Flat Cover

[LAKE EFFECT]

I am looking for a new cover for my 08 Champ 200 Elite. My old cover is a flat cover that doesn’t use poles for support underneath and if I keep it tight doesn’t puddle or leak.

I checked with Deans Covers, and they use poles to support their covers. School me on covers, who makes the best? Who makes a cover with no supports that doesn’t leak? How easy is it for one person to cover a boat that uses support poles?

[Tx Champ]

Aurora was making the OEM covers in 08.

[LAKE EFFECT]

I checked with them also. They do not do a cover without pole supports for my Champ.

[getfished]

I have an Aurora cover for my 08 210. It is designed For the front butt seat installed. It also has a small adjustable pole for the back deck. It is snapped into the cover. When properly strapped on the boat it sheds water, does not puddle and goes down the road just fine. Fits like a glove. It’s a small challenge getting the cover up over the butt seat but it’s not too big of a deal.

[Lea]

The only “flat” cover I have seen was on a Triton....OEM, I think. NO idea if they still make them for Triton, but I have never seen one for our Champs.

[BloodRiverBandit]

I have an aurora for my 210 and it doesn’t use poles.

[SJSharky00]

Does your old cover have a manufacturer label on it somewhere? Maybe some writing somewhere on the underneath side or a seem label?
My 07 210 has an Aurora cover, but it uses the butt seat up front and the regular seat for the back as poles.

[Lea]

I have an aurora for my 210 and it doesn’t use poles.

Dual console?

[STLBassBuster]

I would go with the Aurora Canvas and have them make it so you leave the fishing seats in. This allows Water to drain off due to the tent like shape it will have. I might have some pictures of my old 200 elites with the cover on.

[STLBassBuster]

I found them.

[86 inches]

My 201 had a "flat' cover when I bought it new in 1994. It was way better than the Dean's factory cover that I have now. It went on extremely easy, fit perfectly and didn’t pool water. It was made by a company in Clovis, NM where I bought my boat from Smiths RV and Marine.

[Tx Champ]

Smith is out of the boat part of the business and I guess Jim's son still has the RV business. My 90 176 came from them as well. The cover on it fit very well. He got the Champion dealership from my brother in the late 80s.

[86 inches]

Smith is out of the boat part of the business and I guess Jim's son still has the RV business. My 90 176 came from them as well. The cover on it fit very well. He got the Champion dealership from my brother in the late 80s.

Very interesting. I talked to Jim's son awhile back when I was looking to replace their boat dealership stickers. Was sorry to hear Jim had passed. I think the company that made those covers might still be in business in Clovis but I'm not sure. I've been meaning to look into it but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Tx Champ]

Yeah, Jim was a hoot! Never got to know James(?) as well. We sold our business in Clovis in 94 and I moved away from Plainview in 96. My brother ran our NM office until 84 then moved away for a couple of years. Came back to Clovis and opened Desert Marine in 86-87 time frame and was Champion & Bayliner dealer. He sold out to Jim and left town again in 89. I didn't start fishing until 90, was an airport bum prior to that.

[86 inches]

Yeah, Jim was a hoot! Never got to know James(?) as well. We sold our business in Clovis in 94 and I moved away from Plainview in 96. My brother ran our NM office until 84 then moved away for a couple of years. Came back to Clovis and opened Desert Marine in 86-87 time frame and was Champion & Bayliner dealer. He sold out to Jim and left town again in 89. I didn't start fishing until 90, was an airport bum prior to that.

And our 201s were like identical twins. Weird!

[Tx Champ]

It was my 176 that came from Smith, my 201 came from West Texas Marine in Odessa. Were you at Cannon or otherwise live there?

[86 inches]

No. I lived in Pinetop AZ when I bought my 201. I've seen your pics of your boat, of course, and it was a beauty. I hope it's current owner has taken care of it.

I bet the OP could get a nice cover done by any good local boat upholstery place. Just tell them what you want, pick the material and then have them measure your boat. I don't have a problem with my Dean's. It's quality work. It uses two short poles that go in the bow and stern seat post holes. It fits well enough to tow but I miss my original cover that stretched tight over the entire bow to the windshields.

[Tx Champ]

No. I bet the OP could get a nice cover done by any good local boat upholstery place. Just tell them what you want, pick the material and then have them measure your boat. I don't have a problem with my Dean's. It's quality work. It uses two short poles that go in the bow and stern seat post holes. It fits well enough to tow but I miss my original cover that stretched tight over the entire bow to the windshields.

Agreed, we have a shop here in Abilene that makes some really nice tarps. Got to leave your boat with him while he makes it, but it fits like a glove.

No. I lived in Pinetop AZ when I bought my 201. I've seen your pics of your boat, of course, and it was a beauty. I hope it's current owner has taken care of it.

I sold it to a high school buddy. He passed from colon cancer a couple of years later. His son got it and I lost track of it. I really don't think the son took care of it. Sad ...

[BloodRiverBandit]

Dual console?

No and it’s actually made to be used with the windshield removed.

[BloodRiverBandit]

I was told my cover was a little custom it’s meant to be lower profile to not grab as much wind resistance when towing.