winter cover?

[Slipstream]

I just purchased a new 2007 23se and the dealer in RI will be storing the boat for me outside for the long new england winter. The dealer said they typically store them outside w/out a cover. I could get it shrink wrapped for $220 or leave it exposed. Thoughts?

I was thinking about getting a cover at some point as I plan to trailer the boat a lot and keep it stored out of the water. I've also seen the cover for the console and the leaning post. Does someone make a cover for Parker? Could I find a used one?

Thanks

 

[Porkchunker]

Unless you build a frame under the cover, the snow will collapse it. I'd get it shrink-wrapped this year and build a frame for next year when the WX gets nice.

There are several threads in the projects forum that have pics of frames and tarping for winter.

Dave

aka

 

[cbigma]

Unless you build a frame under the cover, the snow will collapse it. I'd get it shrink-wrapped this year and build a frame for next year when the WX gets nice.

Dave's right-on. Here is his thread on the subject:
Tarping Thread 1
and here is another set of tarp treatments from CP members.
Tarping Thread 2

The dealer said they typically store them outside w/out a cover.

Sounds like cruel and unusual punishment for your shiny new Parker. :shock: :shock:

If you were going to leave it in the water and use it throughout the winter, you would be clearing snow and ice off of it routinely, and could maybe keep scuppers and drains clear of ice and snow. However, I wouldn't want to leave it uncovered and unattended for extended periods subject to our New England deep freeze/thaw cycling and ice and snow buildup. Leaves or other yard debris blowing around could clog your scuppers and you'd have a block of solid ice to deal with in the dead of winter!

You just made a serious investment in a fine fishing machine, you should protect it against our harsh New England winters. Parker builds a rugged boat, and you probably could leave it outside uncovered all winter long without a problem, but why would you want to? You know how nasty winters can get up here. :wink:

 

[dave-j]

Assuming you have a T-top, you could do what I did and go to boatcoversdirect.com and order one that fits your model. It costs about $500, but after two seasons of not shrinkwrapping it is paying for itself. It's poly-cotton with waterproofing, big zippers and supports that fit in your rocket launchers to keep the tarp off your GPS antenna, etc.

Another thing is that you are in RI, not northern New England. What show you get will be relatively short-lived, so you don't need to necessarily build a chalet-style peak for your tarp. I will try to take phots later this week and post.

 

[Slipstream]

thanks. I should have mentioned that I do NOT have a t-top. This may change in the next year or so, but I'm going to go the first season w/out.
Would love to see some pics of your cover.

 

[FishPimp]

oh it will change next season.
can wait to watch the transformation!
shrinkage needed for outside.

 

[drvan]

I believe you were given bad advice. After rain and/or snow and there are often repeat cycles of freezing and thawing. During the thaw period (e.g. daytime) water will seep into cracks and crevices. During the freeze period (e.g. nighttime) the water will expand and possible crack whatever it has made its way into. This is a common risk in Rhode Island (where my boat presently is located). While shrink-wrapping per se is not the end all, the goal is to keep the snow/water off the boat – particularly the deck area which will have areas where the water can settle in. Also, this is a brand new boat. If you purchased the boat new from them at the end of the season – they should shrink-wrap it for you at no additional cost. Dealers even in a good year-end market frequently offer this – this is a soft market. I hope this is not a reflection on how they handle their own boats.

 

[J.A. Veil]

I have had a 23 SE with no T-top for six years. I do not own a trailer so I drive the boat by water to my dealer. They winterize it and put it on blocks for the season. The first year I had the boat I purchased a generic cover for a 23' or 24' offshore center console from Boaters World. The material is a synthetic fabric and cost about $500 at that time. It fits pretty well -- the main problem is that my console is quite tall (it has the electronics box) so the cover gets stretched out and the motor hood does not fit well in back. The cover attaches by a series of nylon straps that pass underneath the hull. The straps have plastic buckles -- where they might bang into the hull, I cover the buckles with foam rubber held on by cord.

The cover would not be practical for every-trip use, but I can install it in about 30 minutes when I visit the marina the weekend after the boat has been winterized. I is still in one piece, and sure beats the cost of a shrink wrap each season.

I also had separate covers custom made at a local canvas shop for the console and the leaning post. They are put on after every use. They have held up pretty well too.

 

[dave-j]

These are some pics I took of my cover this weekend. There is a small area on the t-top where there is not enugh run-off, so I will be putting an upside-down bucket under the cover on the flat part of the T-top this week to add slope. the long black line is the zipper that gives access to the boat while covered.

The picture of the back looks a lot sloppier than it actually is. there is a drawstring and extra tie downs and there is nowhere for water or snow to pool.

 

[Porkchunker]

The too-flat T-Top is what caused me to build the elevated ridge-pole over the T-Top (see thread #1 at the top).

 

[Burtona]

What is a winter cover for?
What is snow?

I've never seen such a contraption down here in SE North Carolina! (Where we never winterize because we use out boats all winter)

 

[Lucky John]

Call a canvas guy,he'll rig you up with any kind of enclosure you want.I had that done on my previous boat and the guy I used did a great job.

 

[Porkchunker]

What is a winter cover for?
What is snow?

I've never seen such a contraption down here in SE North Carolina! (Where we never winterize because we use out boats all winter)

You are cruel to us a bit further north that have to deal with the white stuff and hard water.

 

[dave-j]

Porkchunker,

I think I can get the same effect with a bucket (upside down) on my top. My buddy has the exact same cover on his 23 Regulator and did that. Looks great and sheds all the water.

Dave

 

[J.A. Veil]

Yesterday I went to Tri-State Marine, which already winterized my 23 SE. It is sitting up on blocks for the winter. The weekend after winterization is finished, I put a winter cover on the boat. The boat does not have a T-top, so the choice of covers was somewhat easier than for a T-top boat.

The first season I had the boat (2002), I faced the choice of shrink-wrapping, tarping, custom cover, or off-the-shelf cover. I chose the last option, and bought a generic 23' center console style full cover from Boaters World. It is pretty much the same as the "Road Warrior" covers in their 2007 catalog. The price back then was about $300. It has gone up about $20 since then. I am now on my 6th winter with the cover, and it is still in decent shape. So far it has cost me an average of only $50 per winter, and that price will continue to drop for each successive winter I use it.

The cover does not fit perfectly because of the high windshield rail on my boat. It does, however, cover most of the hull and allows good ventilation. It takes about 20-30 minutes to install it each year, most of that time is in adjusting the under-hull straps and padding the plastic buckles so they don't bang against the hull all winter.

I have been pleased with the cover.

 

[Porkchunker]

John,

How do you keep the snow from piling up in the bow and pulling the tarp down to form a bowl? I have several boats next to me in the marina who do what you do, and after a 6" wet snow, the tarps collapse...sometimes breaking the CC window.

Recommend you support the tarp in the middle with a strong pole, and run a rope from bow to motor to act as a ridge-pole so the tarp sheds and/supports snow.

We don't often get large snows, but I remember a couple that exceeded 24" a couple of times since 1995. I believe both 1995-96 and 2001-2 each had a whopper approaching 30"

Dave

aka

 

[J.A. Veil]

Dave -

Were you at Tri-State yesterday morning? Someone walked past me while I was paying for some Yamalube, and afterwards I thought to myself that it might have been you there.

Regarding the cover, there is quite a bit of tension in the fabric between the windshield and bow. The edge of the cover has a pretty strong bungee cord sewn in that keeps the cover from raising up over the lip of the rub rail. I don't think that much snow can accumulate there. Your suggestion is a good one though -- on earlier boats whose covers did not fit as snugly as this one, I did need to provide extra supports to keep the cover from sagging from puddling.