Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Ok boys, want to get you opinion on something. I bought my boat last October and I've had it in my head that I was going to buy a 4 or 5 hundred dollar cover, and I still might, undecided. Here's the deal, first the boat stays in a storeage building so it's only out in the sun / weather when we take it to the lake, Secondly we already have a play pen cover.. but the issue there is it's such a pain in the to put on. So the only reason I really need to cover it ( since it stays indoors ) is to keep all the dust and pollen off of it ). I thought the play pen cover would be more than adequate, and much easier to put on if I didn't use the poles. Since I don't need to worry about water runoff, the poles are not needed, agreed? So would it hurt anything to trailer the boat with the playpen cover? I saw some "trailerable " covers on pontoonstuff.com but why spend that $ if I don't need to? If the playpen cover's an issue then the other cover may come into play. If I invest in a real good heavy cover like those on the other site, I may just keep the boat next to my garage and do away with the indoor storage... what's your opinion? Thanks for your input.

You might get away with towing with playpen cover on for a short distance or it may work for long hauls. I always prefer indoor storage to outdoor. We keep ours under barn and like you said we leave the poles out till winter storage. Cover will protect interior but mold and mildew will flourish under it unless well vented.

If it is a storage bldg. , think you could get by with just a cheap tarp and bungee's just to keep the dust off an would be much quicker.
I just think the playpen cover would balloon up while towing, putting stress on the stitching, even if it doesn't damage it. Think I would stick with the indoor storage bldg an use a tarp during boating season an then put the playpen on after the boating season is over.
Sounds like a pretty good set up.
doc

Maybe it's just me, or my age, but I really don't find it that big of a PITA to put on/take off the playpen cover every time we use the boat. Sure, I need mine b/c we store it outside, but even if I did store in doors, even an completely enclosed storage like a garage, I would still put the playpen cover on each time. I see it as insurance, and sure it may not be needed each time, but it's worth the extra 5-7 minutes and piece of mind knowing that I've protected my boat the best I can between uses. As for trailering, it sounds like it depends on how well your cover is made, and attaches to the boat. I've never trailered mine with the cover over 30 mph, but some guys do, and have no problems with the cover ripping, or bulging up in the wind.

Thanks guys for your opinons... I think instead of buying a "full cover", I'll just use the play pen cover that came with the boat, even though the boat is stored in an indoor facility. That way the play pen cover will keep the dust and pollen out for the most part. This cover was made by the boat manufacturer and attachesall the way down to the deck in the front of the boat using snaps, and then has additional snaps all the way around the side and back rails.. Plus the side panels on our boat are elevated about 1/4" above the decking so even with the play pen cover on, there should be plenty of ventilation to help prevent mold and mildew... Thanks again guys.

Just checking to see if anyone has more info about towing with a cover on the toon. I am going to be towing my boat home about 600 miles at around 60mph. To me it seems like the constant flapping in the wind would tear the playpen cover, but I don't want the boat to be naked and get all the road grime in it (it's likely to be raining during the trip). There isn't time to get a custom trailering cover made before the trip.

So...what to do--playpen on or off? or would a regular poly tarp strapped down tight be OK? and if with the tarp, should the playpen be on or off? The boat/cover are a Bennington 2575 RFi if that makes a difference.

Chas

That far I say off. Power wash it you get home.

The most I have pulled mine at one time is about 100 miles. I have always towed it with the poles in. I have never had a problem. My poles are nice and tight inside and the cover snaps around the fencing and in the back under the changing room. My towing is pretty much all interstate and go 70 mph with it.

Chas... going on a year since I started "this" thread and I can tell you that I do not use my play pen cover when towing our benny... I used to, but then based on the advise I got from all the guys on this site, plus seeing the stress it was putting on the material at 60 mph, I decided to tow without the cover... No way would I use the cover on a long haul like you're talking about... I agree with curtis, tow it without the cover and just give her a good scrubbing when you get her home..... and then enjoy the heck out of it this summer.... I can't wait to get back out there and get a line wet!

Chas,
I've looked into this a little for a long, long road trip we are likely to take this summer. Here is what I have found to be the best option. A local marina will shrink wrap it for me before I take the trip, just like they do on new boats for long deliveries. It will cost a few bucks ($200 to $300) but it might save many hours of clean up when you get there after driving through rains, etc. and possibly prevent some damage as well. Also, you can store a lot of gear in the boat for the trip this way. If it saves 5-6 hours of clean up, and possible damage, I'm thinking it might be worth it. They say the wrap will hold up for thousands of miles at freeway speeds. You have no cover damage, no damage to the boat from a cover that started flapping in the night and you didn't catch it in time, no dirty boat, no clean up... I think it might be worth it. Not sure if I'll do it, but I'm leaning towards it. They'll wrap it all the way down to the bottom of the pontoons.

woolznaz wrote:Chas,
I've looked into this a little for a long, long road trip we are likely to take this summer. Here is what I have found to be the best option. A local marina will shrink wrap it for me before I take the trip, just like they do on new boats for long deliveries. It will cost a few bucks ($200 to $300) but it might save many hours of clean up when you get there after driving through rains, etc. and possibly prevent some damage as well. Also, you can store a lot of gear in the boat for the trip this way. If it saves 5-6 hours of clean up, and possible damage, I'm thinking it might be worth it. They say the wrap will hold up for thousands of miles at freeway speeds. You have no cover damage, no damage to the boat from a cover that started flapping in the night and you didn't catch it in time, no dirty boat, no clean up... I think it might be worth it. Not sure if I'll do it, but I'm leaning towards it. They'll wrap it all the way down to the bottom of the pontoons.

Great idea

What do you do for the trip home, wrap it again?

What do you do for the trip home, wrap it again?

Greg.......well of course you would use what any good red-neck boater would do. You freakin duct tape the wrap back on!

I like your style

Greg, I think if I do wrap it to take the trip I would see how it worked on the way there before deciding what to do for the way home. Although the duct tape idea is attractive (save some $$$$$) I'm kind of assuming the wrap is a one-way, one-time use. Here is my thinking... going there, I'm going on vacation and spending hours of my vacation cleaning the boat is not what I want to do. Coming back, I'm headed home, so cleaning the boat once I'm home is not as much of a problem. Really, though, if it worked well on the way there, I would probably get someone to wrap it for the return trip too. Cleaning 1400 miles of road grime is not my idea of fun, and if it can be mostly prevented for $300, I think it's worth it, especially if it also keeps the boat from some road rash as well. It might pay for itself not even counting the cleaning time. I'm still not convinced I'll do it, but I'm leaning that way so I thought I'd throw the idea out there for the original poster.