A boat cover is bought on measurements. Get them right and the cover sits down on the gunwale without folds; get them wrong and it either does not reach or hangs loose enough for the wind to work at it. This guide shows what to measure, where to put the tape and what to send us if your boat is not in our list.
First: do you need to measure at all?
If your boat is in our list of makes and models, you do not. A model-specific cover is cut from that boat’s own pattern, so the make and model are the measurement. Two things are still worth checking:
- The generation. Some models changed shape between years. The 2008 Buster XSr and the later XSR, for example, do not share a pattern.
- The version. A centre-console, a side-console and an open version of the same hull need different covers – the Faster 525 CC and 525 SC are an example.
Measure if your boat is not on the list, or if you are not sure which generation or version you have. With the numbers and two photos we can tell you whether one of our covers fits it – and if none does, we make one to order.
What you need
- A tape measure of at least 5 m – a soft tailor’s tape helps for the over-the-top measurement.
- A helper to hold the other end.
- Your phone, for photos of the boat from the side and from above.
The five measurements
1. Length. Along the centre line, from the tip of the bow to the transom, measured over the deck. Do not include the outboard, the bow eye or a bathing ladder – note those separately if they stick out.
2. Beam. Across the boat at its widest point, from the outside edge of one gunwale to the outside edge of the other. On most boats this is just behind the middle.
3. Height of anything that stands up. Windscreen, console, seat backs, a casting platform – measure each from the gunwale up to its highest point, and note how far it is from the bow.
4. Over the top. Run the tape from the gunwale on one side, up and over the highest point (usually the windscreen or console) and down to the gunwale on the other side, following the surface. This is the measurement that shows how much fabric the cover needs where the boat is tallest – and the one most often forgotten.
5. Shape seen from above. Is the bow pointed or blunt, and is the transom straight or angled? A photo taken from above shows the outline better than any number.
| Measurement | Where | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Bow tip to transom, centre line, over the deck | Decides the size of the cover |
| Beam | Widest point, outside gunwale to outside gunwale | Decides whether the cover reaches down on both sides |
| Heights | Windscreen, console, seats – from the gunwale | Tall parts take up fabric |
| Over the top | Gunwale – highest point – gunwale | The width the cover must have at its tallest point |
| Shape | Outline from above | Shows whether a pattern matches your hull |
Common mistakes
- Using the brochure length. A manufacturer’s “length overall” often includes the motor bracket or bow fittings. Measure the boat yourself.
- Measuring along the bottom of the hull. The cover sits on the gunwale, so measure along the top.
- Forgetting the windscreen. A cover that fits the length and the beam can still be too narrow over a windscreen or console.
- Measuring one side only. Check the beam at more than one point, and measure the over-the-top dimension at the tallest part.
Boat not in the list? We make covers to order
Email the make, model and year of your boat, your five measurements and two photos – one from the side, one from above – to batskydd@gmail.com, and we will tell you which cover fits – or make one to order for your boat and send you a price. Once it is on the boat, our guide on how to cover a boat for winter covers the rest.