Summer is coming to an end and cooler temperatures will be here before we know it! As fall rolls around, it's time to start thinking about fall clean-up around the lake. Part of that clean-up is removing and folding up your canopy cover. Sounds easy, doesn't it? It is not as easy as it sounds, it's not like folding up your bed sheets. It is important to get things put away and stored properly so they are in great shape for next year!
Before you begin to fold up your canopy, you must make sure that it is as clean as it can be. Make sure it is dry and there is no dirt, pollen, etc. If you find anything that needs cleaned up, wipe it off with a soapy rag and water. Never use anything bleach or anything with bleach as it can harm your canopy cover. One other thing to keep in mind is a boat lift with a canopy and no boat is not a good situation. It could take off like an umbrella and blow the lift over in inclement weather! Always be sure to remove your canopy cover before you take your boat out of the water to avoid this. Now it's time to start removing the cover, grab someone to help you and get started:
To begin, there needs to be one person at each end. Lift the cover off the frame and lay it on the ground.
Begin horizontally folding the cover, as you would a sleeping bag! Fold about 1.5 feet of the cover at a time. Make sure you smooth out each piece as you go. Then, stop when you reach the halfway point.
Fold the cover on the opposite side that has not been folded yet in the same way as the other side. Once the sides meet, fold one side over the other and smooth it out!
Bring one end of the cover to the other as you would when folding a towel in half. Finally, starting at the fold you will then begin to roll it slowly to get out any air that may be trapped inside. Make sure you store it in a dry safe location so you can use it next year without any problems.
Now your canopy is ready to be stored nicely for the colder months and you don't have to worry about it getting ruined sitting outside all winter long!
