Anti Pooling Rods

[jocii]

Ok, sorry but I'm a newbie. I have a 2001 SeaDoo Challenger 1800. Just bought it used this spring. It came with the factory cover but no anti pooling rods as the previous owner could not find them. So he finally found them and I picked them up. He wasn't around and his wife had no clue how to install them.

So my question is this.....how do you install them. Ha! I am not sure where the straps connect to? Two adjustable poles with straps hanging down. One strap goes between the two poles. I can't for the life of me figure this out. Ha. Maybe I am just over thinking it.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[RFoster130]

One pole goes to the front of the boat in the bow. The straps on the sides of it go to the front cleats. Then the other pole goes in the back and the other 2 straps from it get pulled to 2 farthest rear cleats.

Here is how Poppy Covers suggests you put their cover on.

Boat Cover Installation

Our covers are very fitted and trailerable! The fit, the vacu-hold system, pooling poles system, ratchet boot assembly, cleat reinforcements all work together to keep the cover tight and tented on your boat.

First check your windshield or protruding objects for burrs or sharp edges or things that will snag your cover. If there are any remove them. (Sometimes windshields have sharp metal burrs)

You then install the pooling pole system which is two poles with a series of web that goes to you cleats. The poles telescope and lock into place, the web (white web to front, black web to back) attaches to the cleats. Pole rubber feet on floor, webbing/pole tops making the tent. Always use the pole system, even when you trailer, it keeps it tight and tented and from flapping.

The cover goes over the top, pull the front on first and work back.

Loosen the ratchet all the way, pull the cover over. Pull the ratchet strap tight with hand, then ratchet tighter. The tighter you ratchet, the further down the hull it goes so it can't come off.

The vacu-hold system, is a rubbery/plastic vent that as the air flows over it, pulls the air out of the cover and sucks it tight to the boat. Kind of like an airplane wing. This keeps it from flapping in the wind and rubbing your boat.

Model specific directions are in the cover box.

It works great for trailering or on you lift or in your yard! The same system is used on all the OEM Boats for Honda, Yamaha, Mastercraft, Baja, Malibu, etc. Its really easy to use.

 

[jocii]

Awesome! Thank you for the quick reply. After reading this it all makes sense to me now. Ha! I figured they hooked to the cleats but the length of the straps were not set up to reach them. Thank you again.

 

[PerkDoo]

You can also adjust the height of the poles. Maybe someone w the same boat can tell you which 'holes' to use. My back pole is taller than my front. If you find water still collecting try raising the height of your poles.

 

[jocii]

Ok, I have been messing with this for a while and it looks so simple. I get the straps going out to the cleats and the poles adjust. But I put the from straps in the front cleats, I set the front pole, I set the back pole but I can't get the rear straps to reach the rear cleats. Maybe this is why the guy never used them and tossed them in his garage.

 

[moosehead]

As an alternative to the cleats, you can also rig the four post straps to other possible spots with carabiners or bungee cords. On the Speedster 200, there are four symetrical grab bars fore and aft that I use instead of the cleats. Either way, if you can get the strap lengths fixed to proper length, setup is quick and easy.

FWIW, without the anti pooling straps, depending upon the boat, even a custom close fit cover can get filled and overstretch or pop the seams/cleat holes.

 

[PerkDoo]

It sounds like you need to make the center strap longer. On mine, near the front pole I can adjust the strap that runs between the two poles. It sounds like your back pole isnt getting back far enough? Try that...or maybe your back pole is adjusted too high. Try lowering it a click or two if the longer center strap doesnt work.

 

[WAJetboating]

I dumped the antipooling poles long ago. Too much hassle to put up and take down, fell over a lot of the time, and in one case actually tore through the cover. A waste of time.

Instead, on the last two covers I've had, I've intentionally cut holes into the low spots in the bow and stern areas of the passenger compartment and hammered brass eyelets into them (eyelets and tool available at fabric shops). This keeps leaves, pine cones, bird poop, etc. out of the boat but permits the rain to drain through and out the scupper valve. The eyelets prevent tearing of the fabric. Works absolutely great.

Sometimes you just have to think outside of the box!

 

[RFoster130]

If you cant figure it out, sell it and buy a Poppy Cover. they work awesome 100% of the time. I never have a problem and tow the boat 70 mph over 300 miles with the cover on. Fits perfect and the poles never fall over.

 

[WAJetboating]

If you cant figure it out, sell it and buy a Poppy Cover. they work awesome 100% of the time. I never have a problem and tow the boat 70 mph over 300 miles with the cover on. Fits perfect and the poles never fall over.

I have a Poppy cover for one of my jetskis and absolutely love it. Best covers available IMHO. However, since I have put an aftermarket tower on my C2K Poppy doesn't have a matching cover so no luck there.

I don't know if Poppy BOAT covers come with poles, but I doubt I'd use them. My eyelet solution works perfectly and is fast, fast, fast to install and remove (cover on or off in under 30 seconds).

 

[Pezman4200]

Question though....

With the eyelets the water drains into the boat and into the floor drain. Can somebody tell me if that water just gets put into the bilge (then being pumped out by the bilge pump) or does it drain overboard directly?
Reason im asking is, I leave my boat on a lift and shut the battery off. The bilge pump is wired to the battery switch, so no switch on....no power to bilge pump. I know that i only have one floor drain on my challenger 1800 (1999). It is pretty new to me and I dont have a lot of seat time in it so i haven't looked to see where it went.

 

[RFoster130]

To me the idea of putting holes in a new boat cover really defeats the purpose of covering it. Why not just throw a $20 tarp over it. I dont leave my boat outside though so its never an issue for me. I would just wouldnt wanna put the holes in it. With the poppy cover the rods are used as much for towing the boat as they are to keep out water. With the poles up, the cover is tight and protects the boat. With the poles out, the cover is loose and flapping in the wind. This can potentially damage the surface of the boat or tear up the cover. It takes me all of 3 minutes to put the poles up and cover on or take it all down.

 

[RFoster130]

Question though....

With the eyelets the water drains into the boat and into the floor drain. Can somebody tell me if that water just gets put into the bilge (then being pumped out by the bilge pump) or does it drain overboard directly?
Reason im asking is, I leave my boat on a lift and shut the battery off. The bilge pump is wired to the battery switch, so no switch on....no power to bilge pump. I know that i only have one floor drain on my challenger 1800 (1999). It is pretty new to me and I dont have a lot of seat time in it so i haven't looked to see where it went.

If it is draining into the floor of the boat, it will drain out the back through the scupper valve. If it is getting down into the locker or bilge area, it would need to be pumped out, bit it would have to get kinda high before the pump kicks on. If it is on a lift, just leave the drain plug out and the battery wont be an issue.

 

[WAJetboating]

With the eyelets the water drains into the boat and into the floor drain. Can somebody tell me if that water just gets put into the bilge (then being pumped out by the bilge pump) or does it drain overboard directly?

Water entering the passenger area drains through the dedicated floor drain, hose, and scupper valve. It does not drain into the bilge and has no effect on the bilge pump.

 

[WAJetboating]

To me the idea of putting holes in a new boat cover really defeats the purpose of covering it.

Disagree. Covering it still keeps out the stuff I mentioned earlier: Leaves, bird poop, etc.

Why not just throw a $20 tarp over it.

Because the tarp will catch water just like a dedicated cover. The tarp would need to be poled, or have eyelets installed. Plus a tarp doesn't form-fit the boat, and isn't as secure, so it could blow away. Lots of reasons why a dedicated cover is a good idea. The eyelets just make it better.

 

[Pezman4200]

Water entering the passenger area drains through the dedicated floor drain, hose, and scupper valve. It does not drain into the bilge and has no effect on the bilge pump.

Good info! Thanks! I have not looked into it at all so i didnt know.