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.
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.