Making a cover for my pontoon

[tucker0104]

I have a 24 foot pontoon boat that I want to make a cover for it for the winter. I have no idea where to start though. I have a 20' x 30' tarp that I can use; I just need ideas on how to make the frame to hold the tarp up. Anybody have any ideas or pictures? My railing is the 1.25" square tubing.

[HandymanHerb]

Where are you at so we will know what to tell you

[MH Hawker]

Here is a idea. I used this for several years before i got a carport, it worked well but i dont have a heavy snow load mostly rain in WV now i use this.

[tucker0104]

I am near Charlotte, North Carolina.

[HandymanHerb]

So just rain your worried about, the pvc frame works good for that

[cwag911]

I am near Charlotte, North Carolina.

Do you boat on Norman? We're in Denver.

[Bamaman]

I made seat covers for my pontoon boat last year out of Surlast. That's the same brand and material used in my OEM Bennington cover that cost about $1500 (list.)

You'd have to have an upholstery sewing machine to consider making any kind of boat cover out of canvas. The Surlast is relatively lightweight, however putting a big needle through the stuff requires a strong sewing machine. Any hand sewing required using a pair of wire pliers and the biggest needle I could find, and it still took a lot of pressure.