How to Put a Pontoon Boat Cover?

Pontoon boats are precious vessels when it comes to relaxing with friends and family over calm waters on a warm afternoon. That beautiful large deck allows you to customize your floating ‘living room’ into anything you want, lounge, pub, or simply a small personal diner. So before we dive deeper to know how to put a pontoon boat cover, let us look at what a pontoon is and what a pontoon boat is. 

What are pontoons?

Pontoons are floating structures with a buoyancy that are airtight and hollow, thus resistant to water and unsinkable. Pontoons are generally used at ports and shores as a safe means to ferry passengers or cargo from land to a vessel. 

Pontoon boats are recreational boats that utilize two or more pontoon tubes, as per the requirement, to stay afloat on water. In coastal areas, pontoon boats have become a common offering to tourists for a relaxed feel amidst calm waters. The design of a pontoon boat is remarkably simple, which allows the boat owners to ‘spruce up their boats and offer a luxury feel with classy interiors. 

Pontoon boats are ideal for water excursions like fishing, relaxing, and partying. 

Why cover a pontoon boat?

So if you are wondering why to put a  boat cover before understanding how to put a pontoon cover, it is because pontoon boats are quite uniquely designed. 

The design of pontoon boats makes them vulnerable to harmful UV rays and also moisture. Apart from this, there is also the added risk of pests causing damage to your pontoon boat when it is in storage. So let us go further and understand put cover. 

How to put a pontoon boat cover?

Primarily, there are 2 types of pontoon covers, i.e. snap pontoon boat cover and full boat cover. Both of these covers are high-quality covers made of UV-resistant fabric which protects your pontoon boats during storage or while docked on the port. 

Snap boat covers are fastened by snaps, which are screwed to the top rails of the boat while the cover snap-down towards the rails. Also known as a ‘playpen cover’, this is the most common kind of cover which you are likely to get with the purchase of a new boat. However, it is advisable to remember that snap covers are not recommended for mooring as it only covers the top of the boat while leaving the sides open. 

Due to this reason, professionals who use pontoon boats for commercial purposes prefer full covers. Full covers have tie-down loops which may include a rope or a bungee through the loops fastened to the boat. Full covers provide protection to pontoon boats from top to bottom and also the sides, offering optimum protection to your boat during storage or docking. 

How to choose the right pontoon boat cover?

Pontoon boat covers are available in various materials, depending on their usage. So before you know about pontoon cover, it is important to know which cover would be suitable for your boat. 

The most common pontoon covers are made of marine-grade vinyl cover, treated polyester cover, treated cotton cover, etc. These materials are made to withstand different environments and conditions. The boat cover you may be looking for for your pontoon boats would depend on the location and manner of storage. 

If your pontoon boat is docked in a port, you may need a durable and tough cover to withstand the elements like UV rays, mildew, sea rust, etc. If your pontoon is locked away in a safe climate-controlled garage, a lighter-duty cover would suffice for your boat. 

When you learn that how to put a pontoon boat cover then the next question is running in our mind that how to clean toons on a pontoon boat.

Pontoon boat cover materials

The most common popular covers are Sun-DURA, Poly-Guard Sunbrella, etc. 

The Sun-DURA cover is the hardiest boat cover material among these, as it is water repellent, UV resistant, and effective breathing. 

The Poly-Guard shares these qualities of Sun-DURA, although it scores a little low against UV rays protection. 

The Sunbrella is also a popular choice for recreational pontoon boat enthusiasts as they offer all-in-one protection to your pontoon boats. 

Check out this article also that how pontoon boat cover is very useful in winters.

Pontoon boat covers on-the-go

So now if you are out in open waters for a relaxing day of fishing, you also need some kind of protection from potential rain showers or the beaming sun.

This is where bimini tops come in handy. Bimini tops are front-open canvas tops for pontoon boats supported by metal frames offering protection from the sun, wind, and rain showers as you sail across your pontoon boat. 

Pontoon Bimini Tops also offer protection to your vessel from the sun and rain so you can enjoy your peaceful excursion on pleasant waters. 

With Bimini tops, you can also choose to go for automatic bimini tops which are controlled by a button, whereas standard bikini tops require manual operation. 

Steps to put a pontoon boat cover

Here are some more tips on how to put a cover:

• Choose materials wisely as per your needs.
• Before installing your cover, check for any sharp points on your boat which may puncture the cover. If so, cover with an extra pad or foam cloth.
• Find the label to locate the bow on the front end of the boat cover. 
• Place that end on the bow end of your boat and unroll towards the stern of the boat rear.
• Make sure to adjust the cover so it fits tight to avoid sagging.
• The side of the cover should come down below the rubber of the boat.
• Fasten the straps through the sewn-in loops and you have just put your cover successfully. 

Also, Read Below Article

Purpose & Application of Floating Pontoon Platforms

FAQs