winter snow
- Thread starter DIG DEEP
- Start date
For me a custom cover of heavy grade material, but either way, you have to pay attention to snow buildup and water puddling. My cover is more tear resistant than wrap and has a frame to help keep all surfaces sloped to allow water and snow to run off but it also is a pain to set up. It takes a full day since the frame is is about 30 peices that have to be attached and mounted.
At my club it's mostly tarps, wrap and semi custom covers in that order of popularity. In the scheme of things, tarps are the least expensive and will last several seasons but usually can't be repaired if they get torn. There are cheap tarps and there are not so cheap tarps. They may leak since the fit is so so but at the same time, a loose fit aids breathing. Most of the wraps are on larger vessels which are really difficult to cover by other means.
A big heated garage or barn would be nice
At my club it's mostly tarps, wrap and semi custom covers in that order of popularity. In the scheme of things, tarps are the least expensive and will last several seasons but usually can't be repaired if they get torn. There are cheap tarps and there are not so cheap tarps. They may leak since the fit is so so but at the same time, a loose fit aids breathing. Most of the wraps are on larger vessels which are really difficult to cover by other means.
A big heated garage or barn would be nice
For the last few NY winters I simply laid a cheap $20 Home Depot blue plastic tarp on top of the factory boat cover. The blue plastic tarps heat up quickly once the sun comes out and the melting snow easily slides off them without any human intervention. It also protects the expensive sunbrella factory canvas from the ravages of mother nature.
I did the same treatment with my Jet Ski last winter and it kept the factory cover looking brand new...
I did the same treatment with my Jet Ski last winter and it kept the factory cover looking brand new...
Shrink wrap is a waste of money, in the end you tear it up and throw it away. It is not cheap, and unless you have it done extremely well, it will hold moisture in and will form mildew. You really have to remove all electronics for sure, and all side curtains, but that should be done regardless, shrink wrap heats a lot during the day and gets very cold at night, your boat will experience extreme temp changes throughout the lay up. Ideally, have a custom cover made, they will last 10+ years and will end up being cheaper then 10 years of shrink wrap, plus you will have it designed how you perfer. Shrink wrap does not let gel coat breathe well, often a cause of a chaulky hull over time, especially for those who do not remove wax before winter lay up. We used to do it, and honestly it was no better then a blue tarp, except the blue tarps often ripped in high winds and shrink wrap did not, but neither was cleaner, blue traps were cheaper, but do rub the hull from the slack. Personally the best option is a custom cover, save up if its not in your budget now, but for those who really care about their boats, it really is a must. It will also keep the boat looking much nicer. Were actually having a custom cover made for our boat as soon as she is hauled out at the end of the month. The canvas guy took measurements and cut the rough pieces this week, the way we designed it in 6 years it will pay for itself vs shrink wrap, and can be put on the boat by 1 person in under 10 min, and can be removed and put back on as needed. We can clean all spring and take it off for the day then put it back on to actually keep things clean, I usually take about 3 weekends to get the boat ready for the year so this is ideal for me. Some love shrink wrap, but if you talk to thosw who know boat yards they know there ar ebetter options and wiser ways to spend your hard earned money. Also, any cover is better then no cover, no cover is a mistake, not only does this make the boat dirty, melting snow becomes ice, expands and puts pressure on the deck and cockpit that was not intended by the designers to handle, and if it happens enough you will get spider cracks in the deck and these can become serious since every time you wash down some water will seep into your deck, something nobody wants to deal with down the road. So in the end do what you have to to get the boat covered even if this year it is not the ideal method, but try and plan for the future to obtain whats best to keep your boat in great shape. I'll have pictures of my custom cover up sometime in Nov after its done.
I wraped my last boat once in forteen years and it did more damage to the gel coat in one winter than all the previous winters combined. Lots of sprder cracks appeared. All other years the boat was stored inside in non heated space with a cover.
If it snows and the snow lays and it follows with rain, you will have so much weight no cover will not rip. Watch out if then freezes into a 5 inch slab.
Have to be sure the snow or rain doesn't puddle.
We don't get big snow storms on LI anymore these days knock wood, I don't bother with anything more than an old set of full canvas around the bridge. Go out and shovel the snow that does come down only to avoid the situtaion I explained. Depends where you store and your access to the boat if regular or not. Some marinas do require shrink wrap only.
A tip on those blue tarps, the alum grommets and the foldover seam readily give way. Get a hold of Taylor tarp snaps, they are yellow and have a round groved wheel within a ring that locks onto the tarp anywhere you choose - the only thing I found that does not slip nor rip the material. The tarp material is very sturdy so will hold up for a few years before it looses its smooth slippery surface, not the grommets and edge sewn foldover.
If you use the yellow snaps, you can cut the rectangular tarp to a more custom fit and place the snaps where needed. Can cut the tarp anywhere and it doesn't need to be hemmed. The yellow snaps are indestructible and last forever, so it seams. The harder the pull on the snap, the tighter it squeezes to grip the tarp.
You can get the same blue tarp in white color, I think it looks much better and gets more light into the boat, makes it more accomodating than the blue to go under and do projects while protected.
If a big storm is forecasted, I drap the white tarp from the back side of the hardtop frame up on top, down and over the stern cap. I stand a 6 foot ladder on the cockpit with a towel wrapped over the top step and position ladder to keep mid span from sagging. I've got about 20 of those yellow snaps to place and use braided rope to tie off each one, and nylon wire ties too at the hardtop frame.
If you get a lot of snow and wind and no ready daily access to boat, I think a proper shrink wrap job is the only way to go and worth the annual bill. If the drains freeze up and the boat fills with rain or melted snow, it will crush the hull into the blocks or rollers and may end up being a very expensive repair. Keeping the water out of the boat and run off the cover instead is paramount in importance.
I also dump a gallon or two of antifreeze into the deck drains and bilge just in case, and fish box drains, etc.
Have to be sure the snow or rain doesn't puddle.
We don't get big snow storms on LI anymore these days knock wood, I don't bother with anything more than an old set of full canvas around the bridge. Go out and shovel the snow that does come down only to avoid the situtaion I explained. Depends where you store and your access to the boat if regular or not. Some marinas do require shrink wrap only.
A tip on those blue tarps, the alum grommets and the foldover seam readily give way. Get a hold of Taylor tarp snaps, they are yellow and have a round groved wheel within a ring that locks onto the tarp anywhere you choose - the only thing I found that does not slip nor rip the material. The tarp material is very sturdy so will hold up for a few years before it looses its smooth slippery surface, not the grommets and edge sewn foldover.
If you use the yellow snaps, you can cut the rectangular tarp to a more custom fit and place the snaps where needed. Can cut the tarp anywhere and it doesn't need to be hemmed. The yellow snaps are indestructible and last forever, so it seams. The harder the pull on the snap, the tighter it squeezes to grip the tarp.
You can get the same blue tarp in white color, I think it looks much better and gets more light into the boat, makes it more accomodating than the blue to go under and do projects while protected.
If a big storm is forecasted, I drap the white tarp from the back side of the hardtop frame up on top, down and over the stern cap. I stand a 6 foot ladder on the cockpit with a towel wrapped over the top step and position ladder to keep mid span from sagging. I've got about 20 of those yellow snaps to place and use braided rope to tie off each one, and nylon wire ties too at the hardtop frame.
If you get a lot of snow and wind and no ready daily access to boat, I think a proper shrink wrap job is the only way to go and worth the annual bill. If the drains freeze up and the boat fills with rain or melted snow, it will crush the hull into the blocks or rollers and may end up being a very expensive repair. Keeping the water out of the boat and run off the cover instead is paramount in importance.
I also dump a gallon or two of antifreeze into the deck drains and bilge just in case, and fish box drains, etc.
tarp and frame for me
i used heavy tarps laid over a frame made of 2" pvc piping last winter and it worked great. I left it open with overhang bow and stern so there was plenty of airflow - no mold. I had lots of winter projects so i made the frame tall so it was easy to work inside. The PVC is easy to work with so you can design it as you go. I built mine so the roof extended beyond the sides (using "T" joints) and was able to work on the bottom and hull as well. The frame was entirely on the deck - not built from the ground up. IT was not cheap but aside from replacing the tarps when they rip it will last a long time.
i used heavy tarps laid over a frame made of 2" pvc piping last winter and it worked great. I left it open with overhang bow and stern so there was plenty of airflow - no mold. I had lots of winter projects so i made the frame tall so it was easy to work inside. The PVC is easy to work with so you can design it as you go. I built mine so the roof extended beyond the sides (using "T" joints) and was able to work on the bottom and hull as well. The frame was entirely on the deck - not built from the ground up. IT was not cheap but aside from replacing the tarps when they rip it will last a long time.
Mine gets tacked away in a heated place, so no worries there, but yes, shrink wrap will do more damage than good.