Conference vicki::boats

    Last year I built an "A" frame structure for my boat and covered
    it with a tarp.  This allowed the snow to slide off.  Also allow
    plenty of ventilation to prevent a moisture build-up under the
    tarp.  My frame was built from strapping.  It took about a morning.
    If you do it right, the frame can be disassembled and reused year
    to year.  If you don't want to use strapping, most good marine
    supply stores sell "Frame Maker Clamps" for use with electrical
    tubing.  Good luck.

    Take it from a person who lost a brand new vinyl top,Alum supports
    and all to snow. Take it down and store it!
    
    Best and cheapest way is to build supports out of a few two by fours.
    And tie down your poly cover real well.
    
    I'll be doing the same for my boat next weekend.
    
    

I'll second the motions (so to speak) of .1 and .2, having lost a
convertible top on my HydraSports to a heavy wet snowfall. 

I looked at some knock-down sawhorses for a while; the ones where the
cross bar can be removed from a slot in the two end pieces. Then I
duplicated the end pieces, only much taller. With some "tuning" I ended
up with two different sets of legs. The tallest legs sit right on the
deck aft; the shorter legs sit on a ledge that runs down either side of
the boat (inside), aft of the windshield. My center support is also in
two pieces. One piece supports the canvas from aft to amidships, and the
forwardmost end of that support is 1/2 seated in the midships leg
section. The piece of center support that supports the cover over the bow
occupies the other half of the socket in the midships support, running
forward to the rail over the pulpit. The end result looks like a giant
Boy Scout tent.

I got 4 years out of a plastic tarp that I think I paid $40 for; never a
problem with snow as long as the angle is steep enough. As someone else
said, make sure you don't try to make it air-tight. The condensation will
do bad things. 

If you're anywhere around Southern NH you're welcome to come look at my
A-frame.

Art
603-673-6940

    In the Nashua Telegraph (newspaper) a couple a weeks back there
    was a advertisement for somebody that will come to your house and
    shrinkwrap your boat. That is all I can remember and I'll try to
    find more info and post it here for those interested.
    
    
                                                           Jeff

    My advise (cheap)is to take everything out of your boat possible.
    Allow for ventilation and go for a wood framed giant scout tent!!
    All the shrinkwrap will do is collect moisture---NOT good. I also
    throw a bunch of moth balls around the inside of the boat to deter
    little "critters" from making a nice warm nest under that canvas
    cover. Them critters like to eat cushions and stuff!! (They hate
    moth balls!)
    
    Don

    I just put Rainbow Chaser to sleep for the winter yesterday, It
    took me almost a whole half hour to build a 2 X 4 Frame and pull
    the blue poly tarp ( 20 ft X 40 ft) over and tie her down snugg.
    As for the rest of witerizing that took about 8 hours to acomplish.
    
    I like the Idea of mothballs to repel "Critters"! Have to go back
    down with a couple of bags next weekend. Another good trick is to
    put baking soda in the deck fish boxes,coolers,baitwells,head &
    bilge's to keep nasty smellls away. I'll have to do this too,I forgot.
    
    I get critter's living in the Air filters of my GMC Jimmy and Chevy
    Blazer. I wonder if mothballs would keep them out? My blazer was
    running rough? So I cleaned all the Corn and Acorns out of the Carb
    that the critters like to hide away in there, It's a real pain in
    the butt.
    
    Good point on the Seat cusions. I know that if you leave paddles
    outside that porcupines like to eat them, Somthing about the salt
    from sweat that makes the wood taste good to them. Also one year
    I found the neighbors goat trying to eat the seats on the Bass Boat.
    Not good.
    
    Anybody else have any "Off the wall" storage tips?
    
                                              Walt