Boat cover and end-of-season gas

[catchinon]

I'm in desperate need of a new boat cover for my 17.5' Tracker. The old one tears like a wet paper towel every time I put it on or take it off.  Starting to look like swiss cheese. Can anyone give me some advice on picking one to buy? I'd like to find one with good fit that's durable and not too expensive. I didn't realize how many companies there were out there that made them. Please help me avoid making a dumb mistake. What features and which company? Thanks in advance.

Second question: How much gas should I leave in my tank at the end of the season? I have about half a tank left now. Should I try to run it down low or what? I'm adding Sea Foam as advised on here and know to add Stabil before I put it to bed. Any other advice?

[lakepowellnut]

I'm in desperate need of a new boat cover for my 17.5' Tracker. The old one tears like a wet paper towel every time I put it on or take it off.  Starting to look like swiss cheese. Can anyone give me some advice on picking one to buy? I'd like to find one with good fit that's durable and not too expensive. I didn't realize how many companies there were out there that made them. Please help me avoid making a dumb mistake. What features and which company? Thanks in advance.

Second question: How much gas should I leave in my tank at the end of the season? I have about half a tank left now. Should I try to run it down low or what? I'm adding Sea Foam as advised on here and know to add Stabil before I put it to bed. Any other advice?

Excellent questions! 

Are you looking for a trailerable cover, storage cover or both. I have two covers, one for both applications. National Boat Covers is a good option for a regular cover. Transhield covers are great reusable shrink wrap covers.

Here are links for both:

https://www.nationalboatcovers.ccom
https://mrshrinkwrap.com/shrink-wrap-boa...-hull.html

PM me and I can give you more tips. I was in the boat business for years and have a lot of tips and tricks to keep your boat dry.

[Tin-Can]

I'm in desperate need of a new boat cover for my 17.5' Tracker. The old one tears like a wet paper towel every time I put it on or take it off.  Starting to look like swiss cheese. Can anyone give me some advice on picking one to buy? I'd like to find one with good fit that's durable and not too expensive. I didn't realize how many companies there were out there that made them. Please help me avoid making a dumb mistake. What features and which company? Thanks in advance.

Second question: How much gas should I leave in my tank at the end of the season? I have about half a tank left now. Should I try to run it down low or what? I'm adding Sea Foam as advised on here and know to add Stabil before I put it to bed. Any other advice?

Craig, recommendation to second question:  I am guessing that you have an on board in-the-hull gas tank?  When I bought my first boat, a 17 ft. Lund with a 115 hp Merc and a 24 gal. permanent tank, the dealer and the Lund owners manual both recommended the following: When you know you will be putting the boat away for the winter, fill the gas tank full, (being full reduces possible condensation)  add the required amount of Stabil for the quantity of gas, run the motor for about 5 minutes (in neutral) with either water ears on the water intake, or the intake in the water at the lake while boat still secured to trailer.  The Stabil in the tank will prevent it from freezing, and running the motor with Stabil will "fog" the motor and fuel lines to also help prevent freeze up. 

While the  motor and oil (on 4 stroke motors) is still warm, drain oil, drain lower end lube, replace oil filter. Refill with required amount and weight of lower end lube, refill oil.  If you plan to add an oil additive, do it after you have drained the old oil, when you refill with new oil.  
Doing an oil and lower end lube change before you stow for the winter will help prevent  freeze up of water that may have gotten into either one. 
Of course,  when you drain the oil, if it looks milky, it has gotten water in it and you may have other internal oil system issues that should be checked by a good mechanic. 

  If you have never done an oil / lube / filter change on your boat, recommend you do some research on YouTube for "How To" on your specific brand and size motor. 

To your first question: 
I assume you will be storing your boat outside?  You can purchase a very good quality custom fit cover, but depending where you buy it, they can be pretty spendy and even then they can sag  and puddle from water or snow.  When I was stowing my boat outside my house for the winter, I took a few actions that maybe others did not. 
 1. I pulled the drain plugs
 2. I tilted the bow up at an angle steep enough to force any water in the bilge to run back to the drain.  For my little 14 ft. Lund, that wasn't real difficult. In 2014 I built a couple tilt stands out of pressure treated 4x4 that I could place under the trailer frame to provide more tilt , and better stability from wind and snow load. The steep tilt angle also helped force the snow to slide off. 
 3. I built some racks from 1 inch PVC that when installed near the bow seat and the transom created a kind of tent frame that would lift the boat cover to allow rain or snow to run off and not puddle. 
 4. Over that frame I would put the canvas custom cover, stretching it fairly tight and securing to the Eye bolts in the trailer frame. 
 5. On top of that canvas cover, I put a large plastic tarp. An inexpensive one purchased at Harbor Freight. I purposely purchased one that was long enough and wide enough to completely cover the boat starting  at the bow stand and all the way over the motor, and all the way to the trailer wheels on both sides.  Using the grommet holes in that tarp, I tied the sides tight down and partially under the trailer using paracord and lacing back and forth from one side grommet to the other side grommet from bow to stern.  
I winter stowed my boat like that for 5 winters and never had any winter weather issues the following season.  



Photo above was from Sept. 2013. Old canvas cover installed over the " PVC tenting frame" .



This photo from Dec 2013. Tarp over boat, but before I built the trailer tilt supports.

This may be way more than you asked for or care to do.  If you want a good quality storage cover that works well as a travel cover also, and you don't mind a trip to Clearfield, check in with Brian's Canvas Products in Freeport Center . 

I store my boat in a rented storage unit now, so I don't worry about snow and rain. I do have and use a travel cover I had custom made at Brian's Canvas.  I've had several items made at Brian's. They have always been fair priced, high quality, and great customer service.  

[MSM1970]

If you can find one, a billboard works really good for winter sitting in the back yard, they are not for travel but can cover anything.

[catchinon]

Hey, you guys are great. Excellent information all around. I appreciate it. Confirmed some ideas I had and provided some new ones.