Cover System for Pontoon Boats

Abstract

A cover system for pontoon boats is provided. The cover system facilitates the expeditious covering of a pontoon boat. The cover system includes a plurality of support bows that are laterally extendable across a pontoon boat deck and attachable to the railing of a superstructure thereof. A cover is affixed to a tubular roller that is configured to extend and retract the cover over the plurality of support bows. Support arms disposed at ends of the tubular roller include brackets for mounting the tubular roller onto the superstructure of a pontoon boat and supporting the cover on a side thereof. A handle is attached to the cover for enabling a user to manually extend the cover over the plurality of support bows. The tubular roller is operably coupled to an actuator that is configured to rotate the roller and retract the cover.

I claim: 
     
         1 ) A cover system for a boat, comprising:
 a plurality of support bows, each of the plurality of support bows including a distal end and a proximal end;   a roller including a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end each including a support arm configured to attach to a boat;   wherein the roller is configured to rotate in a first direction and a second direction;   a cover including a first end and a free second end, the first end attached to the roller, the roller configured to extend and retract the cover; and   an actuator operably coupled to the roller, the actuator configured to retract the cover via rotation of the roller.   
     
     
         2 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener disposed on the distal end of each of the plurality of support bows, the fastener configured to receive a railing of the boat. 
     
     
         3 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of tubular members, wherein each of the plurality of support bows is configured to slidably extend and retract from the tubular member. 
     
     
         4 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of support bows extend orthogonally relative to a longitudinal axis of the boat. 
     
     
         5 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of support bows comprises a plurality of elongated members slidably disposed within one another in a telescopic arrangement. 
     
     
         6 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the roller extends at least a longitudinal length of the boat and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat. 
     
     
         7 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the support arms are pivotally connected to the boat and movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the boat, wherein the support arms are positionable between a stowed position and a deployment position relative to the boat. 
     
     
         8 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises water impermeable tarpaulin. 
     
     
         9 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the free second end of the cover comprises:
 a fastener disposed along an edge thereof;   a handle disposed on an edge thereof; and   an elongated rod disposed along an edge thereof.   
     
     
         10 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises a first side and a second side, each of the first side and the second side having a length configured to extend over a front and a rear of the boat. 
     
     
         11 ) The cover system of  claim 10 , wherein the first side and second side of the cover each comprise a fastener disposed along an edge thereof. 
     
     
         12 ) The cover system of  claim 10 , wherein the first side and the second side of the cover each include a flap pivotally attached to an edge thereof, the flaps being foldable relative to the cover and having a length configured to extend over the front and rear of a boat to fully enclose a superstructure thereof, wherein each flap includes a fastener. 
     
     
         13 ) The cover system of  claim 10 , wherein the first side of the cover comprises a transparent portion. 
     
     
         14 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a spring-biased actuator disposed in an interior volume of the roller, the spring-biased actuator including a spring-biased towards the second direction and a ratchet operably coupled to the spring, wherein extension of the cover in the first direction increases the tension in the spring and wherein the ratchet enables a user to lock the cover when extended and release the tension in the spring. 
     
     
         15 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a hand crank, wherein rotation of the hand crank rotates the roller in the second direction. 
     
     
         16 ) The cover system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises an electric motor coupled to an activation switch on a boat steering station, wherein actuation of the activation switch rotates the roller in the second direction. 
     
     
         17 ) A cover system for a boat, comprising:
 a plurality of support bows including a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end configured to attach to a boat;   a plurality of tubular members, each of the plurality of tubular members configured to slidably house one of the plurality of support bows;   a roller including a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end each including a support arm for mounting the roller to the boat;   a cover including a first end and a free second end;   wherein the roller is configured to extend and retract the cover; and   an actuator operably coupled to the roller, the actuator configured to retract the cover via rotation of the roller.   
     
     
         18 ) The cover system of  claim 17 , further comprising a fastener disposed on an end of the distal end of the plurality of support bows. 
     
     
         19 ) The cover system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of support bows is configured to slidably extend and retract from the tubular member. 
     
     
         20 ) The cover system of  claim 17 , wherein the first end of the cover is attached to the roller and the free second end of the cover includes a handle and a fastener. 
     
     
         21 ) The cover system of  claim 17 , wherein the free second end of the cover further comprises an elongated rod disposed along an edge thereof. 
     
     
         22 ) The cover system of  claim 17 , wherein the cover further comprises a first side and a second side, each of the first side and the second side having a length configured to extend over a front and a rear of the boat. 
     
     
         23 ) The cover system of  claim 22 , wherein the first side and second side of the cover each comprise a fastener disposed along an edge thereof. 
     
     
         24 ) The cover system of  claim 22 , wherein the first side and the second side of the cover each include a flap pivotally attached to an edge thereof, the flaps being foldable relative to the cover and having a length configured to extend over the front and rear of a boat to fully enclose a superstructure thereof, wherein each flap includes a fastener. 
     
     
         25 ) The cover system of  claim 22 , wherein the first side of the cover comprises a transparent portion. 
     
     
         26 ) The cover system of  claim 17 , wherein the actuator comprises a spring-biased actuator disposed in an interior volume of the roller, the spring-biased actuator including a spring-biased towards the second direction and a ratchet operably coupled to the spring. 
     
     
         27 ) The cover system of  claim 17 , wherein the actuator comprises a hand crank, wherein rotation of the hand crank rotates the roller.