To cover or not to cover

[Ken Merson]

As the time to place my 25 CD on the "hard" approaches I wonder what other person's practices are regarding covering their boat. I have covered my boat with blue poly tarps and tons of duck tape and in the spring I have a dry, clean boat. I see some people get their boats shrink wrapped and some folks do not cover their boats at all.

Even though in South Jersey we have mild to moderate winters covering the boat seems like the right thing to do.

What is everyone else's opinion and method for covering their "pride and joy".

Ken



kmerson@avaloninterenet.net

[Warren Kaplan]

I have the boat shrink wrapped. Worked out well last year. For me, the main reason is to keep all the blowing sand, debris out. Also, any spots were water may accumulate and freeze and then expand could cause structural problems. I had a few small "ventilation holes" in the shrink wrap and that worked out. I really don't know if they are really necessary during cold weather.
Warren Kaplan



Setsail728@aol.com

[Chris]

I cover mine with a good quality tarp. By tarping, my main goal is to keep water from freezing inside the few crazing cracks on the deck.

[Bob Loewenstein]

For what it's worth, I have a very experienced friend who works as a wooden boat restorer, builds boats himself, and sails his home-built 40' ketch across the Atlantic. I asked his advice about covering boats in the winter (his boat is currently in Maine). He never covers his boat. He figures that unless the tarp is really taught, you can wind up with other problems: greater windage, water (and ultimately ice) pooling in sagging areas of the tarp...

Now he lives here in Wisconsin, so he's not able to go to the boat if there is a blow or problem. This may influence his thinking. He figures it's better off uncovered in this circumstance.

My main concern has been (as others pointed out) water getting into some small deck cracks and freezing. This year I decided to do an experiment with Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure. I used the smallest syringe and needle I could find (for insulin) and injected the stuff along the cracks on deck. I was able to measure the depth of some of the cracks, at least where my .002" feeler bottomed out. After several applications the depths of the cracks were significantly less. I'm hoping that this step will lessen the possibility of any worsening of the cracks, although for the 3 years I've had the boat, I haven't seen anything to indicate things getting worse. In spring, I'll recheck depths.

My surveyor checked out the cracks and didn't think they were anything more than cosmetic.

Bob

[Tom]

As the time to place my 25 CD on the "hard" approaches I wonder what other person's practices are regarding covering their boat. I have covered my boat with blue poly tarps and tons of duck tape and in the spring I have a dry, clean boat. I see some people get their boats shrink wrapped and some folks do not cover their boats at all.

Even though in South Jersey we have mild to moderate winters covering the boat seems like the right thing to do.

What is everyone else's opinion and method for covering their "pride and joy".

Ken

Cover the boat Ken. Anytime you can keep the rain and UV off the wood and deck the better. I tried shring wrap last year on my CD25. Great job, boat looked real good in the spring. The problem with shrink wrap it was real difficult to get into it by the small zipper door to do anything in the winter on the boat. Costly too, this year blue tarp.



tomb5050@aol.com

[Al Levesque]

As the time to place my 25 CD on the "hard" approaches I wonder what other person's practices are regarding covering their boat...

I found a tendency to get blockage in the cockpit drains in our previous Ty. This would allow water to fill the cockpit and spill into the bilge. We covered before the cold weather to keep the drains clear and the bilge dry.

I now cover our CD33 for basically the same reasons, but also to minimize the weathering of the teak, etc. The covering also helps protect any gear such as winches, blocks, cam cleats from getting water in and freezing.



albertlevesque@cove.com

[Roger Rosenwald]

I'll pass along two comments Ken. First, a University of Rhode Island study several years ago found that the main reason for glass failure in the bottom area was ice forming in the bilges when the boat wasn't covered for the winter. Consequently I'm always interested how she was stored when I buy used. Second, re shrink wrapping, for what it's worth I've read in one of the sailing magazines that if you've repainted the topsides with an LPU paint, excluding the air by shrink wrapping can cause the paint to bubble.

Roger



autotrash@hotmail.com

[Warren Kaplan]

Second, re shrink wrapping, for what it's worth I've read in one of the sailing magazines that if you've repainted the topsides with an LPU paint, excluding the air by shrink wrapping can cause the paint to bubble.

Roger

After my boat was shrink wrapped last winter, the people who did the shrink wrapping cut about 4 triangular holes in the wrap, about 4-6 inches across at the base and left the flap of shrink wrap "blowing in the breeze". This lets air circulate while leaving minimal area for dirt to blow in and water to enter. I believe there are also little plastic vents made to be put into the shrink wrap. I saw some on some big power boats wrapped up next to my boat last winter. Worked out fine for me last year.

Warren Kaplan
S/V Sine Qua Non
CD27



Setsail728@aol.com

[Bruce Bett]

Ken:

Cover!

I have good quality canvas tarp for Sostenuto (cd 23 #496). It's 20' x 30'. I paid $200.00 to have it made by a mom and pop canvas shop that specialises in tarps for truckers. I've had mine for 5 years and it's still in good shape. Poly tarps generally don't last a season, which makes them less than worthless.

Bruce Bett
Sostenuto
CD 25 #496

As the time to place my 25 CD on the "hard" approaches I wonder what other person's practices are regarding covering their boat. I have covered my boat with blue poly tarps and tons of duck tape and in the spring I have a dry, clean boat. I see some people get their boats shrink wrapped and some folks do not cover their boats at all.

Even though in South Jersey we have mild to moderate winters covering the boat seems like the right thing to do.

What is everyone else's opinion and method for covering their "pride and joy".

Ken

bettb@macomb.cc.mi.us

[Rob Hindman]

Cover your boat. I have a Fisher Canvas Cover that was custom fit for my CD28 five years ago. Fisher Canvas is a South Jersey company that sells from their network of authorized marina dealers or factory direct. You deal with the owner who personally fits each cover. My cover is in excellent shape. At this point I have saved money over shrink wrap. Forget the blue tarps! Let's hope for a mild winter and early spring.

Rob Hindman