Winter storage in NH for Typhoon

[JulieC]

Hi all,

My first post here - I just bought a 1970 Typhoon in July (newly christened "Dragonfly.") We launched her last week in Lake Winnepesaukee in NH, and so far all is well! I'm delighted with the boat.

I'm thinking ahead to the end of September, when we'll pull her out for winter storage. I have a LoadRite trailer and plan to keep her on that through the winter. I'm considering purchasing something like an "instant garage" (like this, for example: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... t%2Bgarage)

This shelter would stand in a dirt driveway beneath many tall white pine trees.

I have many questions about this strategy:

1. Is it sensible, given snow and wind conditions in NH?
2. Should I shrinkwrap as well (I wonder about mold/mildew build-up)
3. Should I ensure this structure has protection on sides as well as top? or can I get away with top-only protection?
4. Any other advice about the wisdom of this approach? Another possible winter storage strategy is to haul her back 2 hours to MA and put her in my garage, but I'm not 100 certain she'll fit in there. I'm not confident the height of the garage door will be sufficient.

Thanks in advance for your advice.
Julie

[chomeur]

I keep my Typhoon on a trailer during the winter (in Maine). I just put a $50 tarp over it, being careful to tie it tight with rope. It works fine.

I learned some tricks about tying tarps by observing how the crew at a local boatyard does it although I don't use wood supports like they do. The most important thing is not to have any loose ends that could flap in the wind and tear the tarp to shreds.

David

[Skeep]

Julie, can't help but offer some advice, since I used to live in Vermont many moons ago and know what Winter means in New England. The instant garage is cool. However, for the price, is there not some covered storage available at the Lake there? And if not, perhaps "Chomeur" is right, that once you take your mast down that affixing it from bow to stern over your vessel, you'd easily be able to drape a sturdy tarp so that secured, it would enable the snowfall to fall off with some periodic checking through the months. Chris does this in Michigan on "Kraken" and has some photos of his Ty sleeping in the snow.

I wish you well in your quest. Winter is around the corner isn't it? Fond memories of Lake Winne and New Hampshire still!

[ariasis]

I do the mast drop and spread a plastic tarp over this last year my tarp ripped and I ended up just throwing another one over mid winter. "That's what I get for using cheap clear plastic."

Here is a link to some photos. http://bristol-blue.blogspot.com/2013/1 ... -rain.html. My advise is to support your mast well. I use a 2x4 at the mast step and a cross braes further back. The typhoon mast is not stiff enough to support the full length of the boat without these supports in our climates. The first year I did not support it went out to check on it and found the mast being bowed by the weight. I also use some plastic PVC pipes. Only disadvantage to this is you can't go work on it during the winter. I've considered what your looking at I just can't justify the cost as I am typically one of the first boats to launch each season already.

[JulieC]

Helpful comments, thanks.

Yes, I realize the instant garage thing might be overkill. My biggest concern, though, is that this boat will be under tall and old white pines, and I'm worried about falling limbs, which is why a roof is appealing. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I'd hate to learn the hard way...But maybe I can do something without the super-duper zipped up enclosure, though.

[tjr818]

I would go home and measure that garage - very carefully. I still remember bringing my 21 foot home to put in our 24' garage only to realize that the combination of boat and trailer measured closer to 26'. So the patio became the boat storage area - after I took down the fence so I could get to the patio.
The convenience of having the boat close at hand on nice days during the winter and early spring is certainly something to consider. A two hour drive each way to check on the boat, perhaps in the snow, would not be fun either. Besides, do you think that portable garage would stop a snow covered falling limb?

[Hutch_north]

Hi, Julie,

The first winter i had my Ty, I put a fairly light brace from the cockpit to the stern and threw a tarp over it. The weight of the snow and freeze/thaws bowed the support and I ended up with big chunks of ice and snow on top of the tarp, which had settled into the cockpit. The next year I invested in a couple of 2x4's and built a horizontal brace which runs the length of the boat and overhangs about two feet, about 4 feet above the cabin. The steeper angle of the tarp, supported by the 2x4, has worked through some epic snow winters here in Vermont.

Hutch

[JulieC]

Hutch - sounds interesting. Do you have any pix?

[casampson]

The best solution, of course, is to build a barn.

[Carl Thunberg]

I also live in New Hampshire. I have the good fortune of having a large barn, and am able to store my boat in the barn. I really like the winter garage for a number of reasons. Assuming you are planning on doing your own work, you can work on the boat under shelter. Since you are covered with pines, it will keep pine pitch off the boat. Plus, if you're still working on the boat in June, it will keep the pine pollen from ruining a varnish/cetol/oil job on your teak. So, if you can afford it, by all means do it.

[Hutch_north]

Hi, Julie,

I don't have pictures available. I will describe what I did but if I were to do it again, I would copy Ariasis, but use a heavier tarp. His crutches seem easier and sturdier than my solution!

I built 3 vertical supports from 2x4's and place one just forward of the center bow cleat, just forward of the closed sliding hatch and one in the cockpit. The vertical braces have crosses at the base so they can stand while the horizontal pieces are put in. They also have short tabs screwed into the top of the verticals on either side to create a slot that the horizontal pieces fit into, on their 11/2 inch edge. Think of the letter y, with a flat bottom. I eyeballed the vertical lengths and came reasonably close a straight line for the horizontal pieces. I stand the verticals up, slot in the two horizontal pieces and secure all with sheetrock screws through the tabs and lines around the horizontals to the cleats on the cockpit coamings, and to the two side cleats my boat has on the fore deck. The tarp goes right over and is tied off to the trailer and under the hull.

My description make it sound more complicated than it really is - if I recall, it took a couple of hours to build and install, the first year.

Hutch

[Skeep]

I wish I had a barn.

[JulieC]

Final decision: haul her to the house and tuck her in next to the garage. Tarps tied down securely (there's one more than pictured here, to fully cover the stern). Hopefully she's all snug for the winter!

[agogates]

When I first purchased my TY I bought one of the instant garages Julie mentioned. The boat and trailer fit perfectly. It was great when I refinished the deck to keep off falling debris, but it was destroyed by the winter snow. It just collapsed. The weight of the snow was too much for the stanchions. I had to jury-rig it to make it through that winter. Snow in NJ was bad that year but I am sure NH has worse.
The next year I built a frame out of PVC pipe and used the same tarp. The tarp is tied to the trailer and laced bow and stern. It held up great. The snow just slid off. Occasionally I had to help it off with a broom. The only issue you may have is the amount of snow that piles up around the trailer. By the time the winter ended it was up to the top of the trailer. In the stern the tarp doesn't quite close so I hung a smaller tarp with a small area at the top for ventilation. Last year I purchased a new 14'x 20' silver tarp from Tarps Direct ( tarpsonline.com ) it was less than $50 with shipping. I glued the frame in some places but mostly secured it with one ss screw. I marked the connections with a magic marker so I could put it together the next fall. The frame also allows me to go in and check the boat occasionally. I also placed metal box with a 250 watt light in the cabin to create some heat to ward off mold. Works great.
Go here for the pictures: http://s1383.photobucket.com/user/agogates/library/

Andy
"S-Cape"