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Boat stored in freezing rain

5K views 24 replies 14 participants last post by  SailNet Archive 
#1 ·
Should I worry (not that there's anything I can do about it)? My boat is on the hard in Annapolis, winterized, but there's supposed to be a 1/2" to 3/4" of ice accumulation due to freezing rain. The boat is not covered, the sails are on (cover on mainsail, sunbrella wrap on genoa) and all the running rigging is on. They just bleached the decks and put new thiokol in (30 days ago). Should I expect any damage?

Chris
 
#2 · (Edited)
Probably not. It just melts and runs away. Or if the temp for some reason stayed below freezing it would eventually evaporate (sublimate?) straight from ice. In the end it is just water. The only ways that ice causes damage to weatherproof things is by loading them too heavily, or by getting into spaces where the expansion from liquid bursts something.
Although people in cold climates normally remove sails and cover their boats, many don't bother and it doesn't seem to hurt them too badly. The sun and wind do more damage I think. (This opinion comes from 30 years in southern ontario.)

edit: It just occurred to me that you may not have winterized your engine or water systems on board. If not, sustained freezing temps may burst pipes and or hoses and damage pumps. I hope not!
 
#3 ·
yotphix said:
edit: It just occurred to me that you may not have winterized your engine or water systems on board. If not, sustained freezing temps may burst pipes and or hoses and damage pumps. I hope not!
All winterized, fortunately :) When we move it to Lake Champlain and store it up here, it will be covered. Right now, I'm having a ton of work done to it so I didn't get it covered, and each time we went down to work on the boat ourselves it was blowing hard so we couldn't get the sails off.
 
#4 ·
Actually, I would worry about it. I'm guessing that your boat is on a cradle or boat stands, since it is on the hard. The weight of 3/4" of ice over the entire boat is a significant amount of weight and might cause problems with the hull where it contacts the stands or cradle. Also, if your boom is being held up by a topping lift, there is a significant amount of additional weight on it now.

The other problem is that the freezing rain that probably caused the icing could have caused damage by getting into small openings and cracks and then freezing, which would expand it by about 10%...

If the incoming storm adds additional snow and ice to what is already on the boat, you may have some damage... so I would try and get down to the marina to inspect as soon after the storm as possible.
 
#5 ·
I'm also in the snowbelt and wouldn't be concerned. 3/4" of ice weighs 4 pounds per square foot. A 25 foot rectangular barge with 8 foot beam would pick up 800 pounds. A pointy sailboat considerably less, say the weight of three adults. Would three adults spread around the boat deflect the cradle or jackstands enough to damage the boat? Doesn't seem likely to me.

A 10 foot boom with covered sail a foot wide would pick up an extra 40 pounds over the whole length. The topping lift would see half of that.

If water has gotten into cracks and froze, the damage is already done.

On the other hand, getting the ice off would involve a lot of pounding. Cold plastic won't like that very much.

Tim
 
#6 ·
The boat is 22 years old. It's been primarily in the Northeast. I'm assuming that if water was going to get into something and expand, it would have done so already. At least that's what I keep telling myself to stay sane :)

In the meantime, I'm looking out my back door at the blizzard going on here in the Albany, NY area. We're supposed to get 2 feet and 25-35mph winds. Fun Fun Fun!
 
#7 ·
labatt,
Your Passport 40 is a beauty and hope you get to fully enjoy her this summer. I wouldn't worry about a little ice in Maryland - will melt soon enough.

But, I'm sure you are aware of the damaging effects of extended, sub-zero temps and freezing/expansion issues up in the Albany, Lake Champlain area - that's when you begin to worry about the ice element.
 
#8 ·
My boat is stored in the water in Annapolis. I just checked the webcams in downtown Annapolis. People are jogging and the boats tied up in Ego Alley don't appear to have any ice or snow on them. I wouldn't worry.
 
#9 ·
TrueBlue said:
lI'm sure you are aware of the damaging effects of extended, sub-zero temps and freezing/expansion issues up in the Albany, Lake Champlain area - that's when you begin to worry about the ice element.
The boat spent a few seasons on the hard in the Mystic CT area and also the Long Island Sound. While a bit warmer than Champlain, hopefully it's "used to" the freezing/expansion issues already. When we store her up here over the next Winter season we'll be having her shrinkwrapped (with appropriate ventilation). Hopefully that will minimize moisture being introduced to small crevices :)
 
#10 ·
HerbDB said:
My boat is stored in the water in Annapolis. I just checked the webcams in downtown Annapolis. People are jogging and the boats tied up in Ego Alley don't appear to have any ice or snow on them. I wouldn't worry.
Herb - thanks for the info! Makes me feel a bit better :)
 
#11 ·
I wouldn't expect immediate damage, unless ice plugs the cockpit drains, etc. and then meltwater backs up into the boat. Boats get wet...then you go dry them out, right?<G>

But when ice forms and expands in places like rigging swages, it can loosen then or split them, eventually. That's one reason the 20-year-old rigging, even in the northeast and even in fresh water, needs to be checked up close and personal. Including dye checks, etc. for cracks in fittings aloft.

Using lanocote (water-based lanolin grease) or other grease to saturate the fittings and help keep water out of them is the only routine maintenance you can do to delay this.
 
#13 ·
My boat is down there too - I do have my sails stored down below and a tarp over the boom, but that ain't much. So yes - I am somewhat worried. I might come out there on the weekend to check it out.

That said, two things to consider:
1) My boat sat for years in various yards in this same area, through a number of snow and ice storms very much like this one. They do not help, for sure, but they didn't break the thing either. Same likely applies to yours.

2) There isn't much you can do anyway. Breaking a sheet of solid ice on the deck is anything but impossible. The most you can achieve by doing so is damaging the deck. It may be worth inspecting the thing and, perhaps, unplugging the drainholes or some such - but really this is just a "peace of mind inspection".
 
#14 ·
A little late to worry right now, but leaving a boat uncovered in areas where it is subjected to freeze / thaw cycles is about the worst thing you can do for your deck. Water will work its way in through crevices you don't even know exist. It will freeze, and it will damage the core and the glass fibres. Not may, not might, it will. You have a significant amount of money invested in your boat. When the spring comes either make a frame for your boat, or have one made, and then get a cover from somewhere. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it is the single most important thing you can do to promote the longevity of your boat. If you rely on shrink-wrapping - sooner or later there is going to come a year when you decide for one reason or another not to make the investment. and the older your boat gets, the more care it needs.
 
#15 ·
Michigan boats get covered with snow and ice every year.

I'm sure that damage could occur but I wouldn't worry too much. As long as the ice has room to expand, it will. That's why my plastic ice cube trays don't crack everytime I use them.
 
#18 ·
Sorry Sailorman, if it looked like I was trying to disagree with your assessment. Actually, I didn't see your post until after I posted mine.:eek:

Ice forming in the core does sound bad. My only point is that a lot of boats never get covered, even in the northern climates.
 
#20 ·
Un-buffed Wax

I'm a believer in full coverage myself for the average of at least 50 freezes, thaws, and re-freezes in RI (my wild guess). I actually think there is less danger in the far north where it doesn't thaw so often. Any way here is an alternative that has worked well for a friend of mine for many years in Westerly RI. Every fall since his '87 or '88 IP31 was new he puts on a heavy coat of wax and doesn't buff it till the spring. The fiberglass has always looked good as new and he traded it in last year to move to the Dark Side and got the 70k or so he paid for it way back when.
 
#21 ·
Interesting concept your friend uses Stan. But, dosen't the heavy coat of unbuffed wax harden up, making buffing difficult - or impossible in the Spring? We have all experienced what happens to wax, if we apply it to the entire boat (or car), then try to buff it off. It becomes a real bear to remove.
 
#22 ·
Wax

TB - I suppose my posting was rather useless without the name of the wax he uses. I just checked my archives and he called it - 'Kit paste wax'. I don't know that brand myself and I know what you mean about some waxes being impossible to buff after they harden.
 
#23 ·
I just came back from my boat near Annapolis. There was some ice on the side decks and in the cockpit - but nothing major. Boom tent helped keep cabin top clean. Didn't seem like a major issue at all.

I was glad to find my boat completely dry inside - not a drop of water anywhere. Say what you can about Beneteaus, but these things definitely keep water out - at least from above :)
 
#25 ·
No need to apologise, and hope my response didn't seem curt. There are an awful lot of boats that don't get covered. Up here in Ontario, the winters are quit cold and we get a lot of back forth from water to ice. I am still amazed and a bit disappointed when I see a boat left open to the elements up here. It's a bit of work, but covering the boat for the winter is about the number one thing you can do to protect your investment.
 
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