SFGate

Barnhart Gallery Could you extend the tall dock lakeward, giving it three bays that you enter from the side? Perhaps you could retain the other two as patio space, just lose the roofs on those two -- or re-use them on the new extension.

memlex Great idea. Unfortunately, we would not be able to extend out that far.

Another thing I forgot to mention... We only need a total of TWO docks (out of the existing three).

Architectrunnerguy No solution. You could make things marginally better by getting rid of one.

As an aside, here on the Chesepeake Bay (Annapolis) they banned those things several years ago. Some are still around until they fall apart because of grandfathering but it's much nicer for everyone. And the amazing thing is all the boats still look JUST FINE but the views back!

memlex Everyone has them at our lake. What do they use? Just piers? Shorestation covers?

Kathryn Peltier Design Can you turn two sideways, entering from the side? If the pontoon were closest to shore, I assume the speedboat would be in at least a bit deeper water. Are these just sitting on the bottom of the lake or are they built in? Even if you just remove the middle one and leave the rest as is, wouldn't that help the view?

memlex I think putting to next to each other will create a square. Therefore, there really would not be a benefit to turning them.

Can you think of any foldable or "rollable" cover that we could hide when we're there, but put up while we're away?

Architectrunnerguy The boats are generally on lifts. While there's still a boat there, it's visual "footprint" is vastly smaller than that of basically a building. That and of course those "buildings" tend to look like c**p over time. Anne Arundel County banned those structures back in the '90's and most everyone here thinks the visual quality of the shoreline has vastly improved with no detriment to the boats.

Here's the view from my house. Now I know there's boats there but visualize those same boats all under roofs.

memlex I would still like a hard cover of some sort... I don't want rainwater to get in my boat too much.

Kathryn Peltier Design I think trying to get any kind of retractable roof would be quite an undertaking. If it was fabric of some sort, it would have to tie down tight enough to weather storms.

How about making the tops glass or acrylic panels?

Kathryn Peltier Design http://solutions.uni-systems.com/Retractable-Roof-Systems/folding-roof-systems.html
OR
How about a glass garage door, for your purposes left in the "up" position?

memlex The retractable roof you posted looks interesting, but it also looks expensive (eek!). I am also looking to have something that does not require a permanent frame (am I dreaming?).

The glass garage door idea is very interesting, though it would require some kind of a permanent frame. Hmmm...

Kathryn Peltier Design LOL yes, I think you may be dreaming. Are the docks not permanent? I mean, I am in Michigan and we have to take our docks out every winter. If you have to do that, then I think it would be pretty much impossible. How about acrylic panels like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202482760/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=corrugated+acrylic+panel&storeId=10051#.USGSVqXlaSo

memlex They are permanent; however, I would like to have a top that I can completely take away while I am there.

I am worried the acrylic panels would look bad overtime and possibly even look cheap.

Perhaps I should just go without a top.

Kathryn Peltier Design How about those big square patio umbrellas? If you could figure out a way to tie them down securely, then you could fold them up when you're there. You'd have to get the offset kind. They're not inexpensive, but they might solve your problem.
http://factorydirectpatioumbrellas.com/
I'm quite sure these come in rectangular sizes, too.

memlex I certainly appreciate the idea. It is making me think of what I might be able to create that is similar to an umbrella.

Kathryn Peltier Design Maybe you should try talking to your marina. I'll bet someone there might be able to fashion something out of a bimini top type of frame!

Kathryn Peltier Design Aha! http://www.csctextiles.com/Btop-03.htm
Just google "bimini frames"

Kathryn Peltier Design I dont' know if glass or acrylic panels themselves would look bad, but you'd have to clean them - yuk! Just what you want to do at your lake house....

memlex What if I created a chest of holding panels that I could essentially stack across the front, turn 90 degrees, and continue unfolding to the back of the boat.

I could create removable posts to support the panels.

Kathryn Peltier Design Couldn't you just use the roof structure that you have - while removing the actual roof and just leaving the frame? You could just use cable and create the kind of shade unit they use for pergolas. You would just make yours tighter, though, and have a way to secure it. Here are a couple of websites, one DIY.
http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?124913-DIY-shade-cloth-for-pergola
http://www.mightycovers.com/Fabric-Shade-Cloth-Cover.htm

In fact, maybe it would look nice to create kind of a pergola look to them. You could either replace the frame with a pergola looking frame, or maybe you could wrap what you have with aluminum or find vinyl column "wraps" to go over the posts.

Kathryn Peltier Design http://www.jeanscanvas.com/images3/Pergola-Cover_After_4.jpg

Architectrunnerguy @memlex "I would still like a hard cover of some sort... I don't want rainwater to get in my boat too much."

That's fine but then as in many things in the wacky world, it becomes a trade off. The cost of having a hard cover over your boat is a horrible waterfront vista.

Most everyone here has a canvas cover. I know when we had a boat, we had a canvas cover and no water got in the boat. The cover shed the water nicely.

kmiller6711 I agree with Architectrunnerguy. If you want the view, get rid of any type of hard cover. Canvas covers are intended to shed water effectively. Boats are made for water, and any rainwater you may get would go into the bilge and can be efficiently flushed from there. No harm to the boat.

Martie Allison I personally don't have a boat cover, but there are many on our lake that do. A solution that I see is just a boat canopy cover that attaches to the boat lift. Most are tall, but some have been lowered so that you have to get out of the boat before you lift it out of the water. I think this would be excellent weather protection to have the canopy so close to the top of the boat and help your view. Look at iboats.com under boat lift canopies for a picture of the type of canopy I am trying to describe. Also I notice you have a boat tower, I have that too, mine is stationary, but many towers can be lowered or can hinge back so the the canopy can be lower.

bojaby Wow, all of these ideas sound very complicated and expensive. Build a raised deck or raise the house might be easier!

lj_oliver Two solutions: First, how big is your lot? If it is wide enough, you could build a low-profile, dry-storage unit for your pontoon boat and ski boat with rails going down into the water so that you can retrieve the boats with ease. You could have an electrical or manual wench installed to pull the boats up with ease out of the water. The second idea and less expensive... I see you have a Hydrahoist Lift underneath your ski boat, which is a great way to keep your boat out of the elements. Since you have wisely invested in the Hydrahoist Lift, I would consider moving your boat dock to the far left of your property (as seen in the picture); extending your boat ramp so that it will run length of the boat slips; take one of the two smaller slips out; then turn the boat slip entrances sideways and not straight in as the are now. This should greatly improve the lake view from your windows. Also, if your budget will allow, add a second Hydrahoist for your pontoon boat, and raise the roof line on the pontoon slip to make one continual and even roof line for both slips. It will be much more appealing to the eye rather than three uneven slips stuck together. To finish it off, add a fresh coat of paint or stain, add some I-bolts with ski rope attached to the very end of the dock for visiting boats to tie up; and, wha-laah! You will end up with a boathouse that not only will increase your property value, but you will be proud of and will enjoy for many years to come. Good luck and safe boating to you!

mveasey My first idea was as lj_oliver, if you want to have the million dollar view, have two rails with a winch on your right side of the house , between the blue looking garage and the water, and store them there with the covers.

rmcmanamy I would vote for a fabric or canvas cover like the sail shades they do in the Southwest. Sunbrella does a really good job of shedding water especially if there is a nice angle to it and the multiple heights that they do on the shade sails typically might work so you have the highest point in the center of the two boats. The different heights and angles to me look much better than a flat top roof anyday.

You could also do a removable one that you clip on the 4 corners when the boat is down and by raising the boat the ski tower is used to tension the cover.

Another option for a hard top might be a telescoping top. I've seen a system for hot tubs here that they might be able to expand for a boat. http://www.sterlingcovana.com/

Elise Memlex, following the conversation so far, you prefer a hard cover. Have you investigated having a fiberglass fabrication shop, custom-mold the covers to pop on the boats for the off-season? It won't be cheap, but would allow you to lose the roofs covering the boats, keep water out of the boats and give back your view.
http://www.seahorseplastics.com/marine-fiberglass-repair.php