Boat stored in freezing rain

labatt · #1 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

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

yotphix · #2 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

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!

labatt · #3 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by yotphix

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.

sailingdog · #4 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

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.

Gramp34 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

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

labatt · #6 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

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!

TrueBlue · #7 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

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.

HerbDB · #8 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

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.

labatt · #9 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueBlue

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

labatt · #10 (**permalink**) 02-14-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by HerbDB

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