Boat Covers

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LadyGT · #1 Post by **LadyGT** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:14 am

We were planning to purchase a snap on boat cover with the boat at the dealer. The price is $795. I am reconsidering this. We had a vinyl cover on a different boat and the snaps came off the boat itself. Now considering a tie down cover for half that price. We have one of these on our current speedboat from Walmart and has done a good job for the money. Our boat will be stored in the backyard and eventually will get a metal cover in the near future.

What's your experience with the cover you own? How long has it lasted?

babock · #2 Post by **babock** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 5:50 pm

If you are ever going to moor your boat, you need a snap on cover. A snap on cover for $795 sounds pretty inexpensive.

I see you are buying a new boat. Why not get a good cover that will last for many years. A Sunbrella cover will last over 10 years. Those cheap mooring covers that you find online will NOT. Protect your investment!

I made my own cover for around $300 but I own a commercial sewing machine and have made many covers. I had bids for $1500 for mine using Sunbrella.

LadyGT · #3 Post by **LadyGT** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 6:48 pm

I took a trip to the boat dealer and checked out a cover that was on the lot. It felt thin and cheap. I am not sure who made it or what it was made of. When we go down there next week, I will inquire about it just to be sure I made an informed decision.

Not going to moor it at the lake just to have ducks poo all over it. I have about a 3/4 acre lot so plenty of storage space and $1,200 I can keep in my wallet.

curtiscapk · #4 Post by **curtiscapk** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 8:40 am

Use the 10% discount from Pontoonstuff. I love my new cover.. Check out my sig if you have the time. the new cover is toward the last page.

http://www.pontoonstuff.com/collections ... oon-covers

He is almost ready to start selling a better support system than you can get online. It has 3 poles instead of 2 so a lot more straps for support. Hopefully I can get pics of it soon.

ron nh · #5 Post by **ron nh** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 8:58 am

I think thats what I need curtis, I cant button those tight covers. the tendons in booth my wrist are peeling off the bone so I was looking for an alternative. is that as easy as it looks to cover?

curtiscapk · #6 Post by **curtiscapk** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:17 pm

Sure is 12 straps! It is the second version they have carried and I like this one better. Here is the stern pic.

grouser · #7 Post by **grouser** » Sun Feb 22, 2015 7:09 pm

not to take us off in another direction,,, but can you trailer with a playpen cover on???

LadyGT · #8 Post by **LadyGT** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 12:18 am

curtiscapk wrote:Use the 10% discount from Pontoonstuff. I love my new cover.. Check out my sig if you have the time. the new cover is toward the last page.

http://www.pontoonstuff.com/collections ... oon-covers

He is almost ready to start selling a better support system than you can get online. It has 3 poles instead of 2 so a lot more straps for support. Hopefully I can get pics of it soon.

I like this in that everything from end to end is covered. I read somewhere one must be careful with covers in that the dye may bleed. That is a scary thought with a brand new boat.

curtiscapk · #9 Post by **curtiscapk** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 7:18 am

to answer both your questions

4 year full replacement warranty on premium pontoon covers.

8.8 oz, 600 denier premium marine grade polyester fabric.
Premium, color fast polyester pontoon boat covers won't stain or fade.
Use these pontoon covers on the water, for storage and travel.

I don't think you are supposed to travel with the snap cover...

peterb803 · #10 Post by **peterb803** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 10:28 am

Grouser....

consider this scenario..........

your bebopping down interstate whatever with your toon in tow. You have the cover on...now the cover comes loose, and completely covers the car behind you, causing a massive wreck and possible loss of life.

Do you really want to take that chance...?????

Bamaman · #11 Post by **Bamaman** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 2:30 pm

My pontoon came with a custom made Surlast snap on mooring cover, and I understand the list price for an OEM replacement is $1,500. Surlast is a budget Sunbrella type fabric. My cover takes extremely strong hands to snap every snap, and the cover fits very tight. After the snaps, I've got to crawl under the cover on my hands and knees to install 4 telescoping poles that take all the slack out. It's truly a hassle.

If you bought one of the cheap boat covers, I would suggest you invest in one of the metal awning style carports. They're available online and they can be installed in one day by specialized installers. You can configure them with sides that come down long enough to where your boat is kept dry at all times.

A boat kept dry is going to last so much longer and have so much less wear and tear. A boat with upholstery and flooring kept dry is going to be worth so much more on the retail market when it's sold. My last pontoon boat upholstery needed replacing at 28 years old--due to be kept in a boathouse out of the weather.

Note: I ordered enough Surlast fabric last year to make seat covers for my boat--kept on by ties. Although the fabric feels light, putting a needle through it takes wire pliers. My wife's heavy duty sewing machine barely would work, and some hand sewing was required. It's much tougher stuff than anticipated.

babock · #12 Post by **babock** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 5:23 pm

I would never use Surlast for a cover. It is an inferior product to Sunbrella. If you are going through all the trouble of having a custom cover, why use Surlast when Sunbrella will last twice as long. The price of the fabric is small compared to the cost of labor having a cover made.

Not sure why people think Surlast is similar to Sunbrella. Surlast is polyester and Sunbrella is an acrylic. It is vastly inferior to Sunbrella.

To the OP. You are investing in a brand new boat. Don't buy a polyester cover that will last 4 years. Buy one made out of Sunbrella that will last over 10.

I have a cover I made out of Sunbrella for my 24' Wellcraft and it is over 12 years old and the material is still in good shape. I need to redo some stitching on it but the fabric is fine.

Bryden24shp · #13 Post by **Bryden24shp** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 5:59 pm

Never tow with the playpen cover on. You'll destroy the cover or, yep, a car following. If you are going to trailer with it covered, buy a trailering cover. Sunbrella is not trailering cover material. It will stretch and tear. My drive home from Michigan pulling my first new pontoon taught me that! 150 miles into the trip, the poles were loose and fell, after being tighted several times. I took it off at a rest stop in Gary Indianna. After that, it never did tighten up right.
The good trailering covers are made of fabric backed vinyl.
Plus towing your boat naked is a lot easier on the billfold for fuel usage, too. Open the gates and let the air fly through!

babock · #14 Post by **babock** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:47 pm

Agreed. Never tow a pontoon with a mooring cover that uses poles to shed rain. There really is no good way to tow with a cover on a pontoon without ruining it.

grouser · #15 Post by **grouser** » Mon Feb 23, 2015 9:59 pm

peterb803 wrote:Grouser....

consider this scenario..........

your bebopping down interstate whatever with your toon in tow. You have the cover on...now the cover comes loose, and completely covers the car behind you, causing a massive wreck and possible loss of life.

Do you really want to take that chance...?????

that would not be good,,, point taken

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