Pontoon covers
 

Any recommendations for someone to create individual covers for a pontoon? Instead of a one piece front to back cover with support poles, I want separate pieces to cover the loungers and seats leaving the floor open.

Every pontoon boat company we looked at when buying our new one a few years ago offered exactly what you're asking for—check with your local dealer.

The backup would be a canvas shop like Melvin Village.

One of my association friends has them on his new Harris, and they look nice and easy, though I wonder how they work in the long run.

Good luck!

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Individual seat covers are the way to go for sure. I have had many pontoons over the years and all of my recent ones had them. The guy we used did beautiful work but became rather unreliable in the last year or two, so I would not pass his name along. Any of the major canvas shops can do it. Ashley at Shoreline gets lots of praise, as does Bev at Village Canvas.

Some of the brands do offer factory ones, in which case you would have to simply add the studs on the boat.

Maybe a dumb question, but what do you mean by the studs? Do the seat covers snap on like the playpen ones?

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Mine had clips that went into the rail, but had snaps in the floor and lower surfaces of the seats for the buttons to snap to. They are basically screws with the male button end.

Of the four pontoon boats I have owned, three of them utilized seat covers. They were easier to install on those boats than using the mooring cover. The seat covers were nice because you only need to uncover the seats being used while the others stay protected from the sun and elements.

On my most recent pontoon I have decided to forego the seat covers and use the full mooring cover instead. The mooring cover on the newer boat goes on a heck of a lot easier than any of the previous ones by a long-shot! My wife and I can get the entire boat covered in about 5 minutes. It also offers protection for the entire floor.

If the pontoon was my only mode of transportation to and from the island I would probably use seat covers again...

As far as recommendations...If you can't get them factory direct, any of the area canvas people can make them. They are not cheap though!

Dan

So this thread has me thinking of another option, has any one ever had a full cover made that is in two pieces. I plan to have a cover made for my pontoon, next spring or over the winter, and was pondering the idea. When its my wife and I we don't use the front seats, and it would be nice to just leave them covered.

Now I always here complaints about the full covers and how much of a pain they are but honestly, I don't see them any worse then any other boat I own. I get my 24' pontoon, covered or uncovered in less the 5 mins... I will admit that it took a while to figure out a method that works, but now that I have its really a breeze. The biggest thing I have found is that as I take the cover off, I go from bow to stern, and roll it up along the way.... then just reverse the process to get it back on... I also lay the poles out when I am putting the cover on, so that they are handy where and when I need them.....

I think forum member Codeman had a toon with split covers at one time...

The way you put your cover on is the exact same way I do mine. I have my poles numbered and pre marked for correct height. Like you said 5 minutes or less...

Dan

I have my poles numbered and they always stay at the same height, so I work from the stern to the bow after rolling it up when taking it off. Easily under five minutes each way.

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Yes Pole numbering is important... The previous owner did that for me.... Although I didn't ask, and have to figure out which end of the boat was #1.... But that didn't take long....

I actually use lines, just like on my anchor rope—that way I can see immediately at all angles.

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Right, numbering the poles makes it quicker plus I put an arrow (for the bow end) on the underside to quickly know which end is which.

I Was Bored....
 

We had some quick passing storms come through yesterday so we decided to put the mooring cover on the pontoon. Because I had nothing better to do, I decided to time how long it took my wife And I to fully cover the toon. Without rushing, it was a flat 4 minutes To fully cover from start to finish!

There you have it if anyone cares...:yawn::yawn:

Dan

I see a Wide World of Sports series in your future!

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I have a Sun Tracker with a factory cover. What a PITA It is to put on the mooring cover. It's a real nice cover BUT takes me 30 minutes by myself.

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I know the feeling! Three of my past pontoon boats had PIA mooring covers that is why I used seat covers on those. My newest boat Mooring cover is a breeze!

Dan

The one piece cover does fine. The issue I have is the front flap goes over the rail all the way down to rub rail. I have to lean over the front seat to reach that snap. Then I am on my knees on the front deck doing the snaps. This is what I want to avoid. By myself it’s about 11-13 minutes to put cover on...then it’s a few more to crawl out on my knees after I put the poles up! 58 year old knees are not liking it.

I wish I had snaps. The Tracker has a channel on the rail that you slip the stitching of the cover in. It's not a simple task. It fits perfect but it's very difficult to install esp by yourself.

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Upholstery
 

Looking for reputable, reliable and REASONABLE upholstery person, company.

We had full canopy and side curtains made for our pontoon boat by Janja at Melvin Village Canvas shop, next to Melvin Village Marina. Beautiful work, fits well, easy to put up and down. Not cheap but good value.


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Last 'toon was snaps.. HATED it.
New 'toon is J-clips (term for the plastic clips that fit in the said channel). They have now become a deal-breaker on any new boat purchase. No J-clips, no sale.

Like I learned on a Youtube, when you take it off lay it on the floor bow to stern the way it goes on and roll it up. Also the 'tag' on my covers is the center stern, start there. Like others about 5 mins to cover.