Hells Bay 17 Professional Specifications
- Length Overall (LOA): 17'8"
- Beam: 73" (6'1")
- Weight: ~625 lbs
- Engine: Single outboard, 60-70 HP recommended
- Fuel Capacity: 22 gallons
- Draft: ~4.5" fully rigged
- Hull Type: Carbon Innegra, vacuum-infused Core Cell technical poling skiff
Cover Features
- Fabric Options: 9oz solution-dyed marine fabric or premium Sunbrella acrylic
- Coverage Type: Full-boat center console cover wraps the entire hull including the outboard; tent-like shape peaks at the console
- Construction: Reinforced stitching, hem cord at rubrail, adjustable tie-down straps
- Durability: Solution-dyed fabric (5-7 years); Sunbrella acrylic (8-10 years)
- Fit: Custom-fitted to the 17'8" Hells Bay Professional including console and engine dimensions
- Protection: UV-resistant, water-repellent, weatherproof
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 | 24 lbs |
|---|---|
| Fabric | 9oz Polyester |
Install
Please watch the video below for installation instructions!
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Hells Bay 17 Professional cover is available in two fabric options: 9oz solution-dyed polyester for heavy-duty everyday protection, or premium Sunbrella acrylic for maximum UV resistance and longevity. Solution-dyed fabric has the color built into each fiber, so it resists fading and won't transfer dye onto your Professional's gelcoat or cushions.
Yes. The cover is pattern-cut to the Hells Bay 17 Professional's 17'8" hull and center console. It drapes over the whole boat in one piece, peaking at the console and sloping down to the gunwales, and wraps over the outboard at the stern. If your Professional has a poling platform installed, contact us before ordering so we can confirm fit.
Installation takes about five minutes and one person can do it. Drape the cover over the Professional from bow to stern, pull it down over the console and outboard, run the hem cord along the rubrail, and cinch down the adjustable strap-and-buckle tie-downs. No tools, snaps, or support poles are required.
No — please remove the cover before towing your Hells Bay 17 Professional. Our covers are not designed to be trailered: towing with the cover on can cause severe damage to the cover and voids the warranty. The cover is designed for storage only — on a trailer, boat lift, dry stack, or jet dock — and comes off in minutes at the ramp.
Yes. While your Professional is stored, the cover creates a complete barrier over the console electronics, seat and cooler, hatches, and outboard — blocking UV rays, rain, salt spray, bird droppings, and pollen. Keeping the sun off the Awlgrip finish and cushions is one of the easiest ways to protect your investment.
Your Hells Bay 17 Professional cover is backed by our manufacturer's warranty for the original purchaser. Materials and workmanship — stitching, straps, buckles, zippers, and other hardware — are covered for 1 year from the purchase date. Fabric is covered for 5 years on black or navy 9oz and 6 years on Sunbrella. Covered defects are repaired or replaced after you contact us for a Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number. The warranty does not cover improper use, accident or negligence, unauthorized modifications, improper care, mold or mildew, incorrectly placed orders, theft or loss, or acts of God — and traveling with the cover on or using it in the water voids the warranty. See our Warranty page for full details.
The cover is highly water-resistant rather than fully waterproof. Both fabrics carry a DWR (durable water repellent) finish that sheds rain and spray while staying breathable, and the tent-like shape peaking at the console helps rain run off instead of pooling. That breathability helps keep mildew and condensation off the cushions and deck.
This cover is patterned for the Hells Bay Professional with a center console. Tiller-steer Professionals have a different layout, so contact us before ordering if yours is a tiller boat, or if it has added hardware like a poling platform, push-pole holders, or a trolling motor mount.
The Professional cover is available in 9oz solution-dyed polyester in Navy or Black, or premium Sunbrella acrylic in Marine Blue, Black, or Smoke. Choose your fabric and color in the order options above.
Shipping is a $30 flat rate per cover within the continental United States. Because every cover is custom-made to order, please allow 1–3 weeks for your Professional cover to be made and shipped — you'll receive tracking information as soon as it leaves our facility.
⏱️ 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
Hells Bay 17 Professional Center Console Boat Cover — Full Protection for Hells Bay’s Technical Shallow-Water Skiff
The Hells Bay Professional is the technical poling skiff that built the company’s reputation in the backcountry — a 17’8″ hull with a 73-inch beam, about 625 lbs, and a fully rigged draft of roughly 4.5 inches. Hells Bay recommends 60–70 HP, and the Professional carries a 22-gallon fuel tank, under-gunwale storage for rods up to 9 feet, a plumbed livewell, and a center console with an integrated seat and cooler. The hull is built in Titusville, Florida with Carbon Innegra and vacuum-infused Core Cell construction, vinyl ester resin, and carbon fiber stringers — light enough to float in inches of water and stiff enough to handle a chop. A skiff built to that standard deserves a cover patterned to it, not a universal size. See all of our Hells Bay boat covers.
Tailored to the Professional’s Flats Skiff Layout
This cover is pattern-cut to the Professional’s 17’8″ hull and 73-inch beam, accounting for the center console, the wide walkable gunwales, the big front casting deck, the rear hatches, the livewell, and the outboard. The solution-dyed fabric drapes over the entire boat in one continuous piece, forming a tent-like shape that peaks at the console so rain runs off the sides instead of pooling on the decks, and it wraps down over the outboard for complete coverage. If your Professional has a poling platform installed, contact us before ordering so we can confirm fit around it. Installation takes about five minutes — drape it from bow to stern, run the hem cord along the rubrail, and cinch the adjustable strap-and-buckle tie-downs. The cover is built for storage on a trailer, boat lift, dry stack, or jet dock. Remove the cover before towing — it’s designed for storage, not travel, and towing with it on voids the warranty. Running the longer Hells Bay guide skiff? See the Hells Bay 18 Guide center console cover.
Protection That Matches Hells Bay Quality
Choose 9oz solution-dyed marine fabric for heavy-duty everyday protection with a 5–7 year service life, or premium Sunbrella acrylic for 8–10 years of fade-resistant protection. Both options are water-repellent, breathable, mildew-resistant, and double-stitched at the seams to stand up to salt spray, summer storms, and the sun that bakes a skiff’s Awlgrip finish, cushions, and electronics. Each cover is backed by our warranty (1 year on materials and workmanship, plus 5–6 years on the fabric) and ships for a $30 flat rate within the US — because every cover is made to order, please allow 1–3 weeks. Comparing 17-foot technical skiffs? Take a look at the East Cape 17 Caimen center console cover.