Cover for pontoon boat

Abstract

A cover assembly for a watercraft includes a cover body having a front, an aft end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side. A fastening system includes a tension member and a tightening mechanism. The tightening mechanism is operable to transform the cover body between a loose configuration and a tightened configuration. In the tightened configuration, the cover body includes at least one contoured area extending out of a plane of a surrounding portion of the cover body.

1 . A cover for a watercraft comprising:
 a cover body having a front, an aft end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side; and   a fastening system including a tension member and a tightening mechanism, the tightening mechanism being operable to transform the cover body between a loose configuration and a tightened configuration, wherein in the tightened configuration, the cover body includes at least one contoured area extending out of a plane of a surrounding portion of the cover body.   
     
     
         2 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contoured area defines a low point of the cover when in the tightened configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contoured area has a generally concave curvature. 
     
     
         4 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contoured area is formed near the front of the cover body. 
     
     
         5 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contoured area is formed near the side of the cover body. 
     
     
         6 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contoured area has a longitudinal axis, and the tension member is connected to a fixture of the watercraft, the fixture being generally aligned with the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one contoured area has a longitudinal axis, and when the cover is in the tightened configuration, the tightening mechanism applies a tension to the cover body, where at the at least one contoured area, the tension extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The cover of  claim 7 , wherein substantially all of the tension acting on the contoured area extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . A cover for a watercraft comprising:
 a cover body having a front, an aft end, a first lateral side and a second lateral side; and   a fastening system including a tension member and a tightening mechanism, the tightening mechanism being operable to transform the cover body between a loose configuration and a tightened configuration;   wherein in the tightened configuration, the tightening mechanism applies a tension to the cover body; and   wherein in the tightened configuration, the cover body includes a contoured area having a longitudinal axis and substantially all of the tension acting on the cover body at the contoured area extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         10 . The cover of  claim 9 , wherein the contoured area defines a low point of the cover when in the tightened configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The cover of  claim 9 , wherein the contoured area has a generally concave curvature. 
     
     
         12 . The cover of  claim 9 , wherein the contoured area is formed near the front of the cover body. 
     
     
         13 . The cover of  claim 9 , wherein the contoured area is formed near the side of the cover body. 
     
     
         14 . The cover of  claim 9 , wherein the contoured area has a longitudinal axis, and the tension member is connected to a fixture of the watercraft, the fixture being generally aligned with the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The cover of  claim 9 , wherein when in the tightened configuration, at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side has a non-uniform configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The cover of  claim 15 , wherein the non-uniform configuration further comprises a first linear portion extending from the front of the cover body and a second curved portion extending from the first linear portion to the aft end of the cover body. 
     
     
         17 . A watercraft comprising:
 a deck;   a railing system extending from the deck;   a cover including a cover body connectable to the railing, the cover being transformable between a loose configuration and a tightened configuration, wherein in the tightened configuration, the cover body has a contoured area extending out of a plane of a surrounding portion of the cover body.   
     
     
         18 . The watercraft of  claim 17 , wherein the contoured area has a first edge, a second, opposite edge, and a center positioned between the first edge and the second edge, wherein the center forms a low point of the cover. 
     
     
         19 . The watercraft of  claim 18 , wherein when the cover is in the tightened configuration, the first edge and the second, opposite edge are arranged near an upper surface of the railing system, and the center is arranged near an upper surface of the deck. 
     
     
         20 . The watercraft of  claim 17 , wherein the railing system includes at least one opening, and the contoured area is positioned within the at least one opening. 
     
     
         21 . The watercraft of  claim 17 , further comprising a movable structure, the movable structure being arranged at an exterior of the cover body when the cover is in the tightened configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The watercraft of  claim 17 , further comprising a movable structure, the movable structure being positioned underneath the cover body when the cover is in the tightened configuration. 
     
     
         23 . The watercraft of  claim 17 , wherein the watercraft is a pontoon boat. 
     
     
         24 .- 38 . (canceled)