Pontoon Boat Covers for Winters USA UK 2023
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Places, where it gets a little extreme during winters, call for everyone to take precautions, and it is no different with boaters. You need to get pontoon boat covers for the winter season to ensure that your boat stays safe during winter season so that it is ready to sail on open waters once again in the summertime.
And it gets even worse if you are residing in a place with snowfall in the cold seasons!
For optimum protection of your boat, you need polyester or acrylic fabrics as they are resistant to UV rays and high temperatures. They should also have a high denier rating and be dark in color.
In this blog, we will talk about choosing the best winter cover for your boat and how to put them on your barge!
Choosing the right boat cover for winters
Go through our list below of factors to keep in mind before choosing your pontoon boat cover for winters:
- Cover material
As a hardy cover for your pontoon boat, you should choose either long-lasting woven polyester, polypropylene multilayer, or snow cover materials made of acrylic.
Among these, a polypropylene multilayer cover is the best choice, as the material is UV resistant, waterproof, and ventilated enough to be breathable.
- Denier
It is strictly advised to go for 1200 Denier snow covers if you want to provide optimum protection to your boat.
Higher denier fiber fabrics are strong and resistant to abrasion, and 1200 denier is the highest denier rating that there is! Some of these fabrics are coated with water-resistant materials and other coatings, which depend on specific functions like fade resistance, water repellency, etc.
- UV Protection
It is not compulsory, but using a UV stabilizer can extend your boat cover’s life duration. UV stabilizers are substances that prevent the harmful effects of UV rays projected from the sun.
These substances help prevent corrosion, chalks, cracks, color changes, and other types of physical destruction.
- Straps and stitches
If you are in a place where it rains or snows during the winter season, it is best to use reinforced stitching that can carry the weight of water and snow.
Sewn-in straps and buckles help keep the cover secure in strong winds.
- Dark color
For pontoon covers for the winter season, it is best to buy a dark color that can absorb all the heat! This will help any accumulated snow on the cover to meltdown quickly while also increasing the life expectancy of the cover.
- Support
After all of this, you still need to choose a pontoon arch with strong support to avoid the puddling of water.
Building an arch beneath the cover helps to prevent water and snow from accumulating in certain areas. However, we advise you to use more than a single-pole if you expect heavy snowfall during the winters.
Best winter pontoon covers
Below are some of the best pontoon boat covers for winters:
| Cover | Price |
| Budge P-1200-3 Denier Pontoon Covers | $302.22 |
| EmpireCovers Aqua Armor Pontoon boat covers | $305.99 |
Also Check out this article Pontoon Boat Covers for in the Water
Preparing for winters
As a boat owner, you have to prepare for the winter season and put your winter cover on! Preparing your boat for the winter season is more than installing winter covers on them. You need to take certain precautions before and after the cold season every year to ensure that your boat is in perfect shape and safe to ride during the season.
Follow these steps below to prepare your pontoon boat for the winter season:
- If you have a bimini top, you need to remove it and get it cleaned. Once It is dry, store it safely till the next boating season.
- Make sure your winter boat cover fits tightly on your boat and is equally breathable to prevent mold and mildew.
- Every Time before covering your boat for good, get it cleaned and dried up before installing the cover.
- Remember to fog the engine before storing it.
- Drain indoor motors.
- It is recommended to use an outboard winterization kit for outboards.
- Always drain the fuel and use fresh fuel with a stabilizer to protect the fuel lines before the start of every boating season.
- Remember to disconnect and change batteries throughout the winter season.
- Remove all electronic gadgets from the boat.
- Inspect the boat for damages caused, if any.
- Lastly, clean the cover regularly and keep it free from debris if it sits outdoors.
Failing to prepare for the winter season could result in serious consequences! When it comes to the safety of your boat while you are not using it, it is very important not to be negligent during the preparation stage.
Any negligence may end up causing physical damage to the boat or any of its electronic devices, or worse, get affected by mold and mildew! These are some of the important things that you should keep in mind while buying winter covers for pontoon boats.