Your Canoe Cover is made from premium polyester or marine-grade WeatherMax 3D fabric.
Each Canoe Cover is made to fit a specific canoe make and model; the make and model, along with the date that it was sewn, is written on the inside of the stern.
Installation
There are a number of ways to put the cover on, including while your canoe is on a vehicle rack. The following instructions are for the simplest installation method with the cover and the boat on the ground.
First, unfold the Canoe Cover and look at the ends of the cover. The bow of the cover has an enclosed pocket. The stern of the cover is open and has a draw cord closure.
Place the cover on the ground with the draw cord opening facing up and laid open.
Set the boat on the cover with the bow of the cover and the bow of the boat aligned. Slip the bow of the boat into the enclosed pocket at the bow of the cover, ensuring that the boat is firmly seated in the pocket.
Walk to the stern and slip the stern of the cover over the stern of the boat. If your boat has a rudder or a recurved stern, there may be a flap that secures with buckles and straps; close and secure the flap.
Pull on the draw cord, tensioning the draw cord closure and securing it with the cord lock. You may need to lift the sides of the cover over the gunwales and then re-tension the draw cord.
Finally, secure the shock cords to the draw cord at the "moons" in the cover. You may want to shorten or double-up the shock cords to fine tune the fit and tension of the cover.
When the Canoe Cover is installed, it should be lightly stretched with no excess fabric and minimal wrinkles (there may be a few small wrinkles at the stern or behind the "wings" of boats like USCA C1s).
Removal
To take the cover off the boat, set the boat and cover on the ground, unhook the open shock cord hook from the draw cord at the moons, and release the cord lock on the draw cord. Lift the stern from the cover and slide the cover off the bow of the boat.
Transportation
Your Canoe Cover is designed to be used for transportation at highway speeds. The custom fit will minimize excess fabric and no straps, velcro or other methods are needed to tighten the fit of the cover. The glove-like fit will not flap during travel.
Take care to properly secure your boat. Movement will abrade and wear the fabric. Be sure that your boat, rack, and tie down straps are all secure. If the boat can wiggle on the rack, a strap is vibrating or flapping against the cover, or the rack can move under the boat, that movement will wear through any fabric, including our Premium Polyester and WeatherMax 3D.
Sand, dirt, and grit trapped between the cover and your hull can scuff and scratch your boat, especially under your straps and where your rack fittings contact the boat. Ensure that the boat hull and the inside of the cover are clean before putting the boat in the cover for transport.
You can secure a bow line to the bow loop or carrying thwart through the slit in the bow of the cover.
Always load your boat with the enclosed pocket of the cover facing forward. If you load the boat with the enclosed pocket of the cover at the rear, it will fill with air during travel, creating drag and placing excessive stress on the seams.
General Tips
Both Premium Polyester and WeatherMax 3D are breathable stretch fabrics that will protect your boat from UV damage and allow moisture and heat to escape. WeatherMax 3D is also water resistant.
Generally, Premium Polyester covers are best used to protect your canoe during transportation, but should be stored indoors. Polyester blocks UV from reaching your boat hull, but is not, itself, UV resistant. It will fade over time as the outer fibers are damaged by the sun.
If your Premium Polyester cover is faded on the outside but the original color remains on the inside, UV is still being blocked and your boat is safe. If the inside of the cover begins to fade, the UV is reaching the inside of the cover and it's time for a replacement.
WeatherMax 3D fabric is UV-resistant, so it not only blocks UV from reaching your boat, but it resists UV damage to the fabric, as well. It takes a long time to fade and is a great fabric for canoes that are stored outdoors or spend a lot of time on the rack of a vehicle.
Care, Cleaning, and Maintenance - Premium Polyester
Regular care and maintenance of your Premium Polyester Canoe Cover will ensure that it protects your canoe for many years while looking and performing at its best.
We recommend that you wash it at least once per year in cold water with mild detergent, then allow it to line dry. You should remove the shock cords and draw cord before washing.
Washing your cover will remove dirt from the fabric and reduce internal abrasion and wear that dirt causes. Always wash your cover after it's exposed to road salt.
All Premium Polyester covers will fade in the sun over time. If you would like to reduce UV fading of your polyester cover, we recommend applying a UV fabric protector like Ray and Rain Shield, Aerospace 303 Protectant, or Scotch Guard Water and Sun Shield. Follow the manufacturer's directions for application method and frequency.
Care, Cleaning, and Maintenance - WeatherMax 3D
Regular care and maintenance of your WeatherMax 3D Canoe Cover will ensure that it protects your canoe for many years while looking and performing at its best. We recommend cleaning your Canoe Cover at least once per year, or more often if it gets dirty or begins to lose its water repelancy.
For the most current WeatherMax 3D care and cleaning instructions, please see the care instructions on the WeatherMax Fabrics website, here:
https://weathermax.com/mainenanceandcare/
https://weathermax.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/WM-Care-Cleaning-Guide.pdf
Canoe Cover Parts
If you need a new draw cord and cord lock or shock cords and hooks, you can order them here:
https://redleafdesigns.com/collections/parts-and-repair