Re: Talk me out of it in 5...4...3...2...1...
Sure, I can tell you exactly how the interior stayed so nice. Here is how we did it. Understand that it sat on a lift without a canopy most summers at the lake and in the yard at the lake on the trailer in the winter. This was the first winter since probably 1985-87 since it has had a garage space in the winter. First, the interior materials on an 84 are pretty awful in the first place so any wear would become apparent pretty quickly. We never allow anything but bare feet or stocking feet in the boat. This holds for my other boat too. Every time we were done with it for the day we would keep the sun off it with the tie down tarp...never the snap on covers. Limiting the sun exposure really is the key to keeping the seats nice and making sure it is put away dry is the key to keeping the wood floor solid. If it wasn't actually in use when on the lift the tie down cover was on it 100% of the time so no rain ever got in. Because we live in Minnesota, we built a wooden frame that we would assemble each year that fits in the boat to keep the winter storage tarps from collecting snow then sagging and letting it all in to the boat and rotting the floor. The wood frame was necessary since we wouldn't see the boat for 7 or so months so couldn't check on it. For winter then we took a walmart generic bowrider tarp covered by several plastic tarps all over that wooden frame and tied down to the trailer. Store the boat with the plug out and the tounge up in the air. What amazes me is that all these things just seem like common sense but some of our lake neighbors have used up and gone through many many boats over the years. Now I enjoy driving the old girl because it has defied its reputation and easily stood the test of time.
Sure, I can tell you exactly how the interior stayed so nice. Here is how we did it. Understand that it sat on a lift without a canopy most summers at the lake and in the yard at the lake on the trailer in the winter. This was the first winter since probably 1985-87 since it has had a garage space in the winter. First, the interior materials on an 84 are pretty awful in the first place so any wear would become apparent pretty quickly. We never allow anything but bare feet or stocking feet in the boat. This holds for my other boat too. Every time we were done with it for the day we would keep the sun off it with the tie down tarp...never the snap on covers. Limiting the sun exposure really is the key to keeping the seats nice and making sure it is put away dry is the key to keeping the wood floor solid. If it wasn't actually in use when on the lift the tie down cover was on it 100% of the time so no rain ever got in. Because we live in Minnesota, we built a wooden frame that we would assemble each year that fits in the boat to keep the winter storage tarps from collecting snow then sagging and letting it all in to the boat and rotting the floor. The wood frame was necessary since we wouldn't see the boat for 7 or so months so couldn't check on it. For winter then we took a walmart generic bowrider tarp covered by several plastic tarps all over that wooden frame and tied down to the trailer. Store the boat with the plug out and the tounge up in the air. What amazes me is that all these things just seem like common sense but some of our lake neighbors have used up and gone through many many boats over the years. Now I enjoy driving the old girl because it has defied its reputation and easily stood the test of time.
