The Ultimate Cover
Installation, use, and care for your full-zip kayak, surf ski, or outrigger canoe cover.
Your Ultimate Cover is built from Sunbrella Marine canvas — the industry standard for UV-resistant, water-resistant, breathable outdoor marine protection. Each cover is patterned to a specific hull design and sewn in our Michigan loft. The make, model, and sew date are recorded inside the cover behind the RedLeaf Designs label.
What your cover is made of.
Marine-grade materials specified for performance, not price.
Sunbrella Marine Canvas
10-year UV warranty. Breathable and water-resistant.
YKK #10 Marine Zipper
Full-length, salt-rated. Dual sliders standard.
Stainless Steel D-Rings
Welded and reinforced at bow and stern.
Reinforced Webbing
Handles and structural attachment points.
Installation in under two minutes.
The Ultimate Cover goes on and comes off quickly. Full-length zipper, no fuss. Watch the process from start to finish.
Installation
The Ultimate Cover features a full-length zipper that opens completely flat, making installation straightforward on any kayak, surf ski, or outrigger canoe.
- Orient the cover. Unfold it and identify the bow end — it has a webbing tab and a reinforced stainless steel D-ring. The zipper slider sits at the stern when zipped closed and at the bow when fully open.
- Lay it flat. Unzip the cover completely and spread it on the ground.
- Set the boat. Place your boat on the open cover, bow to bow, and slip the front of the hull into the small pocket at the bow end.
- Handle rudder fittings. Under-stern rudders insert through the dedicated slot sewn into the cover. Over-stern rudders pass through a tailored stern closure — the specific method varies by rudder style and attachment.
- Close it up. Fold the sides of the cover over the hull and zip closed. If the slider resists, push the boat forward into the cover slightly and bring the sides closer together before pulling.
Dual-slide zipper. Covers without over-stern rudders (Summer 2025 onward) have dual zipper sliders. Position them mid-cover to access the cockpit for easier solo loading. Move both sliders to the stern before travel.
Secure any Velcro stern flaps after zipping. When installed, the cover extends a few inches beyond the ends of the hull and has roughly an inch of ease around the circumference. This is engineered fit, not excess — it allows the cover to go on and come off without fighting it.
Removal
Set the covered boat on the ground. Open any Velcro stern flaps, then unzip the cover the full length. Once the cover is flat and open, lift the boat straight out.
The entire process takes about 60 seconds.
Transportation
The Ultimate Cover is built for highway speeds. The hull-specific fit minimizes loose fabric, so no additional straps, Velcro, or tightening methods are needed. The minimal ease in the fit will not flap during travel.
Securing your boat
Fabric wear comes from movement, not speed. Make sure the boat, rack, and tie-down straps are all secure and stable. A boat that shifts on the rack, a strap vibrating against the cover, a strap-end whipping in the slipstream, or rack fittings that move under load — any of these will abrade through any fabric over time, including Sunbrella.
Sand, dirt, and grit trapped between the cover and hull will scuff and scratch the finish, particularly under straps and at rack contact points. Ensure that the hull and inside of the cover are grit-free before transport.
Dual-slide zipper access
On covers with dual-slide zippers, position the sliders mid-cover to reach the cockpit through the zipper opening when loading solo. Move both sliders to the stern after loading — wind can work an exposed zipper rearward at highway speed.
D-rings as tie-down points
The reinforced stainless steel D-rings at bow and stern can serve as secondary tie-down points but should not bear high tension or serve as the primary method of securing the boat. In an accident or rack failure, the fabric and stitching should not be expected to hold the full load of a loose hull.
Cover handles
The reinforced webbing handles are designed to help load and unload the boat from a vehicle or storage rack with the cover installed. They give you a secure grip point during lifting and maneuvering.
Support the boat's weight from underneath the hull or by the boat's built-in carrying handles or toggles. The cover handles are a lifting assist, not a carrying system — we do not recommend using them to carry a covered boat for distance.
Storage and transport tips
A few things to keep in mind, depending on how you store and move your boat.
Kayaks stored or transported upright
Use a waterproof cockpit cover underneath the Ultimate Cover if rain is expected. Sunbrella is water-resistant, not waterproof, and the zipper is not sealed. A cockpit cover also supports the fabric across the cockpit opening — the one area where the cover isn't resting against the hull and may move in wind.
Surf skis and outriggers stored upright
Open the cockpit bailer partway to let water drain. The optional sewn-in drains will reduce water accumulation inside an upright cover. Any water that does collect will eventually escape through the breathable fabric.
Boats stored or transported inverted
Water escapes quickly through the zipper when the boat is upside down. Drains are not needed in this orientation.
Cleaning and maintenance
Regular cleaning keeps your Ultimate Cover performing and looking its best. We recommend cleaning at least once a year — more often if the cover sees heavy use or you notice water repellency starting to diminish.
Routine cleaning
Brush off loose dirt and debris. For a deeper clean, use a mild soap solution with lukewarm water and a soft-bristle brush. Rinse thoroughly and allow the cover to air dry completely before re-installing or storing.
Sunbrella's full care guide
For stain removal, mildew treatment, and re-waterproofing instructions, refer to the official Sunbrella Fabrics care guide:
Sunbrella Marine Canvas Care →We're here to help.
If something about your cover doesn't look or feel right, reach out. We made it, and we stand behind it.
Purpose-Built Gear for Paddlers Who Refuse to Settle
Designed from real experience on the water. Built in our Michigan loft to outlast the trips it goes on.
We make gear for paddlers who have already made the decision to invest in quality boats and who understand that outfitting and protecting that investment is not optional. Every product in our line was born from a specific need encountered while paddling. We don't make gear for catalogs. We make gear that solves problems we've experienced firsthand.
Every Maker Has a First Spark
When Jeremy was four years old, he wandered into the basement of the Lake Fenton Sailing Club and discovered a North Sails rep repairing torn sailcloth with a walking-foot sewing machine. Mountains of ragged fabric fed in one side, perfect sails emerged from the other. The clickety-clack rhythm and the transformation locked in his memory.
A decade later, as a teenage sea kayaker paying for his gear by mowing lawns, he couldn't afford factory dry bags. His mother, a lifelong sewist and quilter, taught him to make his own from patterns in Sea Kayaker magazine and fabric mail-ordered from Seattle Fabrics. Over the next twenty years — through careers, marriage, raising a family — he kept sewing: dry bags, spray decks, deck bags, tool rolls, fitted cloth diapers, portage packs.
The flame that sparked at four never went out. It was waiting for the right kindling.
Workshop photo
Bag Lady legacy photo
Stewarding a 45-Year Legacy
In 2019, Sue Audette — the legendary Bag Lady who had protected canoes for over four decades — decided it was time to retire. She chose to pass the legacy to Jeremy and Cassandra rather than let it disappear. A few weeks later, RedLeaf Designs was born and the Bag Lady line of canoe covers moved from Sue's Connecticut garage to a sewing loft in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
We didn't just buy a product line. We accepted responsibility for a tradition. The Original Canoe Cover has protected boats for 45+ years, and we honor that by maintaining the standard Sue established while expanding the vision with new materials, new designs, and new boat categories.
In 2020, Jeremy and Cassandra stepped away from corporate consulting and voiceover work to focus entirely on RedLeaf. Since then, it's been the family's sole income. You'll regularly find all four of them — Jeremy, Cassandra, and their two kids — in the shop, working together.
Three Lines, One Philosophy
Every product starts on the water with a problem that needed to be solved. Some are custom-fitted to individual hulls. All of them are designed from direct experience and built with uncompromising materials and care.
Outfitting & Accessories
Purpose-built gear that keeps your boat organized and your hands free. Gunwale Bags, Tether Tabs, Paddle Pockets, portage packs. Stock designs, ready to ship, solving specific problems most paddlers didn't know had solutions.
Expedition Spray Decks
Custom-patterned to your hull for precision fit in real conditions. Anatomic tunnels, quick-release safety features, marine-grade fabrics. Made to order because a spray deck that doesn't fit your boat doesn't keep water out of your boat.
Protective Covers
Hull-specific storage and transport covers patterned from a proprietary library of hundreds of canoe, kayak, surf ski, and outrigger designs. The 45-year Bag Lady tradition, expanded with new materials and modern construction.
Small Is Intentional
We are a small operation because the work demands it. Our size is not a limitation — it is the reason the work is precise, personal, and uncompromising. Limited production means every piece gets the attention it deserves.
Jeremy designs every pattern, runs the CNC fabric cutter, and operates the sewing machines. Cassandra handles strategy, customer relationships, and operations. Two contract sewists help with high-volume production runs. The kids pitch in on shipping days.
We cut fabric with an Autometrix CNC cutter, often run by our 17-year-old son Hale. We sew with industrial walking-foot machines. We use the best marine-grade materials available: Sunbrella Marine, YKK #10 marine zippers, WeatherMAX 3D, welded stainless hardware. We specify by performance, not by price.
Made to order in our Michigan loft. Shipped when it's right, not when it's fast.
Workshop photo
Six Principles That Guide Everything We Make
Design starts on the water
Every product in our line was born from a specific need encountered while paddling. That direct knowledge is what separates purpose-built equipment from generic accessories.
Fit is everything
For covers and spray decks, we pattern to specific hull designs because anything less is a compromise. A cover that doesn't fit the hull it's protecting is a liability.
Materials matter
Our gear lives outdoors, on highways, and in the harshest conditions our customers can find. We use marine-grade fabrics, zippers, and hardware because performance matters more than price.
Small is intentional
Our size is not a limitation — it is the reason the work is precise, personal, and uncompromising. Limited production means every piece gets the attention it deserves.
Legacy deserves stewardship
The Bag Lady canoe cover has protected boats for over 45 years. We didn't just buy a product line — we accepted responsibility for a tradition. We honor it by maintaining the standard and expanding the vision.
Gear should earn trust
Every product we ship should work so well that the customer forgets it's there — until they notice, years later, that their hull still looks new or their portage routine has become effortless.
Designed, Built, and Shipped in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Jeremy handles design, pattern development, CNC programming, and sewing. Cassandra manages strategy, customer relationships, and operations. Their two kids help with shipping, quality control, and keeping everyone honest. Two contract sewists support high-volume production runs.
We're not a shop, not a retailer, not a warehouse with a logo on it. We are designers and makers. Some of our products are custom-fit to individual hulls. All of them are purpose-built from direct experience on the water. Our capacity is limited by design, not by circumstance. That's what makes the work good.
Team photo
The RedLeaf Dispatch
Shop notes, paddling stories, gear tips, and first look at new products. One email a month from our loft in the U.P.