Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Greetings all.......First time poster..........

This May we purchased a 2017 Lowe SS210RFL with the Merc 90CT......This summer has been a blast with the new boat. We have enjoyed it thoroughly.

Unfortunately I have to have shoulder surgery in late September and need to think about winterizing the boat for the season. It came with a custom Lowe mooring cover, but I want a cover that covers over the entire deck. I like the premium covers offered on pontoonstuff.com and also these https://mrshrinkwrap.com/22-pontoon-uni ... eight.html. I would not need to shrink the one from mr. shrinkwrap, as the boat will be in my driveway for the winter.

My question to the forum is this, if I leave the mooring cover on, snapped into place, and use the existing 4 support poles, can I safely cover my boat for the winter with one of the above mentioned universal covers too?? Yes, I want to use both covers. I figure if it snows, I would have to sweep it away.

Thanks..........
Swmpbgy1

I'll be covering mine (also in my driveway) with a big reinforced poly tarp. My poles will be 4 inch PVC with caps. It will be peaked kind high in the center because here it's not a matter of IF it will snow, just.... how MUCH it will snow. (A record snowfall here was 8 feet over the course of 2 days). I need about a 45 degree pitch to shed just about anything that falls. Otherwise I'll be running out to clear snow off it so it doesn't collapse

Poly tarps are relatively cheap. It's what a lot of people around here use.

if you leave the mooring cover on it you will be buying a new one come spring an overnight heavy wet snow will tear right through the cover they are not made to handle any snow loads, either shrink wrap or put a tarp on it with enough pitch to allow for the snow to slide off is your best bet for winter storage

Never seen anyone put a winter cover over the mooring cover. How would you support the taller cover?
Even if you could support both I'd still put the mooring cover away for the winter. It's possibly the most expensive accessory on your boat.

In my community most made a tall frame from 2" pvc (posts & ridge) & lashed it with 1/4" rope to keep it upright. I've seen more elaborate frames but the ropes are adequate "rafters" to support the poly tarp so the snow slides off.

I'm running with shrink wrap. Costs me $250 and worth it

I put a poly tarp over my cover the last several winters until I made room in the barn for the winter. I don't have pictures, but will try to explain how I did it. Going with a PVC frame like others have used may be easier.

For winter I replaced the aluminum poles with 2X4s of the same length as existing poles and added 1/2" all thread about 6" long sticking up. The regaular cover fits over the 1/2" all thread. Then I ran the entire length of the boat with four 2X4s on edge with holes drilled in them to go over 1/2" all thread. I put a washer on the all thread under the 2x4 so it was not touching the cover. Then I put a washer and nut on top of the 2x4s to hold them on the 2x4 poles.
I tied the 2x4s on the front and back of the boat. I put a hinge on the front two horizontal 2x4s in front of the front pole to secure them together and so the front one would bend down and rest on the front rail. I put a hinge on to connect the back two horizontal 2x4s behind the back pole so the last 2x4 would bend down and rest on the ski tow bar. I then laid poly tarp over the 2x4 frame and cover. I put eyes in the poly tarp to go over the 1/2" all thread. I then used bungy cords hooked to the trailer to hold the top down.

My cover is steep enough to do this and let snow run off and they are long enough to cover the engine and past the front of the boat.

Like I said earlier, a PVC frame might be easier to build.

I would never use the mooring cover over the winter.
I just bought one of these to keep the elements off my boat.

Thanks all..........off to lowes for PVC!!!

Swmpbgy1

Good morning all........

To those of you that winter your boats outside with a soft cover, do you completely remove your bimini top, frame and all, or just fold it flat onto your rail and cover?

Thanks again........

Swmpbgy1

you don't need to remove the bimini just drop it down to the trailering position if your frame is equipped otherwise just drop it down so it rests flat, be sure to release the nav. light so its flat against the frame and your good to cover it

Bought a 32x14 shelter logic "quick shelter" to put my pontoon in, got it on sale for 750$. 4 years later is still holding up well and has already saved me money over "shrink wrap" and as an added bonus a pair of ATV's fit on either side of the trailer tounge too!

I'm a "watch person" at a "Boat/RV" storage yard....other than storing your pontoon in an enclosed structure, the best thing you can do is invest in one of the many types of stand alone "carport" type semi permanent structures...in over two years here, there has not been even one boat here that has relied on tarps alone, that hasn't ended up pooling large pools of water on top of the tarps....What I think surprised me most was the way most of these boats held up under the stress...one of these boats must have had at least 300 gallons suspended between the rails...

[quote="mrlouis"]you don't need to remove the bimini just drop it down to the trailering position if your frame is equipped otherwise just drop it down so it rests flat, be sure to release the nav. light so its flat against the frame and your good to cover it[/quote]


I suggest you roll and tie it tightly. Birds and squirrels will find it and go inside and build a nest. It happened to me.