Comments about DOWCO SPORTCREATION Covermate Centurion Pro Deck Boat Cover, 26'5" max. length:

I bought this cover after having an Imperial cover. The Imperial cost more but having seen them both, the Centurion appears to be a better made cover. I washed the Imperial once and all the waterproofing came out. You could see through the cover similar to panty hose. It also transferred color to my boat. The Centurion cover is cotton like vs. synthetic.

I would call the Centurian cover a great cover if it's design flaws were corrected. It has four flaws making me believe the engineer/designer that made this cover is not a boater. Why?

1) You can use the cover for trailering. The instructions say to remove any pole supports when trailering. This cover doesn't have any accommodation for pole support. So while you need to remove the poles to trailer, you NEED POLES when the boat is stored for drainage reasons!! Why would you exclude the two reinforced snaps in the middle for center poles? We need center support options!!!

2) Removing the cover requires you remove the straps from the cover. Normally, cover straps go from the trailer rail to a loop in the cover and the strap snaps to itself completing the strap circle. Not with this cover. These straps have a loop on one end and only the male clip. You wrap the strap around the trailer rail and through the strap loop on the strap so the strap is attached to the trailer. You then snap the strap to the cover. Simple enough. However, when you remove the cover, the straps stay on the trailer instead of staying on the cover. You then have to walk around the trailer and remove all the straps vs simply wrapping the straps up in the cover when it's removed. When you're ready to store the boat again, you have to put all the straps back on the trailer which also assumes you marked which strap goes where. Net, it's a very inefficient design that wastes a lot of time and causes straps to be lost when separated from the cover.

3) The female side of the strap clip is sewn into the cover. That's right. The cover doesn't have loops for straps, ropes, bungee cords or whatever you like. You have to use the straps provided. Further, these female clips bang the boat's finish when the cover is installed. They also rest on the boat's gel coat when the cover is adjusted. The instructions suggest using some water pipe insulation to keep the clips off the boat's finish. What?!!! How about just using a fabric loop on the cover to completely eliminate the problem? On most covers, if a strap breaks you buy another one, use a piece of rope, whatever. Normally, you have a fabric, non-scratching loop to attach to. On this cover, when the clip breaks, you're done. You either throw the cover away or go to an upholstery shop to have custom work done. Just a really poor design.

4) The shock chord in the edge of the cover has no elasticity. It's so weak I thought it was a rope that I needed to pull tight. Upon investigation, it's a shock cord. It's just an extremely poor quality shock cord. Net, the cover edges don't snug up tight all the way around the boat like they should.

I bought this cover in the off season when it was on sale. My 30 days to return it are long past. Lesson learned. Don't wait until spring to check things out. I'd return this cover for a refund if I could.

Having now had a Centurion and Imperial cover, I wouldn't recommend either. I'd look to other brands of product for your cover solutions.