We bought our share of solar covers. Since we had a 16 foot by 32-foot oval pool, I always needed to trim the cover. Some came as a 16 foot by 32-foot rectangular shape. Others came as ovals but did not fit the shape of the pool.
We depended on the sun to heat our pool. The pool did not get the morning sun as the house blocked the sun. The pool did not get the late afternoon sun, as the tree line obstructed the sun. While other pool owners would tell us they had to take their pool covers off because the pool was too warm, we did not have that opportunity. When the pool hit, I believe, the prime temperature of 80 degrees, it would go back down over night. If the overnight temperature was under 60 degrees, the pool would never get back to its prime temperature the next day.
I installed a solar cover roller on the pool deck. Because the deck overhung the pool, the cover got stuck under the deck. It normally took two people to roll up the pool. Sometimes I could roll it up by myself, but Efiwym would help. I had to laugh when Efiwym and one of the kids would roll up the cover. I would come home from work and the cover was uneven on the roller with the cover rolled over one of the wheel ends. (See picture below.)
Because the pool was oval, the roller brackets needed to be installed at the widest part of the pool. Part of the bracket could be removed, but the base was screwed to the deck eight feet from the deep end. Grabbing the cover by the deep end, you would fold the cover over the roller. You would tuck part of the cover under the roller as you turned it. You worked hard to keep the cover straight as you rolled it up. Once it was rolled up, you would remove it and then place it on brackets mounted on the back side of the railing. Next you would cover it with a protective white plastic tarp. Over time the cover was just placed on the deck against the railing and maybe, just maybe, you would put the protective cover on it.