Several years ago,the DW suggested we get a cover for the MH and I wasn't too sure I wanted one. I looked at several different ones and also looked at the weights. I showed her the weights and how much one of the lifts cost.That did it and the fact that I have acrophobia and hate ladders. If I have to go up on the roof of the MH,I do everything I have to do,before I come down.
As to using blue tarps instead of a regular cover,I bought a 16' x 40' blue and silver one for my '99 Wilderness 27X and used it on the '05 Cougar 304BHS that we purchased after that till we purchased the MH in '10. I asked the folks that bought the Cougar if they wanted it and they took it and still use it. That's a total of 14 years and they're still using it. I got it on sale at Home Depot for about $45.