Recommended Canvas for Tournament 19 on mooring

[Beachgoer]

Hi- I am hoping to secure a older model Tournament 19 soon. I plan to leave it on a mooring for the summer in RI. Any recommendations regarding what type of canvas I should be looking for to cover the boat when moored? I have seen many with Bimini top + sides and rear, but I wonder if these will catch the wind too much when not using the boat. If I dont intended to go out in bad weather, what is the minimum recommendation for covering the cockpit when moored?
Thanks

 

[DennisG01]

Some will use no canvas, at all. Enclosures will be fine - even in a wind. If you want to save the enclosures, then a simple cockpit cover will suffice.

 

[mboyatt]

Dennis is right. The 192 tournaments came with a cockpit cover option, or you can have one made. They snap to the windshield frame, then down the port and starboard sides to the back of the boat, then across transom. Looks neat and clean. My 192 has all the snaps installed, but unfortunately when I bought the boat the cover had been misplaced. Then if you want to go whole hog, they also sold a small bow cover that snaps in place - has a weird name that starts with a T. But yeah, cockpit cover would be sweet. Good luck!

 

[DennisG01]

Oh, that's right - the Tournament is an open bow. I have Walkarounds on my mind...

"Tonneau" cover... yeah, I just call them "bow covers" :wink: Much easier.

 

[mboyatt]

Hah! The funny thing is, I knew how to pronounce it but not how to spell "Tonneau". Wonder where that word came from. Meaning the tip or something? A word sailors use? Anyway, bow cover is a great alternative for cave men bone heads like me!

 

[Parthery]

If you have a 192, the factory (Great Lakes Boat Tops) bow cover (aka Tonneau) covers are still available....saw them on eBay just the other day for about $150.

I'm getting a custom cockpit cover for my 225 made and a matching bow cover....total bill for both will be under $1K

 

[DennisG01]

Hah! The funny thing is, I knew how to pronounce it but not how to spell "Tonneau". Wonder where that word came from. Meaning the tip or something? A word sailors use? Anyway, bow cover is a great alternative for cave men bone heads like me!

I don't know either. I have seen some (older) 2-seater sport cars (cars like a Triumph, AC Cobra, etc) sometimes use one to cover the passenger side. I've also seen it referenced for pickup truck bed covers. But that's about all I know about it. "Bow cover" works for me, too!

 

[suzukidave]

i've really enjoyed a sunbrella full cockpit tonneau on my 190 that i had made 8 years ago. the bow cover/dodger is a white vinyl that is original to the boat but was hardly used before me. both are starting to be a bit frayed mainly due to times i have forgotten and left them on when towing on a windy day. they've never been damaged by windstorms.

to install the tonneau cover when i am using the bimini i disconnect the bimini and the bimini canvas rests in a "shelf" made out of half a tube that is mounted hanging under the splashwell.

the boat hangs on a mooring in the summer that is exposed and sees occasional strong westerlies. one or two boats will take on water and sink each summer. i would not go any other way than full tonneau and bow cover.

the cockpit tonneau was originally just sunbrella with a basic hem and it attaches to snaps on the top rail of the windshield. the guy who made it commented on how easy it was to make. it's basically 2 rectangular panels sewn together with a modest number of shape cuts for fitment. the only tailoring is around the splashwell. any boat canvas place can make one if you leave the boat with them.

over the years i've added vinyl reinforcements on the edges and especially at the corners and for the reliefs that fit around for the rear cleats. i've also added two adjustable props for the cockpit tonneaau and one for the bow as the canvas has stretched.

if i did it again i would add the vinyl reinforcements and one prop from the start and also get extra canvas along the windshield line that allows me to keep the bimini installed and left on top of the windshield under the tonneau.

 

[JoySea TOO]

i just bought a 19 tournament 1989 and i also happen to be in the marine canvas business. I'm planning a bow toneau cover with a zipper fore and aft to make snapping a breeze. I'll need it anyway for my fall fishing. I'm making a full boat cover in lieu of a "windshield aft" as it will need to go thru huricanes. I don't intend to store my boat with the curtain set up as this is just needless wear and tear on the enclosure and in our area UV exposure with salt build up is the killer. In your mooring situation, I'd go with the bow cover(toneau) and the( whatever you want to call it) cover that attaches to the windshield. If you have it made custom in your area try to have it go over the motor as well. the increased height at the aft will eliminate the need for support poles Use an acrylic fabric such as Sunbrella. Hope this helps in your choices.

 

[Parthery]

Just had this setup made for my 225 Tournament...2 pieces (bow and cockpit).

The bow covers are still readily available from Great Lakes Boat Tops....cockpit covers were never a factory option. I chose to have my local guy make both pieces as it was more cost effective. The results are pretty good....

 

[TonyD]

Love this forum!!

While on the topic I am looking for a bimini top for my '89 Tournament 192 - Are those still replaceable? I think the last time I called Grady White and they said they did not. It looks like there are 3rd party companies...

 

[suzukidave]

parthery can you do a close up on how they worked around the bimini struts? that is what i will be doing for my 223.

 

[Parthery]

I'll take some tomorrow....he basically cut around the front struts and Velcro flapped the rear ones so I can use the cover regardless of whether the bimini is up or down. My 225 also has a custom aft bimini and he did flaps around the mounting hardware there, as well.

 

[Parthery]

Suzukidave, here you go....

 

[mboyatt]

TonyD, yes there are numerous vendors that sell the Bimini tops online. Just plug in the year of your boat and select your canvas option, etc. The wife got me a gift card to Overtons a year ago and I used that to get the Bimini top for my 1994 192 Tournament. Fit perfect and looks great. I ordered the Sunbrella canvas. I think iboats and many others sell the Bimini tops as well.

Parthery, you are crAzy. Came out "pretty good" ? That setup looks freaking Awesome. Love it.

 

[mboyatt]

TonyD, yes there are numerous vendors that sell the Bimini tops online. Just plug in the year of your boat and select your canvas option, etc. The wife got me a gift card to Overtons a year ago and I used that to get the Bimini top for my 1994 192 Tournament. Fit perfect and looks great. I ordered the Sunbrella canvas. I think iboats and many others sell the Bimini tops as well.

Parthery, you are crAzy. Came out "pretty good" ? That setup looks freaking Awesome. Love it.

 

[Willy-C]

Here's a peak at my new bow cover and cockpit (mooring) cover that was custom made with sunbrella

I had the old bow cover for a pattern but the canvas guy made up the cockpit cover using all the original snaps

Fits great, bone dry inside

 

[Willy-C]

Forgot to mention it is a 1992....190 Tournament

 

[Beachgoer]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. We are now proud owners of our first Grady, a 1986 Tournament 190 (Merc 200ELPTO O/B). We have a bow cover, but need to obtain a mooring cover / cockpit cover to cover the aft portion of the boat while on a mooring. The boat has a full set of snaps installed, so I assume that the cockpit cover was manufacturer's equipment at one point. I could definitely have one custom fit, but can anyone suggest a vendor that might already have the appropriate template and can make it sight unseen?

 

[Parthery]

Re: Recommended Canvas for Tournament 19 on moor

GW never had a cockpit cover as a factory option....some boats of that genre may have had a camper canvas which would necessitate the snaps.

I'd go custom....you will be much happier with the outcome.