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canoe cover bags?

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Jan 27, 2018
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Billings, MT
I am considering buying a canoe cover. I have heard good things about the ones made by The Bag Lady. Do they stay on driving down the highway? Are they worth the money? Her's aren't cheap, 190 for polyester, 300 for Weather Max. Are there other brands I should think about? I'd be interested in hearing from people that have used them. Thanks.
 
I used to use one on a racing canoe. It was a bag lady bag I think. They're made to be used when car topping. Pretty much every racing canoe I ever saw pull into a race used a cover.

Alan
 
Many racers here in the Adirondack region use them. I had one on a C4 on my car top while driving to and from the Yukon and NY last June. The only trouble I had was getting the bungees tight enough so it wouldn't annoyingly flap on the top of the car in 70+ mph wind. The extra gear I had stored underneath did not help with that matter.

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I've used a Bag Lady cover on my solo canoe since 2011 with multiple 400 + mile trips. No problem at all with the covers in what has to be well over 20,000 miles of highway driving.
 
What's the purpose of the transport bags? I've seen them on racers, but never knew why. I've done many multi-thousand mile trips with canoes, with no problems (other than bugs).
 
What's the purpose of the transport bags? I've seen them on racers, but never knew why. I've done many multi-thousand mile trips with canoes, with no problems (other than bugs).

Racers spend a lot of time car topping and I think they're mostly looking for UV protection but probably rock protection too.

Alan
 
What's the purpose of the transport bags? I've seen them on racers, but never knew why. I've done many multi-thousand mile trips with canoes, with no problems (other than bugs).

I brought mine when I noticed the front of the canoe getting sand blasted after driving long distances. Unfortunately NYC needs to get the sand for it's construction from somewhere and Long Island sees it's share of sand trucks on the Long Island Expressway heading to the city. Seemed like a good idea at the time to spend some money to protect the boat. After using it for a few trips I noticed how much dirt and what I'd call road soot was on the cover so now the cover goes on the canoe for any trips beyond a short distance and the boat hibernates in it over the winter. Second reason was to get off the island I need to drive though a portion on NYC and decided the more visible the boat was the greater chance of someone on the Cross Bronx Expressway or other insane road would see it. So the cover is bright yellow and the boat looks like a huge banana which hopefully even a total idiot would not hit,
 
I brought mine when I noticed the front of the canoe getting sand blasted after driving long distances. After using it for a few trips I noticed how much dirt and what I'd call road soot was on the cover so now the cover goes on the canoe for any trips beyond a short distance and the boat hibernates in it over the winter

In a similar vein I noticed a curiosity on the Miramichi while we had it in the shop. That canoe had been little used, and only car topped a few times. The brightwork was in pristine condition when it went to Maine last spring.

When it came back last fall the brightwork was less than pristine, and the front edge of one seat truss, bow left, was completely denuded of varnish.

PC160105 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

The culprit was this.

P1110405 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

The Miramichi went to Maine and back on that trailer, a couple thousand miles tops. The van that hauls that trailer has no mud flaps on the rear wheel wells, and the van tires throw sand, spray and grit into the hull, apparently aimed directly at the front edge of that seat truss.

Might be something to consider if you trailer your boats.
 
Sweet trailer, Mike. I would love one of those. And, it sounds like there is a good reason to get a cover. I wouldn't worry too much for the canoes I've bought off craigslist, but the new Northstar Phoenix certainly deserves one.
 
I know this is an old thread but I just received a canoe cover from Red Leaf Design’s aka the Bag Lady for my Northstar Trillium and I am very impressed. It came promptly, in a cardboard box neatly folded, wrapped in brown paper, tied with jute twine and included a handwritten thank you note from the owner. No plastic packaging! The cover fits perfectly, stitching and reinforcement is top notch and I think the reflective patch on the rear of the cover is a nice touch.
 
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I know this is an old thread but I just received a canoe cover from Red Leaf Design’s aka the Bag Lady for my Northstar Trillium and I am very impressed. It came promptly, in a cardboard box neatly folded, wrapped in brown paper, tied with jute twine and included a handwritten thank you note from the owner. No plastic packaging! The cover fits perfectly, stitching and reinforcement is top notch and I think the reflective patch on the rear of the cover is a nice touch.
Very timely. I just (as in just now) ordered two covers from these folks after speaking with Jeremy on the phone.
 
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