When I first got my pontoon boat, I didn’t get a cover thrown in to the deal, so had to go buy one. But it was quite confusing. Did I need a mooring cover, a towing cover, a playpen cover, winter cover, or a combination of them all? I did a lot of research online to find out what the differences are, and here’s specifically is what playpen cover for a pontoon boat is:
A playpen cover for a pontoon boat is designed to cover the boat when in water, in storage or on a trailer, but not while being towed. They are slightly different to mooring covers, as playpen covers don’t cover the front deck of the boat.
The difference between a mooring and playpen cover
There is a difference between a playpen cover (also known as snap cover) and mooring cover. When you buy your first pontoon boat, it will probably just come with a snap cover.
These are designed to screw into the pontoon rails but won’t cover the front patio deck area.
Playpen covers fit very well to your boat, offering a snug and secure covering, but… they can shrink and don’t tend to last any longer than 5 or 6 years.
A mooring cover on the other hand will offer a better coverage over your pontoon, with a looser fit, but covering the deck and entirety of the boat.
Here is a brief explanation on the types of cover you can get for a pontoon boat.
#1: Mooring covers
You cover your pontoon boat with a mooring cover in a few different scenarios including when it’s in the water, being hoisted, or when placed on a trailer.
They are larger than a cover you would use when towing and are manufactured to drain off water with no pooling of rain water.
Don’t use a mooring cover when you are towing your pontoon boat as it can pull off. You will need a specialist towing cover when doing that, or no cover at all.
To see which mooring covers I recommend, look at this guide to the best.
#2: Playpen covers
Whilst it might look very similar to a mooring cover, there is a subtle difference; it will cover the whole of your pontoon boat with one exception – the front deck.
It does fit very snugly though and can be snapped into place onto the pontoon boat rails.
#3: Winter storage covers
If you are going to be leaving your boat in storage for longer periods of time during the off-season, then I’d recommend a winter storage cover.
They are the same shape as a mooring cover and offer the same level of coverage but are made from a heavier-duty material designed to withstand the elements including snow.
#4: Console covers
Console covers do exactly what they say they do and offer protection to the captain’s helm and console.
They are ideal if you are going to be leaving your pontoon boat in the water overnight, and don’t want to go through the hassle of pulling a full playpen cover or mooring cover onto it.
Instead use a center console cover to protect the important electronics.
To see which console covers I recommend, look at this guide to the best.
The last word…
And there you have it, now you should know the differences between the covers, and more importantly your original question of a what a playpen cover for a pontoon boat is.
If you would like more advice on what gear and accessories you need for your pontoon boat, then I recommend browsing through some of the following related links:
