cord Clips Aft – 55:51 min.
  • Installing Snaps – 1:00:35 min.
  • Marking Cover for Chafe, Vents, Zipper, Support Poles – 1:10:45 min.
  • Installing Vents – 1:14:14 min.
  • Installing Vent Caps – 1:21:48 min.
  • Sewing Chafe Reinforcement Patches – 1:27:55 min.
  • Installing Zipper Opening – 1:34:06 min.
  • Materials List – 1:54:01 min.
Materials List:
  • Top Gun® 1S Royal Blue 60" Fabric – #120444
  • Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Canvas (50 yds.) – # 129
  • Sailrite® Tex 92 Black PTFE Lifetime Thread 4 oz. (825 yds.) – #107130
  • Filament Strapping Tape 3/4" – #5643
  • Tape Shelter-Rite® 18 oz. Black 3" (Not Adhesive Backed) – #104222
  • Shelter-Rite® Black 61" Fabric – #1120121
  • Top Notch® 9 Polyester Bias Binding Tape – #120940
  • Stayput™ Fastener Shock Cord Lacing Knob Black – #100371
  • Stayput™ Fastener Shock Cord Cover Clip Black (Standard) – #100369
  • DOT® Pull-The-DOT®One Way Socket (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #555050
  • SnapRite® Fastener Pull-The- DOT® One Way Button 1/4" (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #104299
  • DOT® Snap Fastener Normal Action Socket (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #333050
  • SnapRite® Snap Fastener Button 11/64" (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #104151
  • Cam-Lock Support Poles - Snap & Swedge Tip – #105131
  • Phifertex® Standard Vinyl Mesh Black 54" Fabric – #388111
  • Sewable Vent Pole Cap for Boats – #120619
  • Sewable Boat Vent Pole Cap #120619
  • YKK® AquaGuard® #10 Black Water-Resistant Continuous Coil Zipper Chain – #104431
  • YKK® AquaGuard® #10 Black Style C Reverse Tab Single Non-Locking Metal Zipper Pull (Coil Chain) – #104435
  • Rubber Swivel Pad Pole Base For Cam-Lock Support Poles – #105133
Tools List:
  • Scribe-All® Water Soluble Marking Pencil – White #120681 or Black #121977
  • Gingher® 8" Scissors Right Handed – #19104
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LS Walking Foot Sewing Machine (110V) – #311502
  • Deluxe 5-1/2" Magnetic Sewing Guide – #103597
  • Spring Clamp – #50211
  • Marking Chalk for Fabrics – #102464
  • Multiuse Pins 1-1/2" (250 pack) – #102985
  • Sailrite® Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" – #102400
  • Sailrite® Canvas Patterning Ruler – #107040
  • Sailrite® 1" Swing-Away Binder – #100103
  • Sailrite® Edge Hotknife Package (110V) – #103800
  • Sailrite® #0 Drill Hole Cutter 1/4" – #121818
  • Sailrite® Cutting Block & Die Holder – #103651
  • Easy Fit Kit in Waterproof Box - Snap Positioning System – #102565
  • Sailrite® SnapRite® System Complete Kit – #104500
  • Pres-N-Snap Installation Tool – #109011
  • Scratch Awl Yellow – #235411
How to Make a Trailerable Boat Cover 2

We made this trailering cover for our Regal Ambassador 245XL Powerboat Makeover project, which belongs to Brian, a manager at Sailrite®. He wanted a tight-fitting, low-profile cover for transporting his boat to and from the lake. Brian wanted to keep this project relatively low-cost and simple so we kept to a pretty basic design. He also opted to pattern the fabric directly on the boat — a timesaving measure. From this base video, you can customize your boat cover to include other features and details to perfectly suit your needs.

How to Make a Trailerable Boat Cover 3

To create this highly durable cover, Brian chose to use Top Gun® 1S fabric. Top Gun 1S features color and coating on only one side, which ensures that no dye will rub off on your boat. It’s made from high-quality polyester and the top side features an acrylic coating to add to its durability. While this fabric inherently has great abrasion resistance, Brian still added chafe-resistant patches of Shelter-Rite® vinyl to corners and other abrasion points.

Not only will this video teach you step-by-step how to sew your own trailerable boat cover, but it also outlines many helpful sewing techniques such as how to sew a semi-flat felled seam, darts and binding, how to install vents and fasteners, and much more! A much-requested design choice, this cover also features a zipper aft for easy entrance into the boat while the cover is on.

This project is part of our Regal Ambassador 245XL Powerboat Makeover series