Coverstar cover with rip! How to repair?

[mfee]

This is a powered cover that runs in a track along the edge of the inground pool.

I have winterized my pool and was done with everything for the winter. There was water on the pool cover so I moved some leaves and found an 8 inch tear in the cover about 4 feet from the spool and 4 feet from the edge. Does anyone know if and how someone could patch this. I called coverstar and they want to remove the cover send it to the factory and then reinstall it. Sounds like lots of $$$. It is 4 years old and the life span according to coverstar is 4-8 years.

My other option is to buy a winter cover and just leave the coverstar power cover rolled up in the winter. I have no anchors so I am left with using water bags. I live in Nebraska with 30+mph winds at the moment. Do they tend to stay in place or should I put in anchors if I go that route.

Thanks for the help. My pool is currently open so the cover doesn't sink

 

[JasonLion]

Water bags work fairly well if you are careful to fold any lose edges of the cover underneath so there is nothing for the wind to grab hold of. The double tube version is a little more stable and there are also rigid water tubs that are even better (and more expensive). With significant winds you also want to leave some water on top of the cover so the middle doesn't get pulled up by the wind.

 

[mfee]

Thanks for the help. I haven't seen these rigid tubes. I googled rigid tubes but couldn't come up with anything useful. Do you have links to these sites?
Thanks again

 

[JasonLion]

They are water tubs rather than tubes, indestructible and easier to clean and (arguably) store. The disadvantage is that even though they are reasonably soft they do have corners which could put more tension on one spot and potentially cause a hole if they were to fall in. I use the double tubes and haven't had any problems.