Anyone have a Ranger 198 on a boat lift? How hard is it to put the cover on when you only have access to one side of the boat. Any help would be appreciated
Anyone have a Ranger 198 on a boat lift? How hard is it to put the cover on when you only have access to one side of the boat. Any help would be appreciated
I have a 188 on a lift .If you raise the lift high enough you can walk on the side rails on the lift itself. The toughest thing to do is hook the boat buckles to tighten the cover. I also put a big beach ball under the cover because of it rains and your cover fills with water . You will have to bail the water off your cover.
2016 RT 188
When on the water I also use the beach ball trick. Sometimes I can find something to strap to if not I attach 3 or 4 pounds of weight to the straps and drop them down in the water a few feet to tighten the cover.
Does the cover ratchet in the back by the motor? Hooked to each side of the motor to the transom?
Mine does but I don't use that strap when on the water its tough to do. With the beach balls and some rigging with the straps the water runs off fine.
What happens when it’s windy. What holds the cover on?
I keep my boat in the water using whips to keep it away from the dock. I had the same concern as you about using a factory ratchet cover while in the water, so I had a custom snap on cover made. It’s great. Fits tight as a drum and takes about 5 minutes to put on. It has three vents and poles keeping it up and tight.
Are you able to post a pic of your snap cover? I'm thinking about getting one made for my 198 to replace the ill-fitting, glorified dust cover that Ranger tries to pass off as a travel cover.Originally Posted by Grahamb
2013 Ranger Z520c, 2013 Yamaha 250 SHO
2018 Ranger RT198p, 2013 Mercury 150 Optimax
I don't think the cover they sell is a travel cover made for trailering - at least that is what I was told when I bought my RT. BUT mine is an older RT188 cover and they changed the design since I bought mine and yours may be completely different.
I have a buddy that has a glass boat and has a true Ranger travel cover and there is night and day difference between his and mine. His is much much heavier and installs a lot differently. I did not really complain though because when I bought the boat, they had a deal and gave the cover to me for free.
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The bitterness of poor quality is remembered
long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten - Benjamin Franklin
2013 RANGER RT188 - YAMAHA F115 - ULTREX - LOWRANCE GRAPHS
LOCK-N-HAUL Transom Saver, ALL ABOARD Emergency Ladder
1996 RANGER CHEROKEE - 40 YAMAHA
I would love a picture of the snap cover as well. Current crestliner boat is the easiest cover to install. Never thought figuring out how to cover a boat on a lift would be a potential issue.
Here's a pic of my boat/cover. Ropes have been rigged better since this.
Last edited by Grahamb; 07-12-2018 at 09:19 AM.
When I purchased my 198 last June, in the "Fishing Package" option the cover was listed as a "travel cover". I just checked the Ranger website now and they now call it a "custom boat cover". It's a good cover to keep the dust and pollen off the boat. Other than that, it's crap.
As you can see in my siggy, I have a glass Ranger as well and the cover for it is outstanding. If there was a Ranger option to have a cover like that, I'd buy it in a second.
2013 Ranger Z520c, 2013 Yamaha 250 SHO
2018 Ranger RT198p, 2013 Mercury 150 Optimax
That's a good looking cover Grahamb. Thanks for the pic.....
2013 Ranger Z520c, 2013 Yamaha 250 SHO
2018 Ranger RT198p, 2013 Mercury 150 Optimax
So Grahamb, what is the procedure? I assume you hook to the whips, then from in the boat pull out the cover and start snapping it on working your way to a last corner at the front or rear whip, then pull yourself to the dock, step out, and hold the boat close to the dock while making the final snaps? How hard is it to complete this in a wind?
Do you have snaps the entire length of the boat?
Pretty much. Before I did it the first time I had over-thought it so much I was nervous it was going to be super hard; it's not. I start the cover at the bow and do a couple snaps on each side, inserting the poles as I get there. The rear deck gets a little tougher, because I have the battery compartment lid propped open an inch or two so I don't pinch the charger wire, which means I can't step on that, so there's a little bit of dancing around that compartment (which is much of the rear deck), and stepping into the splash well as I get the final snaps and put the third pole in. I can basically get all but the final 2-3 snaps on the dock-side rear corner of the boat fastened while on the boat. I then step off the boat onto the dock (24" or so), sit/lie on the dock and do the final snaps. Sometimes I'll pull the boat in to do the final snaps, other times I just reach.
My lake doesn't get a ton of wind, but the boat traffic is pretty crazy. I'm typically doing it on a weekend afternoon when wake boat after wake boat is going by. It's not too bad, though being tied to the dock actually seems to make the boat rock more with each wave.
Icebound - Yes there are snaps the length of the boat. One on either side of every cleat, and then about every 2-2.5 feet in between each cleat.
Here is another suggestion . There is a top that's made for most lifts. Raise the lift and lower the top and you don't need a cover the top will keep your boat dry in almost any weather
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