Best top covers for outside storage in the winter

Pirate Lady said:
WOW! just wow. Now I get why some people put them underground in a mine.
Here we have thousands of boats wrapped in non biodegradable shrink wrap, and we get maybe an inch or two twice a year. The proliferation of junk shrink wrap around here is a real landfill problem. Some marinas are now refusing to let you but it in their dumpster.
I wouldn’t be surprised if very soon the landfill won’t take it. It’s really unnecessary around here.
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ours is that way with the dumpster. I get two years out of it typically, but the second year is nerve wrenching since I can never secure it as tightly as when it was new, so I’m worried about tears and stuff.

the county recycling program takes it thankfully or I don’t know what we’d do with it.

the mine storage is cool as hell. If we had one around that’s where I would go
 
I built a support system the first winter we had our 300DA and pulled tarps over it, but opted to have it wrapped over the same framework the next year. Based on what we saw between the two and figuring in the cost difference, I think I'll go back to the store-bought tarps this fall.
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I've used the heavy duty tarps from a place across the valley. I take the canvas off and put the tarp over the bows. I have used harbor freight cheap sawhorses over the bow. I have a bunch of 2x6s that I thought about a frame over the complete boat.

I want to go get some poles and trusses to put up a more permanent cover. But with PGE putting in new utility poles, I have my name in for for 12 of their old poles. So I might just get them trusses and get my cover I want.
 
MonacoMike said:
There must be some reason that the majority of boaters storing outside use shrink wrap. It sure isn’t the cost of covers.
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I think part of the reason is that folks don't want to do it themselves - with shrink wrap, you pay someone else and you're done. I'm no radical environmentalist, but like Pirate Lady stated, shrink wrap seems like a terrible waste, in fact, like she stated, there's a program locally that is focused on dealing with it. I'd like to get a cover that would last me a few years, I just thought that would be the economical way of going about this, plus I'd rather do it myself. The myth about my area, southeast Michigan, is that we really don't get a huge amount of snow around here - maybe a couple of feet each winter, so I would have no problem going to the marina to check on it periodically after heavy snow.
 
Cheap Guy said:
I think part of the reason is that folks don't want to do it themselves - with shrink wrap, you pay someone else and you're done. I'm no radical environmentalist, but like Pirate Lady stated, shrink wrap seems like a terrible waste, in fact, like she stated, there's a program locally that is focused on dealing with it. I'd like to get a cover that would last me a few years, I just thought that would be the economical way of going about this, plus I'd rather do it myself. The myth about my area, southeast Michigan, is that we really don't get a huge amount of snow around here - maybe a couple of feet each winter, so I would have no problem going to the marina to check on it periodically after heavy snow.
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I need a new boat name. It’s he not she. But no offense, funny.
 
Down here in MD you can walk thru a marina in February and soooooo many boats are shrink wrapped. Now, I am not a recycle person or tree hugger. I look at all these boats wrapped at over $400 each and think what a waste of money. The last real snow accumulation we have had was I think 2014, and melted in 2 days.
What cracks me up is all these wrapped boats in winter and the same boats stay uncovered in the summer sun ruining the upholstery. Summer is far harder on boats than winter.
 
My brother in law uses a full mooring cover that hangs half way down the hull on his 46' Cruisers. It's lasted 3 winters in the Detroit area and it came with the boat when he bought it. Not sure how old it is. It's a project to get on. He says it heavy. Over 100 lbs easy. He gets a couple of buddies to help him when it gets hauled out.
Mine is going inside. No shrink wrap. But, Belle Maer Harbor does have a recycler pickup the used shrink wrap in the spring. You just leave it under the bow on the ground and they pick it up.
 
My bad Pirate Lady! "He" it is.

The problem with indoor storage, is that it's becoming more and more expensive, and a lot of cold inside storage are changing to heated and increasing prices. The argument is that you save on winterization but I never feel comfortable with not winterizing my boat even if it's inside heated. Another problem with inside is lack of access. I hate waiting until all the boats on the floor are moved before I can get access and I need/want to do some maintenance as soon as it gets warm in Spring.

Where are folks getting the canvas tarps? Any issues with scratching? That seems like the best way to go at this point, especially since I can make a frame to support it fairly easy with either PVC pipes or 2x4s.
 
Pirate Lady said:
Down here in MD you can walk thru a marina in February and soooooo many boats are shrink wrapped. Now, I am not a recycle person or tree hugger. I look at all these boats wrapped at over $400 each and think what a waste of money. The last real snow accumulation we have had was I think 2014, and melted in 2 days.
What cracks me up is all these wrapped boats in winter and the same boats stay uncovered in the summer sun ruining the upholstery. Summer is far harder on boats than winter.
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Boats can stay uncovered year round but it takes it's toll on the gelcoat without protection. No different than boats down south. A good waxing from rub rail up before the winter can help with that but most do not want to do that and put it off to the spring.

My primary reason to cover boats for the winter is protection from water freezing in small areas exposed. Water can find it's way into small cracks and when it freezes will do damage and could even crack windshields (just like on cars). So even with a small amount of snow the freeze-thaw-refreeze cycle allows for water to get into places it normally would not. Even on a cold day water will evaporate from the surface from the sun and wind alone.

-Kevin
 
KevinC said:
Boats can stay uncovered year round but it takes it's toll on the gelcoat without protection. No different than boats down south. A good waxing from rub rail up before the winter can help with that but most do not want to do that and put it off to the spring.

My primary reason to cover boats for the winter is protection from water freezing in small areas exposed. Water can find it's way into small cracks and when it freezes will do damage and could even crack windshields (just like on cars). So even with a small amount of snow the freeze-thaw-refreeze cycle allows for water to get into places it normally would not. Even on a cold day water will evaporate from the surface from the sun and wind alone.

-Kevin
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Well said post.
 
Cheap Guy said:
My bad Pirate Lady! "He" it is.

The problem with indoor storage, is that it's becoming more and more expensive, and a lot of cold inside storage are changing to heated and increasing prices. The argument is that you save on winterization but I never feel comfortable with not winterizing my boat even if it's inside heated. Another problem with inside is lack of access. I hate waiting until all the boats on the floor are moved before I can get access and I need/want to do some maintenance as soon as it gets warm in Spring.

Where are folks getting the canvas tarps? Any issues with scratching? That seems like the best way to go at this point, especially since I can make a frame to support it fairly easy with either PVC pipes or 2x4s.
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I wonder why it is getting more expensive! (FJB) Heating fuel is launching in price. That said, I do not winterize for heated indoor storage and I do not worry very much.

First, I believe every time a mechanic touches your boat it is a bad thing, so that issue is alleviated, everything come out of the storage just as it went in. (I have only had to prime the AC once.)

Then my storage keeps the temp at near 60 degrees (they are newer well insulated purpose built to store boats, I bet it would be near a week without power before the boats inside were threatened.) to allow a big margin of time in the event there is a significant power disruption, on top of back up plans for catastrophic power outages.

Boating is not without risk, this risk is low on my list of worries…
 
I think not winterizing a boat in northern climates is a risk not worth taking, when you can winterize for about $125 per engine. I didn't do it one winter and I was sweating bullets the entire winter. Yes, it's rare that a building would lose complete power for an extended period of time AND the temp would drop below freezing for an extend period, but everything works...until it doesn't. it's like those folks who are too cheap to buy tow insurance and get away with it for years...until they have to get towed, or want you to tow them in, but I digress.
 
Cheap Guy said:
I think not winterizing a boat in northern climates is a risk not worth taking, when you can winterize for about $125 per engine. I didn't do it one winter and I was sweating bullets the entire winter. Yes, it's rare that a building would lose complete power for an extended period of time AND the temp would drop below freezing for an extend period, but everything works...until it doesn't. it's like those folks who are too cheap to buy tow insurance and get away with it for years...until they have to get towed, or want you to tow them in, but I digress.
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You must do what is comfortable for you. That said where is all the evidence of this happening? In our years on this board I do not recall a single example of a heated building failing and freezing the boats in it, certainly not often. Do any of you?

We hear of boaters needing tows often, the risks are not similar…
 
We have new owner at my marina, mentioned in another post. Has towing service (Chesapeake marine services) and include free towing in our slip fee.
Got letter, they are bundling winterize with haul out as a package. Nice. When boat is pulled they automatically winterize it Engine/ outdrive. No need to hunt or schedule a separate mechanic. I like it!
you can decline if you prefer to do yourself but why, it’s included in hauling and storage.
 
Pirate Lady said:
We have new owner at my marina, mentioned in another post. Has towing service (Chesapeake marine services) and include free towing in our slip fee.
Got letter, they are bundling winterize with haul out as a package. Nice. When boat is pulled they automatically winterize it Engine/ outdrive. No need to hunt or schedule a separate mechanic. I like it!
you can decline if you prefer to do yourself but why, it’s included in hauling and storage.
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That is common in my area, with the exception of indoor heated.
 
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