Boating fUn! Not so much. But had an idea.
 

I'm pulling the boat down the interstate when the engine 6' wide cover decides to unlatch itself and flip off the back of the boat. Luckily it stayed attached or you would have been hearing about the 100 deaths on the news.

Minor damage, 2 gas struts ripped apart, 2 hinges bent, and a little knick in the vinyl.

The struts are $70 a piece from Seadoo. I can probably find some hatchback car struts for $20 with the same dimension. 3

I'm thinking a push button engine cover lift would be nice. Instead of struts I can use actuators! $80 a piece for 90lb actuators. But I have a few questions:

1. Will the actuators themselves be able to hold down the engine cover while being towed or should I have a latching mechanism as additional security?

2. How do you adjust an actuator to open slowly instead of slamming open and closed? I have 0 experience with them but I can see it being an issue.

I think you will need to seal any electrical connections with liquid rubber, and even then keep it away from salt water.

I'm no expert, but some of the hovercraft guys use them on the horizontal wing elevator after the prop or thrust fan.

Will you have a manual pull or fail safe if the battery dies?

It would be difficult to manually pull a 240horse V6. Are they known for grounding out?

Are you kidding? It's a small engine lid for a Seadoo boat. Replace the stock shocks and latch it shut this time. It's properly engineered already. All you have to do is use the latch before towing or boating. BTW...I think he's talking about a manual pull for the engine lid...not the engine.

Oh yes....make sure the drain plug is in before putting it in the water too. No complex system needed here either. Have fun.

The lid weighs 200 lbs - 6' x 4'.

The latch was closed. I think the wind bent the fiberglass enough to allow it to unlatch.

I don't think the battery dieing has anything to do with a manual hatch cover.

I bet you have a concourse bone stock 944.:)

The electric actuators do hold the hatch down. On my race boat hatches, I use the old fashined auto hood pins to latch it closed. havent lost one yet.

Yep the lid, I meant the lid - like a garage with electric door operator has a mannal release.

Vin, should he also use pins as a back up?

Are there soft cap knob type covers for the pins for rec use?

Nope. 89 Carrera with a 3.6 V-ram engine :D.

The engine lid on my 21' Chaparral is about that same size. Two straps with snaps on them hold it down just fine. Never an issue, except once at 50 mph on the lake when I'd forgotten to snap them down. With small dampers it lifts very easily.

Get a nice big heavy duty hinged latch from walmart that you can put a padlock on, then sheet metal screw it into the fiberglass. Reinforce it with duct tape. that's how the rednecks do it ;)

I dont know what the latch setup on Terry's boat looks like, but I would think he shouldnt have to use any kind of back-up latch. It couldnt hurt though.
The two types of electric acutors I know are hydraulic and screw driven. Both usually have some kind of manual release. But not always.