PVC Poles for new cover

[Texoma Toon]

Hi all,
I am getting tired of storing my boat in the winter at $400 for 6 months. I am looking to make an easy attached storage cover that is water proof and will with stand some snow & ice. My factory dust cover leaks and even in summer rains it gets pretty wet inside. I really don't want to spend $1500+ for a new factory cover.
At one time there was a company that made a PVC frame and sold a cover for it but I cant find that company any longer. If anyone knows who it was please post a link. I should be able to build one for a couple hundred.
Thanks!!

[Bamaman]

You've got a very nice boat, and it's something that will be good for a long time--if you keep the boat, deck and upholstery completely dry.

Sometimes you've got to just make an investment to protect an asset. Using some PVC frame and cheap plastic tarps is not the right way to do it. You possibly have other options--including building metal roofed sheds and prefab aluminum framed carport structures.

My old Atlanta swim/tennis neighborhood allowed no boats or rv's to be seen from the street. Everyone had to have storage off site. Many yards are not conducive to having boats--not enough room. Building codes also come into place.

Unfortunately, everyone's situation is a little different, and not easily discussed on a website such as this.

[Texoma Toon]

The cover will be a good heavy duty waterproof cover, not one of those cheap plastic ones. Where we are on the lake I would have to build a complete garage structure to meet the park codes and that would be about 12W X 33L and cost more than the boat.

[lakerunner]

I used my factory cover then put a heavy plastic tarp over that. By replacing upright support with these






I was able to adjust thse to be very tight and not allow sag in tarp. My tarp covered past the floor so it stayed dry inside. I used rope to go from one side to another under the boat to keep tarp tight. I recommend you buy some of these to give more tie downs.

http://www.coversuperstore.com/super-ta ... pack-45461

[Texoma Toon]

Thanks Lloyd!!
That is on the right track. I am going to try to do this with one cover. With the factory cover the bimini has to be in the upright position. I want to cover it in the down position.
I have been looking at trying to have a rigid pole running lengthwise and replacing the upright poles similar to how you did it but maybe that wont be nescesary if I have enough uprights.
Thanks for the link to the tiedowns. That will be helpful!

[lakerunner]

Till I got my barn I removed the bimini for the winter

[Texoma Toon]

If I picked up a piece of 2 inch schedule 40 PVC about 18ft long and only drilled holes in one side to insert the uprights that should add strenght at the roofline and then used straps to the rails from the 2 inch PVC. It would be about 4ft off the deck so it should have enough pitch for any ice & snow.
That really should hold up well. .....I think.
I like the idea that once the cover is tied dwon to run a rope around underneath the deck to tighten it and help hold it in place.
Let me know what ya think...Thanks!

[lakerunner]

Should work. Key is keeping tarp taught

[dockholiday]

Overton carrier a web strap system that comes with two vertical support poles. This would work if the cover is not too heavy. I did have one of the plastic triangles break, but just traced it onto some plywood and cut it out to replace both triangles. I didn't have much success at building a frame from pvc. It worked well the first few months but the sun deformed the horizontal poles. The generic cover was really heavy and probably should have used another vertical pole to decrease the span between the vertical support poles.
doc

[ROLAND]

If your current cover leaks but you don't want to spend 1500 bucks ( which I certainly understand ) I would suggest you take a look at some of the covers offered at www.pontoonstuff.com Their best cover ( called boaters best ) is supposed to be water proof, trailerable and comes with a 6 year warranty.. the most expensive one is under 500 bucks. Something to consider. I currently keep my boat covered with the playpen cover that came with the boat.. but I also keep my boat in inside storage.. I'm sure as soon as I get tired of paying that monthly rental fee and decide to bring my boat home, I'll be investing in that very cover at pontoon stuff.

[stickman]

Until we got our barn extension done, I had to store my pontoon outside. We had one a portable canopy for a number of years that had 6' leg poles. I temporarily replaced the 6' legs with 9' legs (you should be able to get them from any chain link fence supplier) and then tied the structure to the boat. Seemed to work temporarily. As you can see in the picture, there was snow on the front, but most of the cover stayed dry throughout the winter. Unfortunately, the cat loved to lay up on the cover and survey his "cat"dom.

(Edit to smaller size photo.)

[dockholiday]

Anyone wanting to build one like Loyds and need to empty their coffee cans send em to me. Dang I drink too much but the wife tolerates it more so than beer.........
doc

[Texoma Toon]

I have three of the red ones but none of that unleaded green stuff....Not Allowed in my house.

[rbiederwolf]

take a look at this
http://www.roxiesshop.com/custom.em?pid ... rchsupport

I happened across this site looking for something else. I have never used them so I have no idea if they work. The idea seems pretty neat

[lakerunner]

My issue with those is in heavy snow or rain whether they shed fast enough.