Our canoe covers are anchored in Sue Audette’s innovative Original Bag Lady design – the industry standard for over 42 years – yet freshly updated for precision-fit, premium-fabric canoe protection in storage or transport.
In storage, Original Canoe Covers shield your boat from harmful UV damage and the wear and tear of serious weather. In transit, they protect precious hulls as they slice through highway hazards at high velocity.
FEATURES
- Bow carrying handle and tie down access
- Reinforced bow and stern fabric
- Reinforced stitching
- Premium fabrics, thread, and materials
- Sewn-on reflective tape at the stern (on most covers)
- Innovative drawcord and bungee closure
- Specific patterns for each make and model of canoe to ensure a perfect, highway-ready fit
Every RedLeaf Designs Canoe Cover is custom-crafted by hand using premium, Made-In-The-USA fabrics in our family sewing loft in Skandia, Michigan.
Our Original Covers are made from Premium Polyester or WeatherMAX 3D fabrics:
- Both block more than 99% of UV light, protecting your hull from fading and structural UV damage.
- Both are breathable, allowing moisture and heat to escape easily.
- Both are a structural woven knit with the perfect amount of stretch - just enough to follow the contours of your boat like a glove, but not enough that it flaps during transport or sags when wet.
- Neither uses elastic or lycra fibers, which stretch and permanently deform very quickly.
They both sound great, don't they? So, what's the difference?
PREMIUM POLYESTER
Our most popular and budget-minded-yet-still-premium fabric is a durable, 100% polyester double-knit. It's long-wearing and great for general protection from UV damage, road dirt, bugs, strap-rub, etc.
Polyester is not waterproof or water-resistant. This isn't a problem for most Royalex, fiberglass, carbon, or Kevlar boats, since the fabric breathes very well and dries quickly: water won't damage most canoes.
Polyester also fades quickly in the sun. We still think it's a great material for a cover and use a specific premium polyester fabric that will give you many, many years of service and protection, even as the outside of the fabric fades.
We recommend Premium Polyester if you store your boat indoors or under cover and primarily want protection for occasional travel, or you want a cover that's less expensive in the short run.
MARINE-GRADE WEATHERMAX 3D
WeatherMAX 3D is a premium, 100% solution-dyed, marine-grade fabric that offers form-fitting stretch and a great fit while also being water-resistant, breathable, and exceptionally fade resistant.
WeatherMAX 3D is the ultimate fabric when you want combined outdoor storage and transport protection, while still offering the exceptional fit that comes with stretch material.
We recommend WeatherMAX 3D if you store your boat outdoors, you have wood gunwales or a wood-and-canvas canoe, your boat stays on your car for most of the paddling season, or you want the longest-lasting cover that's most economical in the long run.
Why Measure Your Carry Thwart Location?
We have the "factory" location of the front carrying thwart for most of our patterns. However, all canoes are hand-finished and the carry thwart location can move for an astounding number of reasons - aftermarket outfitting, restorations, custom orders, specifications that change at the factory over time, different trim and outfitting options, and many, many more.
To ensure that the slit for your carrying thwart or handle is in exactly the right place on your cover, we encourage you to measure from the tip of the bow to the center of the carrying handle and include that information in your order.
We can also use the factory specified location that we have on file, though we can't guarantee that it will be perfect for your boat.