Full-zip. Sunbrella Marine canvas. No compromises.
Stretch-fit and sock-style covers work by sliding over the boat like a sock. On a 12-foot recreational kayak, that's manageable. On a 21-foot surf ski, it's a fight — and the longer the boat, the worse it gets.
The Ultimate Cover lays flat on the ground alongside your boat. Set the hull inside and zip the full-length YKK #10 marine zipper closed. One person, 60 seconds, done. No stretching, no wrestling, no feeding the bow into a fabric tube.
The cover is Sunbrella Marine — not a knit synthetic, not generic canvas. Sunbrella carries a 10-year warranty against UV degradation and is the standard fabric for offshore sailboat covers. It's water-resistant, breathable, and won't fade, crack, or degrade in sustained outdoor exposure. It's the same fabric we use in our Canoe Coat storage cover.
Construction details.
Hull-specific patterningCut to your exact make, model, and version from our library of patterns. Not adapted from a generic size chart.
Sunbrella Marine fabric
Water-resistant, breathable, UV-blocking, solution-dyed. 10-year warranty against UV damage. The marine industry standard.
Full-length YKK #10 zipper
Non-marring nylon coil YKK zipper runs the full length of the cover. Two-way sliders on boats without over-stern rudders.
Welded stainless steel D-rings
Bow and stern tie-down points welded from stainless steel — not sewn loops that can tear under highway loads.
Three reinforced webbing handles
Bow, center, and stern. Roll your covered boat onto a J-cradle or flip it on a rack without removing the cover.
Rudder accommodation
Under-stern rudders pass through a 12-inch slit. Over-stern rudders accommodated with openings and Velcro flaps. Rudders are not enclosed — enclosed fabric flaps and wears through at highway speed.
Reinforced seams throughout
All seams reinforced at stress points. Built to hold under highway wind loads and years of outdoor exposure.
Common questions.
Should I add padding?
Generally, no. Padding traps grit, sand, and moisture against the hull and takes longer to dry. We only have padding on one of our own Ultimate Covers — our most fragile, lightweight ICF K1 that's stored indoors at a shared facility.If you store your boat in a club or public boathouse where others handle it, padding can buffer against the unavoidable bumps. Otherwise, skip it. The Sunbrella fabric alone provides excellent abrasion protection.
If you do add padding: quilted polyester with a smooth facing over 1/4" batting.
Should I add drains?
It depends on how you store and transport your boat. Sunbrella is highly water-resistant but not waterproof. The #10 marine zipper is also not waterproof. In heavy rain, some water will enter the cover.If you store or transport your boat upside down (zipper on the bottom), you don't need drains — any water that enters exits through the zipper. This is how we recommend storing and transporting.
If you keep your boat right-side up outdoors where rain falls on it, add the drains. We install two or three reinforced mesh drains in the bottom of the cover depending on boat length and rudder style. Residual moisture evaporates through the breathable Sunbrella without harming boat or cover.
If you do add padding: quilted polyester with a smooth facing over 1/4" batting.
What about rudders?
The Ultimate Cover works with both under-stern and over-stern rudders. Select your rudder type when you order.Under-stern rudders pass through a 12-inch slit in the bottom of the cover. Over-stern rudders vary in design, but we accommodate them with openings, Velcro flaps, and other methods.
Rudders are not enclosed within the cover. Enclosing a rudder creates fabric that flaps during transport and wears through quickly against fittings and hardware.
What are the reinforced handles for?
The Ultimate Cover covers the things on the hull you'd normally grip — decklines, cockpit coaming, built-in handles. The reinforced webbing handles at bow, center, and stern give you secure grip points to roll the covered boat onto a J-cradle or flip it on a rack without removing the cover.When carrying a boat, support the weight from the hull bottom or a dedicated carrying point built into the boat — not the cover handles.