Protecting your Awlgrip topsides in the winter

[Maine Sail]

Just wanted to share a photo of how I avoided damage to my new Awlgrip paint job this winter. We all know you should never tightly shrink wrap Awlgriped top sides and the CS's toe rails are perfect for protecting them!

I simply had the yard lace through the toe rails holes and leave about a 4 inch gap for the boats breathe-ability factor.

We've had a lot of snow this winter and the boat has remained bone dry. Before I put her to bed though, for the winter, I applied a coat of Awlcare Polymer Wax and she's still beading!! Thanks to the CS's aluminum toe rails I'll have no chafe and no damage to my topsides this spring!

[sailingfool]

The challenge with the shrinkwrap over the lifelines, is a good snow build up or storm wind can take down the stanchions. I lost all four gate stanchions and bases two years ago, not clear which cause.

I built a deck tent last year, by taking a 40' plastic tarp, laying it over a ridge pole, then cutting the edges to just reach the deck. I then had the edges hemmed and added grommets. The end result looked a lot like your cover, but was re-useable and secured inside of the lifelines.

just another way of doing it.

[k1vsk]

Like your's, our deck joint has an aluminum toe rail to which I bungy the cover without going over the top of the lifelines.
Our one and only significant snowfall this winter (so far...) caused my canvas cover to cave in slightly when the snow didn't shed before warming up such that it sagged onto the cabintop in places. If it was the type which covered the lifelines, they'd surely be gone now. Ad added advantage of connecting it directly to the tow rail is the greater angle at which it slopes down to the deck level promoting sheading the snow load.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by sailingfool

The challenge with the shrinkwrap over the lifelines, is a good snow build up or storm wind can take down the stanchions. I lost all four gate stanchions and bases two years ago, not clear which cause.

I built a deck tent last year, by taking a 40' plastic tarp, laying it over a ridge pole, then cutting the edges to just reach the deck. I then had the edges hemmed and added grommets. The end result looked a lot like your cover, but was re-useable and secured inside of the lifelines.

just another way of doing it.

Not at my boat yard! These guys are Maine Yankees. First straping is bent along the profile at the tops of the lifelines and affixed to the bow pulpit and stern pushpit. These full length stringers are then tied together port to starboard near or at each stanchion so the stanchions can not bend or compress even under an extreme load.

The guys at my yard install covers on every boat this way. It's a pain to step over the "tie rods", under the cover, but in 12 years at this yard I've never once, even with HUGE snow loads, had a problem..


I'll try and snap a photo sometime this week of the inside of the cover..

I cropped a photo to show the "tie rods". In this photo you can see the "tie rods" and the longitudinal stringers. Ignore the angle it makes it seem strange but they are tied together within about 6" of each stanchion and also tied to the ridge pole supports so they can't buckle..

[sailingfool]

That sounds like a solution that should ensure no damage to the stanchions, but I have to ask what the yard charged to put together so robust a solution. I love that the little deck tent cost about $180 one-time and once cut and hemmed, only takes a few hours to install in the fall.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by sailingfool

That sounds like a solution that should ensure no damage to the stanchions, but I have to ask what the yard charged to put together so robust a solution. I love that the little deck tent cost about $180 one-time and once cut and hemmed, only takes a few hours to install in the fall.

Oh I pay big bucks about $700.00! But in Maine it's worth it and I've learned not to complain about the price of a good cover!

I've seen many Faricloughs collapse up here and many home made jobs too including some of my own design. The key though is a TALL ridge pole, STEEP sides and a slippery surface like shrink wrap has!!!

[alexco38]

I went to electrical wholesaler (Nedco) and got a bunch of 3/4 conduits (7/8 ouside diameter) to make a frame. They are galvanized so resist rust. The whole frame was secured by truck tie down. You can actually swing on the frame. Home depot sells 30x50 white tarp for about $80. I laced it very tight so it won't flap in the wind. We had a lot of snow and very strong wind (+50kt) may times this year. Everything is still ok. White tarp seems to let in enough light to keep the solar vent turning. I have a 13W solar panel to keep the batteries charged. By the way, I always remove the life line and stenchion.

[orient]

In the midwest there are many boats that do not cover at all. Any thoughts on the pros and cons of covering?

[Maine Sail]

Do you get snow? If you get snow it is imperative to cover. The condensation factor is HUGE. Picture a foot of snow on your decks! Now picture the sun coming up and the outside temperature climbing to 45 degrees but the inside boat temperature is still 20 degrees from the previous night. Drip, drip, drip.....

Hopefully that helps paint the picture....

I once looked at an Ericson 38 that looked like an ice cave inside. It had cool looking icicles hanging from everywhere and the headliner had fallen away. It had over two feet of snow sitting on the decks and basically the boat was totaled from one season uncovered in Maine!

If you don't cover shovel or clear the snow after each storm..

[Maine Sail]

As promised the interior photo of the "tie rods" protecting the stanchions.