Rock guards for boat windshields

[conan]

Looking to see what others use for rock protection for your windshields. I have a tall 24 ft deep vee and a normal rock guard won’t help. Is there a screen that will go around the bow rail or something that would fit on the windows.
Thanks

[dodgeboy1979]

truxedo makes a window cover, i just ordered one
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/truxedo-boat-windshield-cover#close

[HuyFishin]

truxedo makes a window cover, i just ordered one
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/truxedo-boat-windshield-cover#close

This seems like a really good option. I was gonna say clearplex. But you would be paying up the arse for it.

[EZM]

There's also the option of altering your cover at a canopy place. Should be pretty easy to do.

I know on my Lund cover, which at first, I thought was strange, the part over the windshield is "stretched" from the front clips to the top of the windshield frame and there's "open air" underneath the cover there that likely prevents a rock from smacking your windshield. The cover doesn't even touch the glass when you pull on the tabs properly and tighten it. Cool idea.

here's a picture of it .....

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/626844841869182067/

[Nova]

Just an FYI, Performance Plus out of Regina should have some of the Truxedos in stock. They just did a group order for something like 100 of them, with roughly 70 of them spoken for. $169 plus tax and shipping. They got them in yesterday, I just need to get there to pick mine up.

I'm really looking forward to towing on gravel again without the anxiety of finding a broken boat window, already ruined a trip for me once.

[Freedom55]

I drove down to Sask. Landing one Sunday to fish and watch the final weigh-in at the tournament held there annually. On the way a hydrovac truck launched a boulder through my port side glass on the paved highway. Took me a year and 600 cash to find the glass (they are sold in pairs; I needed one) and repair the looks of that boat. However, mine was only one of three that broke a windscreen on that stretch of highway that day, proving that grid road travel is not the only bad-for-your-boat route to go.

Subsequent to that replacement, I repurposed a canvas tent and prevailed on a neighbor with an upholstery shop to sew seams and hems. I borrowed a button kit and made my own padded cover that so far has saved my windshield (apparently), given me piece of mind and made an ugly face on that boat as it comes toward you behind my 5th wheel.:)

[dodgeboy1979]

Just an FYI, Performance Plus out of Regina should have some of the Truxedos in stock. They just did a group order for something like 100 of them, with roughly 70 of them spoken for. $169 plus tax and shipping. They got them in yesterday, I just need to get there to pick mine up.

I'm really looking forward to towing on gravel again without the anxiety of finding a broken boat window, already ruined a trip for me once.

that's where i ordered mine through. Real good pricing. I think he had ten left last night on facebook.

[Walleyedude]

A windshield cover like the Truxedo would likely work for you, but IMHO, the best option is a properly fitted travel cover. It will protect your entire boat and interior, keep things clean, stop things from blowing out, block the prying eyes, and likely increase your gas mileage a little while towing.

I wouldn't tow my boat without having the cover on it. I also wouldn't tow it without a proper rock guard like the Trailer Tux.

[skidderman]

Had a custom foam filled cover made for mine. It was expensive but so are those windshields.

[dodgeboy1979]

A windshield cover like the Truxedo would likely work for you, but IMHO, the best option is a properly fitted travel cover. It will protect your entire boat and interior, keep things clean, stop things from blowing out, block the prying eyes, and likely increase your gas mileage a little while towing.

I wouldn't tow my boat without having the cover on it. I also wouldn't tow it without a proper rock guard like the Trailer Tux.

I find my cover traps dust while i travel, i was wanting to tow without just to keep the dust off my stuff.

[Walleyedude]

I find my cover traps dust while i travel, i was wanting to tow without just to keep the dust off my stuff.

You need a better cover!

I find the idea that you'd have less dust in your boat towing without a cover really hard to wrap my head around. Have you actually tried that?

[dodgeboy1979]

You need a better cover!

I find the idea that you'd have less dust in your boat towing without a cover really hard to wrap my head around. Have you actually tried that?

i used to tow without the cover and noticed way less dust. I purchased the cover from my dealer, (not just a cheap universal cover, one designed for the boat) and i notice that even the windows are covwered in dust when i get to the lake im going to.

[220 Swift]

Those truxcefo covers what side should go to the windshield carpet side or the foamy side

[EZM]

You need a better cover!

I find the idea that you'd have less dust in your boat towing without a cover really hard to wrap my head around. Have you actually tried that?

Actually - sometimes that can be the case - super fine dust can come up under the cover and because there's no breeze under the cover to blow it away it settles all over everything and it "seems" to be worse.

My last boat certainly seemed to be that way. I was shaking my head when I noticed that - and that super fine dust gets everywhere it seems. And because it's so small the charged particles (everything has a charge) - they likely stick better to every surface once they settle. I dunno why - but it does.

If you leave the cover off - these fine particles never settle - sure you get a dust boat without the cover, but that bigger dust isn't as bad to clean and doesn't penetrate everything as much.

Anyways - my last boat was like that.

That's my theory. Should be on science TV with that one :) lol

The crazy things we discuss at camp after beers !!!!!

My newer boat isn't like that luckily - The cover on this boat is better and doesn't do that (as it's fitted for the boat along the track).

[Jayhad]

Good thread, I'm sitting in my shop looking at my upside down jet boat hull and I was just wondering what to do about my expensive window kit that is sitting here.

Seeing I've got a bunch of 5/8" UHMW off cuts I might sew up a blanket with UHMW inside, making a padded hard cover.

That said the Truxedo isn't that expensive

[winmag]

my boy has a thunder jet he uses a foam backed rug runner from Walmart and rubber straps, saves hits from gravel .

[220 Swift]

Snap buttons over the windshields and open bow covers.

A little bit of a side question

I have noticed that over tiMe these things either break in half or become sticky. Does anyone replace these or grease them to prevent more breaking ? 2014 boat purchased new.

[Mayhem]

Snap buttons over the windshields and open bow covers.

A little bit of a side question

I have noticed that over tiMe these things either break in half or become sticky. Does anyone replace these or grease them to prevent more breaking ? 2014 boat purchased new.
Snaps don't last, especially where there is any kinda movement or flapping of the tarp...I would replace with Turnbutton w/Curtain fastener on the tarp, if you can. Not as fast to install n remove but last seem to last longer.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=turnbutton+stainless+steel+marine+fastene rs&fr=yhs-symantec-ext_onb&hspart=symantec&hsimp=yhs-ext_onb&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F8d %2F0d%2F7c%2F8d0d7c088d8eeb2ef9dd211b4c0bc4b6.jpg# id=20&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2Fimages%2Fg%2F5j EAAOSwmNlZaJJZ%2Fs-l1600.jpg&action=click

[EZM]

Snap buttons over the windshields and open bow covers.

A little bit of a side question

I have noticed that over tiMe these things either break in half or become sticky. Does anyone replace these or grease them to prevent more breaking ? 2014 boat purchased new.

I've dealt with this same thing for as long as I've owned boats. And now, the newer models (Lund and a few others I think) now use a track and clip - so this issue is no longer a problem ...........thank God.

Unfortunately this innovation came out AFTER my boat - so I'm stuck with snaps.

I think you can convert to the clips on your old cover - but that's expensive as you have to take it to a upholstery shop.

OR

What I did - is sew in a few gussets so in case a button pops off on trip you can use a back up bungee or tie down until you can replace the snap.

The snaps are pretty easy to replace and pretty cheap.

I haven't found a perfect solution yet.

[barbless]

Yes snaps do break down and wear out and break. I have this lubricant from ez-snap. It's made for snaps and zippers. A little dab'll do ya. Been using on my side window zippers & snaps, rear enclosure zippers and snaps and front tonneau cover snaps. In other words all snaps and zippers on my boat. Ten years, twice a year. They go on and come off easier and not because of wind. Zippers open easy.