Questions from a beginner - mainly about

[kdlandis]

Hi, I bought my first pontoon this spring. I love it. We finally have a craft large enought to fit our large family and sometimes some extras!
I have a few questions:
1. For those of you who live on lakes and dock your pontoon - do you put your cover on after each use? Is the cover more sun protection or protection from wind/rain???
2. For those of you who haul - Do you cover each time? My prefered lake is a 15 minute drive away. Should I cover while traveling? I noticed a little wind drag when I didn't, but didn't know what the norm was. And covering each time is a pain.
3. Speaking of covers... when it rains I end up with sinking puddles on the cover and rain leaks through anyway. Are the puddles bad - like are they going to stretch the cover? Is leaking normal?
4. How do you store in the winter? Do you get those plastic white wraps like they come from the manufacturer? If so, where do you buy them?
5. What is the best way to clean the pontoons? They are looking dingy already. Also what about the side rails and the carpets???
6. We have kids... and pinholes in our vinyl already. Any easy way to fix?

[ron nh]

For me ,covering is more for sun and birds. sometimes I'll leave my seat covers on when trailering. some use full cover, but if you do be very confident that it won't fly off, I wouldn't recommend it. marinas will wrap it for you for winter storage for a price of course. also you will get puddling with most covers unless they are made specifically for that boat or you rig it with stilts every time you use it. lets see some pic's it sounds nice.

[teecro]

My boats sits wet under roof 24/7 but I still cover it when I'm sure that it is not getting used for a week or more just to control the spider and bird poop.... If my boat sat exposed to the sun it would be covered whenever it is not used... Unless you have a fitted cover made for towing I would not cover for towing as they tend to flap too much and get torn up.

[Gonefishing]

I don't cover while traveling but when not in use I keep it covered all the time. Keeps the seat looking new out of the sun. If having problems when it rains try some polls under the cover. Even if it puddles it is better than letting the seats get soaked from rain

[Soonertoon]

A new boat and pin holes in the vinyl already? Sounds like a trip to the woodshed for the kiddos may be the fix.....just sayin

[ROLAND]

I don't cover my boat when towing, and normally during the boating season, I don't cover the boat, but that's because the boat is stored indoors.. now during the winter season, once I get the boat all cleaned up and put away we do put the cover on just to keep anything from getting too dusty. having said that, if you store your boat outdoors, I would recommend keeping it covered all the time til you use it...

[mrlouis]

I am on my 3rd pontoon boat, traded in 1st and 2nd after five years each , the boats were on the water from May till end of Sept. I cover after every use and regular use of 303, and the seats and carpet looked new at trade in, the sun will destroy even the best vinyl, what has caused pin holes ?
Don

[OK Toon]

We keep our toon on a lift in our dock so +1 on covering to prevent spider poop. And also no cover when being towed.

If the toons are just starting to look a little dingy, keep a bag of those green scrub pads on board. You can use them to lightly clean the toons when you are out anchored and swimming around the boat. As for keeping carpets clean from dirt, we keep one of those little Hoky push vacuums on board to pick up dried dirt. Then once a year I'll bust out the shop vac to give the carpet a good cleaning. You can also stop by a car wash to power wash the carpet if needed as well.

[Bamaman]

1. I only use my mooring cover when I put the boat up for the winter. (Mine's undercover in a boathouse out of the weather.)
2. Mooring covers are for sitting still. Covers are not to be used when trailering.
3. My mooring cover has 4 telescoping poles that fit into plastic vents down the center. If kept tight, puddling will not occur.
4. You can buy shrink wrap online, and use a heat gun to shrink'em. Many use 2-3 inexpensive tarps or plastic sheeting bought in bulk.
5. Best way to clean pontoons is with Scotchbrite pads every time you use the boat. Have a family cleaning party, and it just takes a few minutes. Best to clean the toons out of the water in the Fall after you're through for the season.
6. Pinholes are next to impossible to fix in vinyl. Corporal punishment might help minimize any future seat deterioration. We seldom even wear shoes on our pontoon--much less let the grandkids handle anything sharp.

[kdlandis]

Thank you for all your advise so far!
The general consences I hear regarding the cover (see below) is that you all don't travel with it. We only go a 15 minute drive away, but hubby tells us to keep in on when trailering it because there's less drag. You are saying not to?
It is the cover that came with it when we bought it (new), it has 4 poles on the inside to hold it up, they connect to vents. This is the same cover that sags with rainwater between the poles and the side of the pontoon. I have to send a kid into the pontoon and push off the puddles after a rain.

[Xscash]

The reality of covering or not is up to your vision of value in the future. If you could care less about what your boat is worth down the road, then don't cover it. If you would like it to keep looking new and hold value, cover every time and take care of the vinyl/carpet. I just sold a 4 year old boat for almost what I paid because I keep it so clean, it looked new. 303 on the seats and polish/wax on the rails and pontoons.

[kdlandis]

I agree. My question was not about covering when I'm not using it. I definately do that. Just trying to find out now if:
1. is it better to cover it when it's being trailered the 15 minutes to the lake, or
2. uncover it at home and trailer it without the cover.

There's drag when it's trailered it without the cover, but if the cover is only meant for storage/or between uses, am I going to damage the cover by trailering with it?

[ron nh]

you certainly could damage it, they tear easier than you would think. But, a short ride, at low speed? should be ok.

[Lt. Dan]

I certainly would not be worried about 15 minutes of drag. It will only affect fuel mileage and 15 minutes won't matter. I tow mine for about 45 minutes. The cover goes on when I get home.

[jagster]

The dealer I bought my boat from made a point of informing me not to trailer with the cover on. Stating that the risk of the wind tearing it at speed could be high. Given the cost of that sucker drag would be the least of my concern especially on such a short distance.
As much as I'm not fond of putting the cover on its something we do after every trip to the lake.