Key West 179 FS Specifications
- Builder: Key West Boats (Ridgeville, South Carolina)
- Model: 179 FS Family Sportsman (listed boats from 2022 to 2026)
- Length: 17' 9"
- Beam: 7' 4"
- Weight: About 1,300–1,450 lb dry (published figures vary)
- Fuel: 40 gal
- Power: Single outboard, up to 140 hp
- Layout: Console-front seat, flip-flop cooler seat, bench seat, bow and rear casting decks
- Cover Shipping Weight: 25 lbs
Cover Features
- Fabric Options: 9oz solution-dyed marine fabric, 7oz polyester, or premium Sunbrella acrylic
- Coverage: Custom cover from the underside of the T-top over the console, seating, casting decks, cockpit and outboard; T-top roof stays exposed
- Construction: Reinforced stitching, hem cord at the rubrail, adjustable tie-down straps
- Protection: UV-resistant, water-repellent, breathable
Additional information
Choose Your Cover Fabric
7 oz. Polyester — Our entry-level marine cover fabric, woven from 100% polyester fiber at a 7 oz. per linear yard weight. This lighter option keeps the cover manageable for solo handling while still delivering reliable protection against sun, rain, and debris. Backed by a 3-year fabric warranty. Ships in Black.
9 oz. Polyester — Step up to our heavy-duty polyester, engineered at 9 oz. per linear yard for boats that face tougher conditions or extended outdoor storage. The denser weave adds an extra layer of defense against abrasion and weather without adding unnecessary bulk. Protected by a 5-year fabric warranty. Ships in Navy or Black.
Sunbrella® — For boaters who want the best, our Sunbrella covers use 100% solution-dyed acrylic — the same fabric trusted by marine professionals worldwide. Naturally resistant to fading, mold, and water damage, Sunbrella holds its color and integrity season after season. Covered by a 6-year fabric warranty. Ships in Black, Smoke, or Marine Blue.
Both polyester options feature solution-dyed construction, where pigment is infused into each fiber during production rather than applied to the surface afterward. This process locks color deep into the material, preventing any dye transfer to your boat’s gel coat or finish. The result is a cover that stays vibrant without bleeding or rubbing off. Our polyester is also designed to breathe — it allows moisture trapped underneath to vent out naturally, reducing the risk of mildew and keeping your boat dry. The fabric holds its form without sagging or stretching over time, stays lightweight enough for one person to handle, and stands up to prolonged UV exposure and harsh marine weather.
*The warranty periods above are provided by the fabric manufacturer and cover the material itself. For details on what’s included in the warranty for your completed cover, please see our warranty page.
7 oz. Polyester — Our entry-level marine cover fabric, woven from 100% polyester fiber at a 7 oz. per linear yard weight. This lighter option keeps the cover manageable for solo handling while still delivering reliable protection against sun, rain, and debris. Backed by a 3-year fabric warranty. Ships in Black.
9 oz. Polyester — Step up to our heavy-duty polyester, engineered at 9 oz. per linear yard for boats that face tougher conditions or extended outdoor storage. The denser weave adds an extra layer of defense against abrasion and weather without adding unnecessary bulk. Protected by a 5-year fabric warranty. Ships in Navy or Black.
Sunbrella® — For boaters who want the best, our Sunbrella covers use 100% solution-dyed acrylic — the same fabric trusted by marine professionals worldwide. Naturally resistant to fading, mold, and water damage, Sunbrella holds its color and integrity season after season. Covered by a 6-year fabric warranty. Ships in Black, Smoke, or Marine Blue.
Both polyester options feature solution-dyed construction, where pigment is infused into each fiber during production rather than applied to the surface afterward. This process locks color deep into the material, preventing any dye transfer to your boat’s gel coat or finish. The result is a cover that stays vibrant without bleeding or rubbing off. Our polyester is also designed to breathe — it allows moisture trapped underneath to vent out naturally, reducing the risk of mildew and keeping your boat dry. The fabric holds its form without sagging or stretching over time, stays lightweight enough for one person to handle, and stands up to prolonged UV exposure and harsh marine weather.
*The warranty periods above are provided by the fabric manufacturer and cover the material itself. For details on what’s included in the warranty for your completed cover, please see our warranty page.
| Weight | 25 lbs |
|---|
Install
Please watch the video below for installation instructions!
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Frequently Asked Questions
It's patterned for the Key West 179 FS (17'9" x 7'4") fitted with a T-top. It isn't cut for the larger 189 FS, which is 18'9" with an 8' beam — see our 189 FS T-Top cover for that hull.
They're close in size — published specs give both a 7'4" beam, 40 gallons of fuel and a 140 hp maximum — but they're different models with different seating, and we sell a separate 176 Sportsman T-Top cover. If you're not sure which you have, check the builder's plate and send us your model year.
Our T-Top style is made for any boat with a hard top: the factory T-top, an aftermarket aluminum T-top, or a T-top frame with a canvas canopy. The cover fits up under the top and around its legs, so the roof stays exposed. Most 179 FS boats we found were sold with a bimini, so make sure yours has a T-top before ordering this style; if it doesn't, the full-coverage Center Console style is the right fit.
Check the model on your registration or the builder's plate, and measure the overall length and beam: the published specs give the 179 FS at about 17'9" long with a 7'4" beam. Key West has built several 17- and 18-foot center consoles over the years. Send us your model year, length, beam and a photo of your T-top before you order, and we'll confirm the pattern fits.
Choose 9oz solution-dyed polyester (Navy or Black) for heavy-duty everyday protection, 7oz polyester (Black) for budget-friendly coverage, or premium Sunbrella acrylic (Marine Blue, Black, or Smoke) for maximum UV resistance and longevity.
No. The cover is made to protect your boat while it is parked on its trailer, up on a lift or in storage. Take it off before you tow: trailering with the cover on can damage it and voids the warranty.
Materials and workmanship are covered for 1 year, and the fabric carries its own warranty (3 years on 7oz, 5 years on 9oz, and 6 years on Sunbrella). Every cover is made to order, so please allow 1–3 weeks; shipping is a $30 flat rate within the continental US.
Pricing: 7oz $790.00 · 9oz $975.00 · Sunbrella $1,175.00 — your final total appears below as you build your cover.
⏱️ Current lead time: 1–3 weeks — every cover is custom-made for your boat.
Questions about fit? Call (561) 677-2628
Questions about fit? Call (561) 677-2628
Key West 179 FS T-Top Boat Cover — Custom-Fit for the 179 FS Family Sportsman With a T-Top
Key West Boats builds its fiberglass fishing boats in Ridgeville, South Carolina, and the company has been employee-owned through an ESOP since 2002. The 179 FS is the smallest boat in Key West’s Family Sportsman (FS) series of center consoles, tested by Yamaha in late 2021 and listed from the 2022 through 2026 model years. Published specs give it a 17’9″ length and a 7’4″ beam, a dry weight of about 1,300 to 1,450 lb, a 40-gallon built-in tank and a 140 hp maximum on a single outboard; most are rigged with a Yamaha F90 or F115. Standard layout includes a molded seat with cushions on the front of the console, a flip-flop cooler seat with backrest, a bench seat with cushion and backrest, bow and rear casting decks, a large bow storage compartment, a molded anchor locker, a high-speed pick-up livewell, recessed gunwale rod racks, a low-profile bow rail and a molded swim platform with ladder. The listings we found mostly show a bimini, so this pattern is for a 179 FS that has been fitted with a T-top. This T-Top cover is patterned for the 179 FS with its T-top, and like all of our Key West boat covers, it’s cut to this hull rather than a generic 18-foot size chart.
How It Fits the 179 FS
The cover runs up to the underside of the T-top and wraps its legs, leaving the canopy exposed. Below the top it drapes over the console and windshield, the console-front seat and the flip-flop cooler seat, then runs forward over the bow casting deck and falls to the rubrail along the 7’4″ beam. Aft, it covers the bench seat and rear casting deck and closes around the single outboard in the same piece, so rain sheds off instead of collecting in the cockpit. Installation takes about five minutes: drape it bow to stern, run the hem cord along the rubrail, and cinch the adjustable strap-and-buckle tie-downs. It’s made for storage on a trailer, lift, dry stack, or jet dock — take it off before towing, since trailering with the cover on can damage it and voids the warranty.
Fabric, Warranty & Shipping
Choose 9oz solution-dyed marine fabric for heavy-duty everyday protection (5–7 year service life), a lighter 7oz fabric for budget-friendly coverage, or premium Sunbrella acrylic for 8–10 years of fade resistance. Every option is water-repellent, breathable, mildew-resistant, and double-stitched at the seams. Each cover is backed by our warranty (1 year on materials and workmanship, plus 3–6 years on the fabric) and ships for a $30 flat rate within the US — every cover is made to order, so please allow 1–3 weeks. For the same boat without a top, see our Key West 179 FS Center Console cover; for similar sizes, compare the Key West 176 Sportsman T-Top cover and the Key West 189 FS T-Top cover.