Height of mooring cover poles

[DebGeb]

So, we brought our S20 Bennington home from our lake house and forgot the poles for the mooring cover. I know they're adjustible but I'm thinking of replacing them with PVC pipe. Does anyone know how tall they should be? (The cover has 3 vent caps and I think the middle pole is taller than the front and back.)

It snowed a little today and I'm anxious to get the boat covered for an Ohio winter. We use a heavy tarp over the mooring cover.

Any help, advice, comment out there?

 

[Pbakk]

If you don’t get an answer, I would put the cover on and measure each pole location. Cut a little long as you can always shorten them. Done.

 

[Vikingstaff]

So, we brought our S20 Bennington home from our lake house and forgot the poles for the mooring cover. I know they're adjustible but I'm thinking of replacing them with PVC pipe. Does anyone know how tall they should be? (The cover has 3 vent caps and I think the middle pole is taller than the front and back.)

It snowed a little today and I'm anxious to get the boat covered for an Ohio winter. We use a heavy tarp over the mooring cover.

Any help, advice, comment out there?

For winter storage (outdoors?) you would certainly need an alternative substructure. The OEM adjustable poles are not made for the weight of winter snow and storms. Frankly, the cover is not meant to get beat up like that either.

FWIW, I’d recommend indoor storage, or shrink wrapping for outdoors storage. Some sort of DYI but durable frame and tarping could work. Ours is kept indoors up here in Michigan, so I haven’t drilled down too much in options. You can also search through here for things others have done in this regard.

Secondarily though, do you plan on getting your adjustable poles for use “in-season” next year? The mooring cover will stretch and expand a bit over time. IMHO having adjustable poles is a BIG part of keeping it taunt as time goes on.

 

[DebGeb]

For winter storage (outdoors?) you would certainly need an alternative substructure. The OEM adjustable poles are not made for the weight of winter snow and storms. Frankly, the cover is not meant to get beat up like that either.

FWIW, I’d recommend indoor storage, or shrink wrapping for outdoors storage. Some sort of DYI but durable frame and tarping could work. Ours is kept indoors up here in Michigan, so I haven’t drilled down too much in options. You can also search through here for things others have done in this regard.

Secondarily though, do you plan on getting your adjustable poles for use “in-season” next year? The mooring cover will stretch and expand a bit over time. IMHO having adjustable poles is a BIG part of keeping it taunt as time goes on.

Thanks for your thoughts but I was really hoping you could offer pole heights and if PVC is a worthwhile idea. Yes, I'll get the adjustables back but right now, they are a 9-hour drive away.

 

[mtudb24]

Thanks for your thoughts but I was really hoping you could offer pole heights and if PVC is a worthwhile idea. Yes, I'll get the adjustables back but right now, they are a 9-hour drive away.

Every model is most likely going to have its specific pole height so unless anyone has your boat model, not sure we can give you a height recommendation.

I 2nd Jeff's comments about either Shrink Wrapping or making a frame to support the weight of snow etc. Or you can buy one already with the T's and Y's and just cut your PVC runner pipes to fit the length of the boat like this one from Amazon. The brackets fit over the fence railing and then the PVC pipes fit into them.

https://www.amazon.com/Pontoon-Boat-Canvas-Solution-22-26/dp/B09MDTGBBY

 

[Vikingstaff]

I was really hoping you could offer pole heights and if PVC is a worthwhile idea.

9 hours…yikes! I can appreciate that not happening right away. Sounds like you’ll be good to go by next season when you’d actually use them in season, so that’s good.

Poles are adjustable, and heights will vary by boat model/lenth/layout as well as age and “stretch” of mooring cover. Thus, pretty individualized. People could probably chime in and be in the ballpark, but you need to get it taunt, so slight differences would matter - particularly in winter with possible snow weight and sag if not precise.

For height measurement you are looking for: I would recommended taking a pole that fits in vent slot for the normal adjustable poll. Have one person push up until cover is taunt. Other person tape measure that precise height. To be accurate at each spot, you’d likely need someone else to push up at previous spot, while repeating this process at each of the other spots. This is because being taunt in one spot, pulls and impacts other pole heights at the other air vent locations.

I hate to say it, but if you want to be precise, it’d likely take this sort of process.

Finally, overall some sort of PVC support skeleton should work. Some people build their own PVC or Wood frames. Others go some sort of purchasable route like shown in the post above. If going that route, I’d strap/wrap some heavy duty tarps or after market all season cover over it all, as again, the OEM morning cover is not really built for that kind of winter weathering over time.

All of that said, I think shrink wrap would be a much better winterization process for sealing it up more thoroughly (for winter, snow, pest incursions, etc) AND being winter weathering ready.

Given the cost of these boats, I’m one to error on the side of caution in these upkeep areas.

 

[Jack M]

Amazon has poles .
Factory covers are not made to take the weight of snow with or without an extra tarp . I have seen covers collapse from rain if the stern strap was not connected.

Amazon.com : Mooring cover poles

So, we brought our S20 Bennington home from our lake house and forgot the poles for the mooring cover. I know they're adjustible but I'm thinking of replacing them with PVC pipe. Does anyone know how tall they should be? (The cover has 3 vent caps and I think the middle pole is taller than the front and back.)

It snowed a little today and I'm anxious to get the boat covered for an Ohio winter. We use a heavy tarp over the mooring cover.

Any help, advice, comment out there?

 

[Potomacbassin’]

Different pole heights for different boats - there are two different heights just on my boat alone. It also changes a little due to ambient temps.

If you want the mooring cover perfectly taut at all times, you'll want to get adjustable poles. If you just need something to keep the rain and snow out you could get away with a fixed pole of some sort. Personally PVC at that small diameter might flex too much for my likes, just cut some wood dowels or galvanized/copper pipe. Get rubber feet from amazon so you don't end up damaging your flooring.

 

[cw77]

I've seen a few comments about putting a heavier tarp over the mooring cover for winter storage - any concerns about that blocking the air vents in the mooring cover? Or is that not really anything to worry about during dry winter months?

 

[Michiman]

I've seen a few comments about putting a heavier tarp over the mooring cover for winter storage - any concerns about that blocking the air vents in the mooring cover? Or is that not really anything to worry about during dry winter months?

I use indoor storage so I don’t speak from experience, but it seems to me that putting something directly over the mooring cover could encourage mold or mildew.