Retractable cover for a boat trailer

A retractable trailer cover system adapted for retrofitting an existing pontoon boat trailer having a trailer frame including longitudinally extending side rails, the system comprising:

• a canopy for selectively covering at least a portion of the trailer frame, the canopy including:
• a plurality of U-shaped, spaced ribs extending laterally over the trailer frame from one side rail to the opposite side rail;
• and
• a flexible cover material secured to and covering the plurality of ribs;
• and
• a canopy frame including:
• a plurality of mounting brackets spaced along each of the side rails;
• two elongated tracks affixed to the plurality of mounting brackets, one track extending parallel and adjacent to each side rail of the trailer frame;
• and
• a plurality of translation members received within the tracks, each of the plurality of translation members affixed to one of the plurality of ribs such that the plurality of ribs are movably retained within the tracks,
• wherein the plurality of mounting brackets are configured to be affixed to the trailer frame to mount the retractable trailer cover system to the trailer frame, wherein the canopy is configured to be retracted in an accordion-style manner to selectively uncover the boat trailer.

A method of retrofitting a retractable trailer cover to an existing boat trailer, the boat trailer including a trailer frame having longitudinally extending side rails, the method comprising:

• mounting a plurality of mounting brackets to the trailer frame, the plurality of mounting brackets spaced from one another along each of the side rails and each of the plurality of mounting brackets including a mounting plate;
• mounting an elongated track to the spaced mounting plates, one track extending along each of the side rails, the tracks each including a guide channel;
• inserting a plurality of wheels within each guide channel of each track;
• affixing a canopy frame to the plurality of wheels, the canopy frame including a plurality of U-shaped, spaced ribs extending laterally over the trailer frame from one side rail to the other side rail, a lower end of each rib attached to one of the plurality of wheels such that the plurality of ribs are slidably retained to the tracks;
• and
• securing a flexible cover material to the plurality of ribs, whereby the ribs and flexible cover material can selectively be retracted and expanded along the tracks to retract or expand the trailer cover.