Taylor Made BoatGuard V-Hull Runabout Cover 19-21 ft Gray

If you own a V-hull runabout in the 19 to 21 foot range, the Taylor Made BoatGuard cover is a no-nonsense way to keep it protected between outings. It's cut for that classic runabout profile, the open bow, the sloped windshield, the walk-through helm, and it fits hulls with a beam up to 102 inches. That covers most trailerable runabouts out there. Slip it on after a day on the water and your seats, dash, and cockpit stay out of the sun, the rain, and the falling leaves. It's the kind of gear that quietly earns its keep every week you don't have to hose out a dirty boat.

The fabric is a gray acrylic-polyester blend that's water repellent. It's worth being clear about that word. Repellent means it sheds rain and spray and keeps the weather off your interior, but it isn't a sealed, submarine-grade barrier. For a trailered or moored boat that's exactly what you want. Air moves, condensation doesn't get trapped, and your upholstery isn't sitting in a plastic bag all winter. We tell folks to treat it like a good rain jacket, not a dry suit. Handle it that way and it does its job for a long time.

It's rated for trailering, so you can pull it down the highway with the cover on. That said, a little prep goes a long way at 70 miles an hour. The cover ships with tie-downs, and they'll hold fine for storage and light towing, but for a real highway haul we always add a couple of ratchet straps at the bow and stern. Wind gets under a loose cover fast, and the extra straps keep it from flogging against the gelcoat. Measure your beam at the widest point, and include the rub rails when you do it. A 21 foot hull can push right up against that 102 inch limit, and you want the cover to reach comfortably, not stretch.

Like any full cover on a runabout, this one wants to sag in the low spot between the windshield and the transom. That's where water pools, and pooled water is what stretches seams and eventually finds its way inside. A center support pole solves it. Prop the cover up in the middle so water runs off to the sides instead of collecting. It's a five minute fix that adds years to the cover. If you don't run a pole, at least park the trailer with a slight nose-up angle so the water drains toward the stern and off the back.

When the season winds down, dry the cover before you fold it. The included storage bag is handy for keeping it in the garage or the dock box, but a damp cover stuffed into a bag is how you end up with mildew come spring. Let it air out on a sunny afternoon, shake off the leaves and grit, then bag it. Do that and the gray fabric holds up season after season. A quick rinse with fresh water now and then keeps salt and road grime from working down into the weave, which matters if you trailer to the coast.

This is the runabout-specific cut in the BoatGuard line. If your boat is a pontoon, a cuddy cabin, or a bass rig, Taylor Made makes a BoatGuard cover shaped for those hulls too, so match the cover to your hull type rather than forcing a fit. For a standard 19 to 21 foot V-hull runabout, though, the 70206 is a solid, fairly priced choice that does the one job you need it to do. Keep the boat clean, keep it dry, and be ready to go when the water calls.