boat cover

[stix217]

I just bought my first boat (1801) a couple of weeks ago, and I'm wondering whether or not it's worth getting it covered at this point in the winter. All the leaves are down, and there's not much debris that will get in there at this point. At worst, it will get a little snow or rain from time to time here in NJ, while sitting in my driveway.

Am I crazy for not covering it? I have two tarps that I can cover it with, but it's been too cold or too rainy whenever I have the time to try and cover it (and it's a pain to do by myself).

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[ppem45]

I have just finished a major project on my boat and wondered the same thing. I figure it this way, what could be worse on a boat or anything for that matter than salt water. The only thing you are going to get on your boat is snow and I can't see it doing any harm so I am opting to leave mine open for the rest of this year. I will definetly cover it again next year but for this year it will stay open. If I were you I would cover the center console and leave it at that. Peter

 

[stix217]

thanks for the info ppem

anyone else feel differently?

 

[Bryan 2530]

Being in southern New England , I disagree.

The precip we usually get is the snow/rain/freezing rain variety. Everytime the boat gets "wet" and freezes You start to open up any voids or stress cracks that all boats have.

I try to keep the cover on it for the entire winter even if it is just for one snowstorm.

http://classicparker.com/phpBB2/viewtop ... ight=cover

 

[gw204]

what could be worse on a boat or anything for that matter than salt water.

Ice. Cover it up.

 

[B-Faithful]

my boat is covered.......................












with ice and snow :lol:

 

[Megabyte]

my boat is covered.......................

with ice and snow :lol:

Mine isn't. :wink:

 

[Porkchunker]

I have a full cover for mine. She is in Norfolk, VA right now and they have had no snow/ice yet this year. This weekend I'll go retrieve her and turn her into Tri-State Marine for her annual maintenance. After that, I probably won't install the wooden frame I built (shown somewhere here in the projects forum)...hoping that Spring will arrive before the next heavy snow. The cover is strong enough to stand up to a couple of inches of light fluffy stuff, but not much more. But as Gen Gordon Sullivan said before the Gulf War to a Major who was briefing him "Hope is not a method."

 

[Porkchunker]

my boat is covered.......................

with ice and snow :lol:

Mine isn't. :wink:

Kevin,

Why didn't you use your wooden frame and blue tarp this year?

Dave

aka

 

[Megabyte]

Why didn't you use your wooden frame and blue tarp this year?

I decided to try using my neighbors company and see if it was any betther than my previous method.
It's not as cheap as my frame and tarp, but we'll see if it is any better come March. :wink:

 

[ppem45]

We had a good thaw day today and so I felt guilty about not putting the cover back on the boat so I got all the snow and ice out of it today and got the cover back on. I have never left my boat out in the weather so I guess I gave the new guy the wrong advise, I stand corrected. They are too valuable to leave out and besides that I can put my heater back on board and work on it again. Sorry for the bum info stix217

 

[stix217]

thanks for all the info guys. It looks like Sunday will be relatively warm, so I'll head over to Home Depot to pick up some supplies, make a frame, and cover her up with a couple of tarps.

I hate having this beautiful toy sitting in my driveway....I hope the next two months fly bye...I can't wait to get her in the water and finally find out why I bought her. You warm weather guys are too lucky...maybe I need a change of scenery.

 

[Paddleon]

If you can...cover her!!!!
Sounds like that is what you'll be doing Sunday.
PVC is the way to go for a frame. Don't get crazy...
design something simple for this year with next years an improvement on the basic design you do this year.
It takes a season of tinkering to figure what works best IMO.
Gather some designs/ideas from what others have done here and then work them into your own.

To me the 1.5" PVC along with some 1" PVC did the trick. A few pieces of 2X6,a dose of ingenuity ( small slight imperceptible dose :shock: ) and some rope.
A few cold brews...
and I had my 2120 covered.

 

[Megabyte]

A few cold brews...

I think that's a requirement, isn't it?