Snow is hard on boat covers, and boats,

[mickjetblue]

last week I spent at least 20 hours with the snowblower, snow shovel, and
the garage utility broom sweeping the snow off of the boats.

I have 2 boats with covers and tarps, sorry, no pics, and had to sweep the
snow off of them about 6 times! If I had not swept the snow off repeatedly,
I'm sure the covers would have succumbed to the weight of the snow.

Glad I replaced that flimsly plastic pole support with a step ladder in the
Bayliner Capri boat.

In the jon boat, I have an 18' long pine 2" x 4", and it almost flattened out,
but pine being resilient, it bounced back as I took off the snow. I'll definitely
have to add a support post for it, all the same.

I saw a short news video where a couple docked boats actually sunk from
the weight of the multiple snowfalls.

Hope everyone made it through the snow with no damage.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Snow is hard on boat covers, and boats,

Good job, I can't pat myself on the back because it's too sore from digging out, I finally got ahead of the snow yesterday and was too late my cover frame has collapsted and I spent half a day shoveling the snow out of my boat and re-doing the tent, hopefully the snow is just about done here, I'm burnt out shoveling but still have to get up there and clear off the awnings before they collapse.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Snow is hard on boat covers, and boats,

I know, I have the same issue each year. I use my patio furniture inside the boat to support the cover.

Funny thing, last year I was trying to figure out who stole my two white patio chairs but never stole the round glass table I really felt like an *** when I pulled the cover off a month later and lo and behold . . . Two white patio chairs

The only real cure is to do like (I think it's Silvertip) . . .
is to erect an upright pole at each end of the boat and then connect the two together so as to be able to drape a big plastic tarp (cheap at Harbor Freight) over the boat much like a pup tent with the boat inside.

This way it doesn't matter the quality of the tarp you use to cover the boat because the boat is inside the tent.

I've had the domes of the support poles used to keep the boat cover up punch right through my Walmart cover from the weight of the ice. I had to patch it with a kit and the patching material with the glue plus shipping cost almost as much as a new cover

I'm doing the tent next year for sure. Hopefully, I'm only looking at 2 more weeks of potentially severe snow where I live. If we get any snow in March it tends to leave quickly after a few days.

The higher the tent poles are over the boat the better because it will give the tent a steeper angle which will keep snow and ice from accumulating on the sides.

I would think using 2 x 4's would be the cheapest way out and use some guy wires on each corner staked to the ground. You could even nail two 2 x 4s together for the horizontal part to keep it from bowing down or use a support pole in the middle of the boat.

You can also spray the outside if the tent with silicon to further keep ice from forming.

 

[10thHawk]

Re: Snow is hard on boat covers, and boats,

The recent snow we just got was rather heavy. Had a metal adjustable pole tenting the tarp. Plastic piece that clamps the pole tight snapped and the bottom of the top pole bent.Tarp held up though, no rips or tears. Time to use some pvc instead.

 

[tommays]

Re: Snow is hard on boat covers, and boats,

I cover a 19' powerboat and 24' and 29' sailboats your NOT doing it right

Thats 23" in one shot with 50 MPH winds normal

A simple single piece of wood supported in 3 places at the correct height will support a massive snow and wind load and self clean for the most part

I have stored and reused this frame for 15 years