Conference unifix::sailing

    surely you jest??
    
    "forced the stantions through the deck...."  and this boat floats??
    
    

    I dont mean to pick on the writer, but in 28 years of hanging around
    boat yards Ive often been appaled at the lousy covering jobs people
    do on boats. Of course you need a SUBSTANSIAL frame under any cover,
    with pads on edges, chaffing gear etc. Any tarp simply thrown over
    a boat will fill with water in the first rain, often punching holes
    in the tarp. 
    
    I always liked the guys that threw a plastic  tarp
    over the boat, tied it in a few places with some string and left.
    In about 20 minutes it would start to blow off, but by then they
    were on the way home. Next spring when they return the boat is fully
    uncovered, but theyed always guess their cover 'must have lasted
    most of the winter'

    Properly winter covering a boat is a big job, eitehr do it right
    or simply dont bother- a half way job will be just worhtless.

    My favorites are the people who tie their tarps to their jack
    stands.  Probably the grommets would break away first, but maybe
    not before they pulled the stands away.

    Covering a big boat is a major job.  The framing itself has to be
    very substantial in order to work.  Most people do not do it right.
    My experience is that even a good job has a real possibility of
    damage to the boat due to chafe from flogging.  And it's not like
    you are checking the cover every week.  It can be beating your boat
    for months! To be honest, I am not a fan of covering a boat at all.
    We just sealed up the winches in plastic to prevent moisture getting
    in and freezing and sealed up all the holes in the deck.  Sure,
    the boat gets dirty, but even that can be alleviated.  Coat the
    entire hull and deck LIBERALLY with dish soap.  Some will wash off
    during the winter, but a lot will stay on.  In the spring take a
    high pressure hose to the whole thing and you're back in business
    with a gleaming hull.
    
    Keep in mind I'm talking about big (37' or bigger) boats where the
    covering job is a killer.
    
    Dave

re -.1:

Ah, another argument for keeping one's boat in the front yard. 

Wrapping winches in plastic won't keep moisture out, just rainwater, 
etc. The plastic will trap condensation inside and on the winch. I 
prefer to leave my winches uncovered so that they can dry out readily. 
I've never had a problem resulting from doing so.

    
    Using bungy cord to secure the cover can minimize damage from the
    cover filling up.  The other trick is to have a high enough peak
    in the frame to let the snow and rain slide off.  
    
    I used to have a full length metal frame which held up a custom
    fitted canvas cover.  The cover weighed about 100 pounds.  Much
    more damage got done to the boat putting that little gem on than
    would have been done by the elements had I left it uncovered.
    
    Ironically, in the spring the covered part of the boat was much 
    dirtier than the rest from dust blowing in and bits of the cover 
    disintegrating.
    
    Now I use a vestigial "bikini" cover over the cockpit only.  This
    is help up by the mast which I propped up about three feet off the
    deck.  No practical purpose is served by this other than to deter
    the locals who frequent the yard from using the cockpit as a recepticle
    for discarded cans and bottles.
    
    - gene
    - gene

    Thats fine for the majority that have fiberglass hulls & decks.
    As a wood boat owner with pleanty of bright work, my cover not
    only serves as protection, but is high enough to work under in 
    the spring.
    
    I use 3/4 metal conduit and the "Kover-clamps" from Boat U.S.
    for the frame and it works well and because of light weight,
    goes up fairly easily. I have found that none of the light
    weight poly tarps last more than a season and 1/4. You just
    cant squeeze out two seasons from one.
    
    Don

    Agreed, wooden boats need more protection.  I've covered my plastic
    boat for the last two years and had to spend days cleaning it when
    the tarps came off.  This year I'm leaving it open to the elements.
     And as it's in the front gaqrden I can keep an eye on it ....
    
    Brian

    I covered my 30 foot Pearson by placing the mast on wooden tripod
    mounts atr both the bow and in the cockpit. This places the mast
    about three feet over the cabin roof. from the mast I run 1/2 in
    lines down to the life lines and then I run two lines (equally spaced)
    from the stern to the bow. These are secured to each vertical line.
    In this way I have a complete web type frame. A real bitch when
    you need to move about to put the cover on. I then covered the boat
    with a 20 x 40 foot black tarp from Boat US. These lines now support
    the entire tarp and present only about a 18 x 18 inch area between
    the lines that are not in contact with the  tarp. This is the way
    the guy I bought the boat from set the boat up for winter and he
    never had any trouble with his tarp, rain or snow settleing weighing
    down the tarp.
    
    I'll be checking it every month during the winter.
    
    Paul
    

    In contrast to the reply saying the blue poly covers never last
    more than 1.5 winters, my first one went four winters before getting
    a few small holes from lack of padding, and I even tried to squeeze
    a fifth year out of it by "repairing" the holes with duct tape (that
    didn't work so good).
    
    When I purchased a replacement this year, I thought blue covers
    were blue covers.  The first one I got in Oct. looked a little thinner
    that its predecesor, and in fact lasted less than 4 WEEKS before
    3 grommets tore out, leaving it flapping enough to rip a pretty
    sizable hole in it.  Back it went.  The two others I got were a little 
    heftier and I put the best looking on the boat and took the other back.
    I don't think it will make it through the winter, and I wish I knew
    what I had used initially.
    
    I've heard of a brand name called "Weave-Cote".  Does anyone have
    any experience with it to say it lasts longer than the generic blue
    (or black) cover?
    
    Travis Belton

    For those of you who don't cover....
    
    I thought that if I didn't cover at least the cockpit, water/snow might
    accumulate in ccokpit and freeze in scuppers potentialy causing
    damage to thru-hull or hoses?? Am I wrong to worry about this?
     

>>>  Am I wrong to worry about this?
     
No.

  I've been working on "covering" methodology now for 5 seasons....
  and still am not completely satisfied with my efforts. 
    
  Through my own stupidity I failed to cover the boat properly in the
  Fall when I originally purchased the boat. The following Spring I spent a
  full day with my wife and a friend pumping out the main cabin (almost 1
  1/2 ft. of water) and cleaning mildew from every exposed surface.
  (Took me two seasons to figure out that the cockpit scuppers had frozen,
  cracked, and drained/funnelled water into the bilge/cabin !)
    
  Since that first experience, I've moved to a "FRAMEMAKER" cover system
  which uses 3/4" electrical conduit and adjustable metal clamps. I've
  adjusted the pitch of the frame, added additional stanchions, and
  strung nylon rope between the lateral supports. Now, I "only" have
  to assemble the numbered precut pipe, string my rope, and throw the plastic
  cover over the whole shebang. Incidentally, I have a very large cover
  which allows for additional cover pitch and easy attachment to the
  boat cradle. I am careful to allow for the cover to flex, and leave
  a "window" at the bow and stern so condensation cannot collect. Allowing
  the cover to flex slightly will allow the wind to aid in snow removal.
    
  I also agree that keeping your boat at home makes for easy maintenance
  of the cover and frame. Some minor adjustments always seem necessary
  through the course of the winter. My cover is now 3 years old, and
  the boat stays VERY clean. 

  I probably have $150.00 dollars in pipe and clamps. But, now I don't
  worry about the boat weathering the winter.
    
    JC

    I used the blue poly tarp-over-conduit method and trashed the first
    tarp in one season - but I found all of the spots that needed extra 
    padding.
    
    Good results were obtained the next year with a bit more padding
    and the use of the old tarp as a cushion under the new one.  It
    takes a bit more effort though...  I should be able to get two seasons
    out of this tarp.
    
    ----->Vince

    I "JUST" got my cover on this past weekend. It seems that I always
    wait until AFTER the first snow to get the task completed.....
    
    My cover is entering its fourth -- and definitely its last season.
    Lots of light starting to show through, as well as a number of abrasion
    spots. Funny how I missed them last Spring :>)
    
    I agree with the previous comment that you should/could use the
    "old" cover as padding for the new cover. I plan to do so. Putting
    a second cover over the existing one is going to be tricky, but
    with a couple of ladders, feasible.
    
    Signed, 
    
    Late as usual  JC
    
    
    

    Does anyone know where to get "weave-cote" tarps?  They are the best
    poly tarp I have used.  Unfortunately I have lost the receipt for the
    one I bought years ago and need to purchase a new one asap.
    
    Can anyone out there help???
    Pam - dtn 226-2605