Allison Covers and windshields

[JR]

Maybe it is just me but, I have had terrible luck with the Allison factory covers and the GSE windshields.
I have broken two windshields [spearing waves] and had two crack due to crazing at the bends in the plastic [which all of them have done]. My new one from last year looks like a 15 year old Cessna windshield.

I am now on my 3rd cover due to the stitching rotting out and the last two covers have been restitched locally 3 times [at $120. per restitch].
Between the covers and windshields, I am pushing 3K plus.

I am spending half as much on this as I am props.

Any suggestions guys???

I am sure some of the crazing has to do with high speeds/wind pressure, but mine is a "slow" Allison.
JR

 

[Lightning]

I'm not sure why anyone would need a windshield on a GSE in the first place. I have one that is pretty fast and I can wear a cap running wide open and it doesn't ever come off.

Have you ever run it without the windshield? What year is your boat and how long do the covers last? I was thinking of buying one for mine and I see they sell an acrylic and a poly-cotton cover. What material have you bought in the past?

 

[mtolley]

i also would like the low down on the factory covers before i spend the 400-500 dollars for one. on my old boat i had a cabelas custom fit cover and its going on 10 years old and never a tear. also was waterproof unless towing covered where water was being forced thru the material. is there a better less expensive cover? not sure about the windshield as i have an xb2002. mt

 

[GotMyAlly]

I've got a factory cover and I'm very happy with it. However, I don't store mine outside....I only use the cover at hotels, etc.

 

[Kevin from FL]

JR, my windshield is an XB-2003 one as you know but still in great shape after 10 years. Can't figure why the GS would be different.

I just replaced my cotton Allison cover that was 10 years old this year due to stitching rot and bought the Allison poly tarp this time, hope it lasts longer than the cotton one.

I do keep my boat outside but under one of these to help protect it some.

 

[SLOmofo]

IMHO, the crazing is caused by the high heat under the cover, with the cover touching directly on the wind shield. When I have to cover the boat and it's going to be out in the sun I put a terry cloth towel on top of the wind shield first then the cover.

 

[JR]

IMHO, the crazing is caused by the high heat under the cover, with the cover touching directly on the wind shield. When I have to cover the boat and it's going to be out in the sun I put a terry cloth towel on top of the wind shield first then the cover.

That is really interesting and makes a lot of sense. It gets very hot under the cover in the Florida sun. The boat and jetski both sit under covers on my back concrete patio. The garage is full of motorcycles, plus a lawnmower, generator and kayak. I had to build a carport in front of the garage to get the cars out of the weather.

The plastic on my 'ski's[Honda] instrument panel is also crazing too. I am planning on replacing it [F12x] with the new F15x when it becomes available this Spring.

The Cover is the black Allison factory cover with the heavy poly cotton fabric. The factory cover on my Honda is sunbrella and the stitching is holding up fine.

I have the windshield for bug and rain protection and it is a necessity in Florida. Our PWC does not have a windshield and our faces/sunglasses are covered with bugs after a day of cruising.

I need to come up with a solar powered fan to ventilate under the cover.

My boat is a '98 and runs 95 GPS and my average Allison factory cover lasts 3 years with restitching.

I do an abnormal amount of high speed [75 MPH+] cruising and it puts a lot of wind pressure on the side curves to the windshield [where it crazes/cracks].

 

[LAAllison]

I broke the windshield 5 years ago. Just like Jr I speared a wave on the way back from a Blue Angels show at Pensacola Beach. I used the pieces as a pattern and made my own windshield from G.E. Lexan and it's held up great but I got some distortation in the very center where the bend is greatest. I think I overheated it a little. My son doesn't have a windshield on his GS and I much perfer mine when the rain comes. And if you cruise long range here in LA you WILL find a rain storm. My Allison cover lasted about 5 years. Now I keep the GS inside next to the Vette and just use a light dust cover.


Art


Roll Tide

 

[GotMyAlly]

I need to come up with a solar powered fan to ventilate under the cover.

That would be real simple to rig. Just look in the attic ventilation isle at home depot. They've got solar fan kits in the $100 range that are designed to be mounted behind a gable. Solar panel included.

 

[froggy]

Windex is enemy #1 to the Allison windshields. Quit using Windex, or it's competitors, and start using a soapy water soution followed by clear water and see how they last.

The ammonia, in Windex, causes the plexiglass to get brittle and craze wherever vibration exists.

froggy

 

[GFinch]

Windex/ammonia.... Good to know, don't think I ever used it. Butt who no's.

CRS or I've slept since then!

 

[JR]

That would be real simple to rig. Just look in the attic ventilation isle at home depot. They've got solar fan kits in the $100 range that are designed to be mounted behind a gable. Solar panel included.

This is a great idea, I'll go for it. Now I just need to find someone who is familiar with ventilation/fans [smirk, I do mechanical engineering/design for a living].

I learned with the expensive clear shields for my paintball masks [$35 per lens] to use Plexus like we used on my aircraft windshields. The Plexus is expensive but necessary.

I have a friend with a waterjet cutter, who I might get to cut me a piece of Lexan that I can mold in-place to lower the strain on the material at the curves.

BTW I have had almost every thread material known to man used to restitich my cover and the two worst are: 1. monofilament 2. OEM cotton thread.
The last restitch was done with some superduty acrylic/cotton thread.
JR

 

[ARLIN]

Same here on the Allison covers for my XTB that is stored outside 100% of the time due to overall length of boat and trailer versus the garage. And, I have been able to get the restitching done for about $60. Prefer the safer web straps versus the bungee cords that were used in early years. Have also found that the black plastic or nylon fastners only last about the same 3-4 years as the stitching. If you try to stretch the cover tight to keep the water from pooling, the fastners start to fail.

There is a point where it is a better choice to order a new cover from Bill at Allison Boats rather than pay for expensive repair/sewing. Recommend that you keep the previous cover as a spare if it is usable at all.

The Sunbrella (or whatever is used) cover material itself seems to last. Try to park your boat away from trees to avoid the green yuck.

Windshield--stopped installation of W/S on my XTB at Allison plant many years ago because I could see right away that the distortion wouldn't work for me. Back then Allison had many different demo W/S models, shades, tints, for sale at good prices.

 

[ziemer]

I keep mine in the garage, but for the overnight trips I got one of those silver metallic looking covers from Walmart for about $50 bucks. It's fits pretty good, and it might be an idea to keep over your fancy Allison cover to protect it. A kind of "cover for your cover" :beer:.

 

[JR]

That is a good idea, Jeff. I have one of those covers I bought once while waiting for the replacement Factory cover to arrive. It must be in one of the attics.

Jeff are you headed to the Suwannee this weekend? The weather inland looks much better than the coast.

When my GSE came from the factory, it had the factory clear windshield. Now all that they have is the smoke grey windshields [that are not good at night].
When this one gets unbearable [crazing] I might see is Allison's subcontractor can fab a thicker clear lexan windshield that will get me by until the new 24' is available.

 

[ziemer]

Jeff are you headed to the Suwannee this weekend? The weather inland looks much better than the coast.

No, we're going to take a ride over to Melbourne and head down to Sebastian on Saturday.

 

[Wicky]

That is really interesting and makes a lot of sense. It gets very hot under the cover in the Florida sun. The boat and jetski both sit under covers on my back concrete patio. The garage is full of motorcycles, plus a lawnmower, generator and kayak. I had to build a carport in front of the garage to get the cars out of the weather.

The plastic on my 'ski's[Honda] instrument panel is also crazing too. I am planning on replacing it [F12x] with the new F15x when it becomes available this Spring.

The Cover is the black Allison factory cover with the heavy poly cotton fabric. The factory cover on my Honda is sunbrella and the stitching is holding up fine.

I have the windshield for bug and rain protection and it is a necessity in Florida. Our PWC does not have a windshield and our faces/sunglasses are covered with bugs after a day of cruising.

I need to come up with a solar powered fan to ventilate under the cover.

My boat is a '98 and runs 95 GPS and my average Allison factory cover lasts 3 years with restitching.

I do an abnormal amount of high speed [75 MPH+] cruising and it puts a lot of wind pressure on the side curves to the windshield [where it crazes/cracks].

Get rid of the windshield. Make sure when/if you screw the screws back in you don't go all the way through to the gel coat in the front. Oakley goggles will take care of the bugs and rain.