Even though we invested in a covered boat slip at our local marina, it didn’t take long to discover that the pontoon boat cover is a MUST HAVE! Spider poop! Yep, you heard me. Spider poop is the bane of a pontoon boat lover’s existence. If you’ve ever ridden on a pontoon boat and noticed a lot of little black dots all over the seats, that’s Spider POOP!! Yuck! You know where spider poop comes from? SPIDERS!! Yikes! Trust me when I tell you, you want to cover your pontoon boat! Here’s our picks of some of the best pontoon boat covers to consider to keep the spiders, their poop, and any other creepy crawlies out of your pontoon boat!
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What Is A Pontoon Boat?
A pontoon boat is characterized by its flat and rectangular appearance and relies on tubes or “pontoons” to float. This type of recreational boat has more than enough buoyancy that allows designers/manufacturers to create large decks that can fit lounge areas, sun pads, and other fun features for the passengers to use and move around.
Pontoon boats are perfect family boats as well as “party boats” because they frequently come with LED lights, stand-up bars, tables, and more.
How To Choose Pontoon Boat Covers?
Pontoon boats come in a wide variety of sizes and styles that’s why choosing the best cover for your ‘toons can be quite challenging. To make things easier for you, here are some helpful tips in picking what covers best fit your boats.
Choose The Right Material
Pontoon boat covers are made using different materials such as marine-grade vinyl, acrylic, cotton canvas, polyester, and more. Your choice of material should depend on where you plan to store your pontoon boats. Pontoons that are stored in spaces where it is exposed to different weather conditions require a cover made of heavy-duty and weatherproof material.
Go for Bigger Sizes
When choosing a cover for your pontoon boats, it’s much better to choose a size bigger than your boats. Doing so will guarantee that your boats will get better coverage and protection. Plus covering your boats will be easier when you have a slightly larger pontoon cover. Don’t choose overly large covers, 3-5 inches will do.
Weight
Putting on and taking off boat covers can be quite tiring, so make sure that you also consider the weight of the pontoon boat covers that you’re getting.
Pick the Correct Style
Pontoon boats are designed differently so it only makes sense that you choose a cover that is fit and follows the contour of your toons for maximum protection and coverage. Although there are pontoon covers that claim to fit any type of pontoon, it’s best to check its dimensions and a style that would accommodate your toons.
Color Considerations
One thing to avoid is bright-colored covers since they tend to fade easily over time. Dark-colored pontoon covers are more desirable since they have a greater amount of dye, thus providing more protection from the sun’s UV rays.
Features To Consider
Here are some important features to consider when you’re choosing a pontoon boat cover.
- Water-resistant vs. Waterproof- water-resistant covers cannot protect your boats totally from water outside. For better protection especially when you plan to store your boats outside it’s better to choose something waterproof.
- UV protection– The rays from the sun can crack seals, damage your pontoon seats, and can cause the colors of your boats to fade. It’s important to choose a cover that has UV protection.
- Breathable- The breathability of your pontoon covers is also important to allow moisture to escape and to prevent the formation of mold and mildew that could potentially damage your boats.
- Reinforced Seams and Corners- These are critical parts of your covers that are constantly exposed to stretching and pulling. Check for durable and thicker materials in these boat cover parts.
How Do You Attach A Pontoon Boat Cover?
Here is a helpful video to show you how to properly cover your pontoon boat.
How Do You Cover A Pontoon Boat For The Winter?
- First, clean the interior and exterior parts of your pontoon boat. Do not leave anything that could contribute to moisture build-up/ mildew formation.
- Remove all non-factory installed equipment that can be damaged.
- Choose a heavy-duty cover that can withstand extreme weather conditions, especially if your pontoon boat will be exposed during the winter months.
- Ensure that your pontoon cover is secured and fitted correctly to avoid water or snow from getting inside the cover.
- Check for any tears or holes, and make sure to patch them up before covering.
- Check for any pooling water as this could weigh down the cover and damage it.
- Make sure that water can slide off to the sides of your covers.
What Is The Best Pontoon Boat Cover?
The best pontoon covers should protect your boat against external factors (like that Spider Poop I mentioned earlier. 🤢) and any damaging weather conditions.
Pontoon Boat Covers
This pontoon boat cover is perfect to fit most popular pontoon boats with three sizes with its universal design and adjustable features. It works best with 25'-28'L beam width to 96” pontoon boats and its full cut allows for extra storage space for your other boating/ fishing gears.
It is made of highly durable polyester hurricane fabric for superior protection of your boats against different weather conditions and other damaging external factors. It comes with features such as integrated strap and rope attachments making it a perfect boat cover when trailering. You don’t have to worry about moisture building up under the cover since it is breathable and allows moisture to come out.
Dimensions : 12.25 x 16 x 15.75 inches
Weight: 17.5 lbs
Features
- Marine grade fabric
- Integrated strap and rope attachments
- Adjustable transom flap
- Elastic cord sewn into the bottom hem
- Includes storage bag
Pros
- Heavy duty/Durable
- Breathable
- Mildew resistant
- UV resistant
- Water resistant
- Easy to fit
- Works great for trailering
- Lightweight
- 2 Year Warranty
Cons
- Color seems to be fade quickly according to some customers
The Aqua Armor Pontoon Boat cover makes a perfect shile for your pontoons since it can impressively block harmful external factors such as snow, UV rays, rain and dirt. It is made from a 1200 Denier Polyester 100% waterproof and UV treated, making it a durable and reliable cover for your pontoon boats.
It comes with a heavy duty shock cord hem which provides a snug fit, adding to this it also has a top and bottom strap and buckle system for secure fit that is essential for safe trailering.
Fits pontoon boats 20-24' Long (beam width to 110")
Dimensions 21 x 18 x 16 inches
Weight :32 pounds
Features
- 1200 Denier Polyester
- 100% waterproof and UV treated
- Heavy duty shock cord hem
- Top and bottom strap
Pros
- Durable
- Breathable
- Waterproof
- UV resistant
- For Trailering
- Weather resistant
Cons
- Not 100% waterproof according to some reviewers
The MSC trailerable cover is one of the most affordable covers you can buy on the market and that’s one of the many reasons why it has been a popular choice for many. Aside from being budget friendly, it is made of marine grade polyester canvas with double PU Coating for superior waterproof capacity.
Made of 300D which is perfect for long-term storage, mooring and highway travel, and it will not shrink or stretch even when used very often.
Fits: 25' to 28'L Beam Width to 104"
Dimensions: 16.7 x 11.5 x 11.25 inches
Weight : 19.16 pounds
Features
- Marine grade polyester canvas with double PU Coating
- 300 Denier
- Adjustable straps with quick-release buckles
- Elastic cord sewn into entire bottom hem
- Comes in a canvas storage bag
Pros
- Highly durable
- Double PU coating
- Waterproof
- Perfect for any weather conditions
- Doesn’t shrink or stretch easily with frequent use
- Adjustable
- Quick and easy covering
Cons
- Come with 1 Year limited warranty
Keep your pontoon boats safe and secured no matter what the weather with the StormPro boat cover. Made from highly durable 600-denier marine canvas and is designed for maximum coverage and protection. Made using fabric coating technology making it waterproof, stain and dirt proof features to ensure that your pontoons come out clean and pristine even after storing it for a long time.
Equipped with a quick-release buckle and strap system for easy and quick covering. The dual air vents decrease moisture build up and ballooning of cover at high speeds.
Dimensions : 24 x 16.5 x 15.5 inches; 27.6 Pounds
Model A: Fits pontoons 17-20'L, with beam width to 102"
Model B: Fits pontoons 21-24'L, with beam width to 102"
Features
- High-strength polyester StormPRO fabric
- Quick-release buckle and strap system
- Elastic Hem
- With Storage bag
Pros
- Heavy duty
- Waterproof
- Stain and dirt proof
- Mildew resistant
- UV resistant
- Breathable
- 5-year Warranty
- Quick release buckles
- Solid construction
Cons
- Not the best cover to use when trailering
The Vortex pontoon boat cover is made of 600D marine grade polyester canvas that excellently works to protect your boats against different weather conditions and other external factors. Prevents moisture build up thus discouraging the formation of mildew that can damage your boats and its fixtures.
It is PU coated and is nearly twice as thick as the materials used on other boat covers on the market. This tri purpose cover can be used for boat storage, mooring and even trailering.
Weight: 17 pounds
Dimensions: 20 x 9 x 10 inches
Fits pontoon boats that have 23’ to 24’L
Features
- Made of marine grade polyester canvass
- 600D fabric
- Double PU coating
- Elastic bands and straps
Pros
- Thick and heavy duty
- Breathable
- Waterproof
- Mildew resistant
- UV treated
- Elastic cords for secure fit
- Perfect for trailering
- 5 year warranty
Cons
- Less coverage on the side portion of the pontoon boats
Pontoon Boat Cover Care Tips
A well-maintained boat cover is equal to a well-protected boat. To keep your pontoon boat covers from being damaged easily, here are some care tips that you can follow.
- Don’t allow water or snow to stand or stick to your covers for long periods.
- When using boat covers while trailering, ensure that your cover is suitable to resist strong winds to avoid tears.
- Use strong and heavy-duty tie-down straps to secure the cover in place while en route on a pontoon trailer.
- Brush off any dirt or materials that are stuck on the cover
- Using a mixture of lukewarm water and mild soap like Ivory you clean your pontoon boat cover.
- Do not use detergents as they can diminish the water-repellent capacity of certain boat cover materials.
- Thoroughly dry the cover first before storing it.
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