Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

btw, the main line along the tops of the 2x4's from the bow to the stern is Y'd to both stern cleats and goes over the bow anchor roller to the trailer winch.... if it starts to stretch and sag I can just crank the winch a couple more cranks..... Sorry no pics of the framework. I was racing to get it done before leaving for a new years party and it was dark when the framework was finished and the tarp went on.

 

[bick]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Think you waited long enough to shrinkwrap for the winter???

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

seeing as how I did the job in 57 degree weather and it's in the 20's today I'd say I timed it just right

BTW... If anyone needs to tape a poly tarp, gorilla tape actually works pretty well... WAY better than duct tape.

 

[Albee]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I followed those Dr. Shrink vids. I bought enough supplies to do mine for four or five years. Total cost was $250 shipped. I used an electric heat gun that most of you say does not work. It took about six hours to do my 20' bowrider, but looks great.

The cuttings that I had left over were used to shrink wrap a few of my kids xmas presents. Took them about 15 min to open each one.

Al

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

great to hear it Al.... thanks for posting up..... funny how your boat didn't burst into flames from not using "the right tool for the job" :facepalm: LOL

After tarping mine I'd say that the electric couldn't reasonably be used on one the size of mine or bigger just because you couldn't reach it to shrink it but it's good to know that a guy COULD do a smaller boat with about any heat gun he had although it would obviously take longer...... CONGRATS!

ps. Add some pics if you can

 

[oops!]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

The cuttings that I had left over were used to shrink wrap a few of my kids xmas presents. Took them about 15 min to open each one.

Al

thats just mean........lol

 

[Albee]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Here is a photo of the finished product. I think it will hold up fine.
Al

 

[bick]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Here is a photo of the finished product. I think it will hold up fine.
Al

Looks good. Do you still have to clean snow off of it since it looks prretty flat on top? I like the way you also covered the outdrive, the guys that shrinkwrapped mine did not cover the outdrive.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

I definitely would prefer to have mine a bit higher in the front... I was concerned that the tarp would fall short up front and working in the dark with short time.... I think the snow will slide off but I'm a little concerned.... it will be about 3 feet taller next time...

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Looks good. Do you still have to clean snow off of it since it looks prretty flat on top? I like the way you also covered the outdrive, the guys that shrinkwrapped mine did not cover the outdrive.

Also, covering the outrdive and swimplatform looks like there will be plenty of ventilation under the plastic.
Watch that the critters do not discover a way into a nice dry home for the winter.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

well folks... I've put my center console project on mothballs for a while and I DID INDEED shrink wrap it..... the process went really well.... not even much of a challenge.... I had a couple spots there I got a little too much heat and small holes formed... VERY easily remedied with a bit of shrink tape.

I made my supports tall enough for me to stand and walk under the cover... I also installed a zippered door so I could get inside to work if desired

I used a very large lp bottle and the short hose on the weed burner was less than convenient.... In the future I will set up a 50' hose and a couple extensions for the weed burner head.

sorry for the bad pics

all in all I am VERY pleased ... to the critics both for AND against a hearty thankyou and to the heckler....eh... nevermind

 

[Tagerman]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

After reading through this thread I am very happy that I live in Tennessee where the snow fall is so minuscule that it doesn't even threaten the $50 boat cover I bought at academy sports that I hold up with 2 2x4s! Never moving north!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Not bad!

... and it only took you 9 months to do it!

I tidied up your pics for you.

You might want to throw an anchor out on that Schooner when the north winds start to blow, else it might end up in sailing in the Gulf of Mexico!

 

[boataway]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

you shrink wrapped in July!?

smoke, did you buy a kit? how did you get to the wrap that is up high? use a ladder or was the weed burner long enough? i'm so going to do this....

can i use the regular propane tank from my grill to do this? i'm not as industrial strength as you...

 

[BlkY2k]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Great job Smoke, I`ve been trying to decide what I`m going to do this winter and I think you just made up my mind. Thanks

 

[Dave9111]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

Wait a minute... I thought that was not physically possible without superman abilities?? Didn't you light the boat on fire?, start that blaze in Colorado? how could this be possible?? You must have used a $2000 flame gun right.. hey that looks like a weed burner on top of that 100lb tank.... what is that doing there?? No normal mortal could have done that... ( Just trying to make the naysayer feel better as he pulls his foot out of this mouth ;-) )

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

thanx yall

yeah a bbq bottle would be BETTER.

I used a ladder but a tailgate would have been fine.... The biggest issue with the weed burner was the length... too long for up close and too short for far away... really NOT an issue but I'll make it better in the future.

As for a kit... no I simply watched the vids (posted above) on bigshrink.com and then decided which items I needed....

BTW I had no problem tightening my peremeter band by hand but a ratchet from an old ratchet strap would work gret or even just a stick could be used to twist the strap till tight and just tape it up.

a word to the wise.... buy plenty of strapping.... my 300' roll was seriously reduced just on this boat... I shoulda got the 1500'er and buy more film than you need so you can practice on your friend's car while he's asleep.....

I didn't practice and I came out ok on my first attempt but my second time around will be much better.`

 

[boataway]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

do you think you'll be able to reuse the straps next year? boat's not going to change size! that would really save some money...

i started preparing for doing this myself too. i got me a propane torch http://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-91033.html

cheap little unit on sale for $20. i had some weeds that needed tending-to anyways. used it yesterday and i'd call it more of a flame thrower than anything else. goodness! pull that trigger and the thing jolts back almost like a gun. hope i don't melt right through the wrap!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

strapping would be a pain to reuse since it's knotted to the boat and trailer in a dozen places but we're talking about $10 ish....

the REAL savings would be in reusing the wrap..... as long as your support structure stays the same you can likely get 3-5 years out of the plastic

 

[Quit It]

Re: Yeah ok so I'm gonna shrink wrap my own boat this year.

strapping would be a pain to reuse since it's knotted to the boat and trailer in a dozen places but we're talking about $10 ish....

the REAL savings would be in reusing the wrap..... as long as your support structure stays the same you can likely get 3-5 years out of the plastic

Speaking of reusing the wrap, have you checked out Transhield-Reusable-Shrink-Wrap-Boat-Cover

I dunno, I'm just trying to find a cover that's cheap and won't blow off when trailering.

Nice work on yours though, I knew it would be fine.