This is my second season of boat ownership. Last year, I had the dealer retrieve the boat, service it, shrink wrap it and store it for the winter (I?m in New Jersey). Man was that expensive. This year, I purchased a trailer, retrieved the boat myself and did as much of the service as I could. I had the dealer do the service I was not yet comfortable doing myself.
My boat is a Cobalt 246 bow rider and it?s on a roller trailer in the driveway at my house. The boat is 24? long and the boat/trailer together weighs about 6,500 lbs. I read somewhere, can?t remember where, that I should put the entire trailer up on blocks for the winter. Is this the way to go, or not necessary? If I should put the trailer up on blocks, my question is how to go about doing so. Do I put the front up on blocks first, or the back? Where should the blocks be placed? I?d use cinder blocks and blocks of wood on top. Do I need 2 rows of cinder block in each location or will one stacked row be ok? Should the length of the blocks be in the same direction as the trailer or should they be horizontal to the trailer (hope this one makes sense)? Will a car jack for my f-150 be ok to jack up the back or the trailer or will I need something else? Anything else you folks can tell me about this, please chime in.
As to covering the boat I?ve purchased a tarp that is 16? x 30?. I?ve also purchased 2? pvc pipe and constructed framing inside the boat so that once the tarp is on, it will properly shed water and snow (I hope). I know I have to put mildew control bags in the boat. Where should they go and how many should be needed? Do they just go on the floor, or should I put something under them? The mildew control bags I saw in the store were good for three months, so do you have to replace them mid winter? Should I leave all storage compartments and the head open for air flow or keep them closed? What?s the best way to secure the tarp? Should I use a draw string around the entire tarp, and then secure the tarp with bungees to the trailer in several places, or just secure the tarp to the trailer with bungees in more places and skip the draw string? Do I have to allow for ventilation, and if so, what?s the best way to do that? Is there an easy way to make access to the boat, without having to remove the whole tarp?
Thanks to any and all that can help.
Johhny
My boat is a Cobalt 246 bow rider and it?s on a roller trailer in the driveway at my house. The boat is 24? long and the boat/trailer together weighs about 6,500 lbs. I read somewhere, can?t remember where, that I should put the entire trailer up on blocks for the winter. Is this the way to go, or not necessary? If I should put the trailer up on blocks, my question is how to go about doing so. Do I put the front up on blocks first, or the back? Where should the blocks be placed? I?d use cinder blocks and blocks of wood on top. Do I need 2 rows of cinder block in each location or will one stacked row be ok? Should the length of the blocks be in the same direction as the trailer or should they be horizontal to the trailer (hope this one makes sense)? Will a car jack for my f-150 be ok to jack up the back or the trailer or will I need something else? Anything else you folks can tell me about this, please chime in.
As to covering the boat I?ve purchased a tarp that is 16? x 30?. I?ve also purchased 2? pvc pipe and constructed framing inside the boat so that once the tarp is on, it will properly shed water and snow (I hope). I know I have to put mildew control bags in the boat. Where should they go and how many should be needed? Do they just go on the floor, or should I put something under them? The mildew control bags I saw in the store were good for three months, so do you have to replace them mid winter? Should I leave all storage compartments and the head open for air flow or keep them closed? What?s the best way to secure the tarp? Should I use a draw string around the entire tarp, and then secure the tarp with bungees to the trailer in several places, or just secure the tarp to the trailer with bungees in more places and skip the draw string? Do I have to allow for ventilation, and if so, what?s the best way to do that? Is there an easy way to make access to the boat, without having to remove the whole tarp?
Thanks to any and all that can help.
Johhny
