boat cover snaps breaking

[anchor man]

While removing the snap down cover the last few times, I have broken off a fews snaps. I can only imagine how many snaps I will go through within the next several months. Is this pretty common with snap down boat covers?? Maybe I don't have the boat snaps aligned with the covers snaps, and some of them are too tight. Any ideas??

thanks

[kjgmh]

Make sure that you are pulling right next to the snaps when removing the cover. Also can try putting some chapstick on the snap to help come off easier. I am assuming that you are pullin off the back side of the snap on the cover.

[Surface Tension]

Are you tearing the cover or is the snap coming apart?

The chapstick idea would probably help. Maybe carefully sliding a screwdriver and giving a twist between the stubborn ones.

[kpj5br]

That will happen. If the cover itself is still in good shape, no worries:

Gander and most other large stores have "snap cover hardware replacement" kits that I have used (got mine at Gander). You can replace the snaps with very little effort and the kit (which costs about $12 if I remember right) even comes with the tool required.

I usually wait until I have about 6 or 8 snaps broken then open up the kit and replace them. Just be careful to keep the material of the cover in good shape and you can replace those snaps over and over again, they do tend to get metal fatigue and come apart.

[Mister Twister]

Just got a new boat this year and was advised by the sales rep that this is a regularly occuring problem. Said it may be less frustrating to use a conventional cover. Was surprised to find out my water intake hose for the livewell was nearly not attached the first time I put it in the water!!! You'd think a $20,000 rig would would be put together a little more solid. Oh well, still lovin it!

[Iceseeker]

In order to help prevent this I was told to occasionaly put a small amount of vaseline on the snaps. This helps to snap/unsnap easier. I have been doing this for the last couple of years and have no problems.

Iceseeker