My toon (1997 Sun Tracker Signature 25) didn't have a mooring cover when I bought in July. Previous owner had it but blew off his dock into the lake.
Can't find a semi-custom playpen cover for less than $800. Custom cover is about $1500.
So I bought a "three purpose" universal Pontoon Cover from a company called Vortex direct in Alabama for less than $200. It's essentially a full boat cover with an elastic stretch band around the bottom designed to cover the entire deck.
I tried is as a mooring cover and the wind tended to blow it off at the corners or sides. And water would pool on the valleys and I had a giant rain collector.
So I got some PVC 3" drain pipe and cut to two 48" lengths and added some slip on T fittings to tops. These slip easily over the two table posts on my toon. Then ran a rope from the back of the toon to the front...passing it thru the PVC T fittings to create a full length center support for the cover. Then I put the cover over all, and tie a rope between two eye loops on the cover at the bow and pull the bottom tight below the deck and tie off.
Viola! Boat is now fully protected and the cover withstands (stays on) in wind and storms, and there is no water pooling on the cover anywhere. And I can use the sames cover for offseason dry storage. Takes just a few minutes to put on...granted I have to lay the rear bimini down so it is under the cover too.
I may add some snaps to the cover so I can fasten in key points to the existing males snaps already installed on the boat (from the old playpen cover and camping enclosure). Will probably treat the cover with 503 in the off season.
Now I don't think I even need a mooring/playpen cover. And frankly, this setup goes on faster than playpen covers. Only challenge is my dock doesn't go all the way to the rear of the boat on the side so we have to climb on the back to start the cover on the rear deck corners. But once you get the system down a few times, it's easy.
Oh yeah, it helps to mark the bow and stern center points of the cover with a marker.
Can't find a semi-custom playpen cover for less than $800. Custom cover is about $1500.
So I bought a "three purpose" universal Pontoon Cover from a company called Vortex direct in Alabama for less than $200. It's essentially a full boat cover with an elastic stretch band around the bottom designed to cover the entire deck.
I tried is as a mooring cover and the wind tended to blow it off at the corners or sides. And water would pool on the valleys and I had a giant rain collector.
So I got some PVC 3" drain pipe and cut to two 48" lengths and added some slip on T fittings to tops. These slip easily over the two table posts on my toon. Then ran a rope from the back of the toon to the front...passing it thru the PVC T fittings to create a full length center support for the cover. Then I put the cover over all, and tie a rope between two eye loops on the cover at the bow and pull the bottom tight below the deck and tie off.
Viola! Boat is now fully protected and the cover withstands (stays on) in wind and storms, and there is no water pooling on the cover anywhere. And I can use the sames cover for offseason dry storage. Takes just a few minutes to put on...granted I have to lay the rear bimini down so it is under the cover too.
I may add some snaps to the cover so I can fasten in key points to the existing males snaps already installed on the boat (from the old playpen cover and camping enclosure). Will probably treat the cover with 503 in the off season.
Now I don't think I even need a mooring/playpen cover. And frankly, this setup goes on faster than playpen covers. Only challenge is my dock doesn't go all the way to the rear of the boat on the side so we have to climb on the back to start the cover on the rear deck corners. But once you get the system down a few times, it's easy.
Oh yeah, it helps to mark the bow and stern center points of the cover with a marker.
