so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink covering

[Taxus812]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

hope you don't get much snow in CT

Depends on the year. Most of the time it is 2-6 inches that melts a few days later. Sometime it can be a foot or two. Its a crap shoot.

It is next to my driveway so if it collects ill brush it off. I'm more worried about the oak leaves getting in than water from snow. When the leaves get in they get wet and start to rot (along with everything around it). Snow will melt and run out the drain since it is typically above freezing here.

Its funny you say that would say it would not fly in Minnesota. I got the the two tarp idea from a coworker who lives lives in Woodbury

 

[Volphin]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

Reading all of this brings back memories! I used to use one fully tented cover because we don't get much snow! I'm thankful for that heated garage I have now!

 

[JimS123]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

I hope you don't get much snow in CT - that setup would never fly in MN. Too easy for the snow to stick and start creating pockets.

Any snow and that cover will sag. Twice and it'll stretch making it unusable. 6" of snow and that cover will collapse under the weight. The straps will hold nothing.

Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but I've been there, done that. My wood supports were much heavier and still didn't work.

All I had was a 14' tinny, and I thought the backyard would be Ok for it. The other boats were in the garage anyway. Twoyears of fighting with it and I ended up building another 3-car garage.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

Um yeah, dont have cash or land to build a garage so a cover will have to do . I was looking at a portable garage for about 1k but just dont have $$ this year.

I will have to see how it works out.

This is the same basic support method they use with shrink-wrap (you can buy a similar frame here as well).
There is a strap along the bottom of the cover cinched tight under the rub-rail. Hopefully it cant pull up to easily. I will be covering the entire thing with a tarp as well.

If the cover gets ruined who gives a poop it was $65 . (I have a different cover for the summer). I'll have to use plan B if it fails all together. 2x4's to make a lean-to covered by another tarp.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

Also a CT boater.

Last year was shrink wrap. Year before just a tarp. This season a Fischer cover.

Last year we got 20"+ of snow in a bunch of storms right in a row. Couldn't get out of our street for 3 days!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

Last year we got 20"+ of snow in a bunch of storms right in a row. Couldn't get out of our street for 3 days!

3 days for 20" of snow? What would you do if it actually snowed?

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

I'm looking at a carport for mine, because it's such a PIA to cover for winter. This was last year- First it's covered with the Sunbrella bow and cockpit cover, then the heavyass factory travel cover... Then up front is a couple of partial sheets of plywood that I cut to the semi-shape of the bow, and under that plywood is about 10 fir strips draped across the bow rails to help with holding the snow. Then starting right behind the windshield are 3 more sheets of plywood, with a 2x4 under the seams, with a few screws holding each piece of plywood to the 2x4's. And finally, about 3 odd-size HF tarps. I removed the small rear seatback cushion at the walk-thru to allow ventilation, and I bought a 2 gallon bucket of water absorber and set on the floor inside. The boat was bone dry inside everywhere come springtime. FWIW my first winter I sealed the boat up tight and ended up with LOTS of wet inside. For that reason alone I would never use shrink wrap, but that's just me.

And a word about HF tarps-- notice all the snow on the plants and BBQ and such in my photo, and notice how much is on the boat- I never moved any snow off the boat all winter, the snow just plain doesn't pile up on those tarps! We also have a fabric gazebo over our hot tub, first winter I had to knock the snow off after every storm. I covered it with blue tarps and there's never more than an inch of snow on it no matter how much is on the ground--Don't know if it's heat radiation or if the snow simply slides off, but it never seems to pile up...

 

[OllieC]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

I had her shrink wrapped last year. The marina did it.
Unfortunately when I took it off this Spring, she had random scratches along the hull (not happy). It looked to me like the installer was careless with whatever tool, and put random scratches in different spots. There wasn't necessarily rub marks from the tensioning rope, but a few.

Using my cover and indoors or in an outdoor canvas structure this year.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

you mean one of these . I just put the tarp over the whole thing tonight.



Note: the whole back is just loosely hanging so there is ventilation under the tarp.

 

[rallyart]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

Shrink wrap is rare around here.

 

[JimS123]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

This is the same basic support method they use with shrink-wrap

If the cover gets ruined who gives a poop it was $65 . (I have a different cover for the summer). I'll have to use plan B if it fails all together. 2x4's to make a lean-to covered by another tarp.

Not true - for shrink wrap to work the support has to be ridgid. Like 2x4s or PVC pipe. Your straps won't support thr tarp in a heavy rain!!

Ruined cover - I agree - not worth much. But when it collapses and you're skurying in a snow storm because the boat is now full of water, you'll wish you didn't.

Plan B is to late - need to make it plan A.

A little water inside - freeze thaw - rotten stringers and a ruined boat and the consequences will outway the investment.

As I said before...been there done that.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

I do this and it has steep side so the snow slides off.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

3 days for 20" of snow? What would you do if it actually snowed?

You missed the + sign. I think that storm dumped 31" on top of what we already had. My street was the last plowed in town, which explains why it took 3 days (Friday night snow, wasn't plowed until Tuesday). However the shrink wrap on the boat did fine!

 

[Taxus812]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

So we are going to find out just how strong the frame is then. Perhaps we can start a pool .

The straps are cargo ratcheting straps not going to break when it rains. The tarp is over the fitted cover that is tight over the frame.

Pocketing I can believe. I should have a lot of overtunity to see what happens when it rains before it snows here.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

Up here there are a bunch of shrink wrapped boats if they're not paying someone for storage. My guy left for Chicago. I was only paying $150 for the winter, a good 6 months.. The do-it-yourself guys make a tent style cover similar to MH Hawker. I'll be doing the same except probably with 2x4s and making a T base at each end of the hull.....

 

[JimS123]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

I do this and it has steep side so the snow slides off.

View attachment 213882

View attachment 213883

THAT is an acceptable winter cover.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

THAT is an acceptable winter cover.

To everyone except the neighbors :laugh:

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

To everyone except the neighbors :laugh:

Amen. They are even ugly at night when the wind starts them flap flap flapping.

There are lots of things you can do in the country that you shouldn't do in town, like back-yard skeet shooting and big blue tarps.

 

[jkust]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

The difference I suppose between CT and here in MN is that the snow can literally stay for 3 months on the tarp and not melt and stack up and up especially in northern MN in the trees and shade. My old school dad build a full frame of 2x4's and plywood in his boat and even over the O/B and would then just use multiple cheap plastic tarps. I think he did that for maybe 10 winters and didn't have issues because the frame was strong. He would literally have to rebuild the whole frame every fall and disassemble in the spring. It looked silly but worked good.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: so does anyone still winter outside without using that white plastic shrink cover

Fortunately it usually melts since the average temp is around 32 deg in the winter. We get ranges from 0 to 45 but snow typically melts in a couple of days (except last year ). We also typically wont get significant snow until December.

Just so people don't think i'm making this poop up. Two or more vertical posts held in place by straps is used under shrink-wrap (for at least a boat my size) to create a ridge and help the wrap shed water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlETqQHnBJ4

Shrink Wrapping a Boat - YouTube

Shrink Wrap Your Own Boat - Bing Videos