[Selkie60]

I'm considering buying a permanent winter cover vs shrink-wrap for my new-to-me Hunter Vision 32. I'm looking for recommendations for someone to make a cover. I'd also appreciate it if anyone had a good guess as to what it might cost to cover a 32' sailboat (with a free-standing mast if that matters). The boat is wintering at Admiral's Hill in Chelsea, MA. Thanks in advance.

 

[Minnewaska]

Contact Fairclough in CT. They are the best. The cloth cover is much better for your boat, it breaths and is environmentally friendly. If you can wrestle the install and removal and have a place to store, they are break even in about three years to shrink wrapping around here. Five years, if you pay them to R&R.

However, I don't know about permanent. They will last 20 years, if you take care of them, which always includes stitching up some seams and/or tears every year.

Fairclough Sailmakers | Boat Covers | New England

 

[Selkie60]

I see they offer two styles of covers: boomtents and covered frames. Can I get away with a boomtent in MA? The biggest risk appears to be having a snow load pressing against the stanchions and lifelines.

 

[Minnewaska]

You can get either. They are excellent at customer service. Give them a call for the pros and cons.

Neither are designed to hold repeated snow load. All covers need to either shed snow or by cleaned off after each storm.

 

[JimsCAL]

I would guess a ballpark cost would be $2000. One plus for the boomtents is no frame and they don't go over the lifelines.

 

[Minnewaska]

A full cover for a 32' boat is probably closer to twice that. I would guess $3k to $4k. Ours was $6k.

Comes with free installation the first year. That's something.

 

[Selkie60]

Those numbers are pretty much spot-on. I ended up going with the boomtent. Cost was a factor, but living in the city I appreciate the reduced storage space required (as compared to a full cover).

 

[sailingfool]

Chuck,
I got the quotes below for a boom tent (full deck cover, topsides exposed) for my P31-2 but decided to stay with shrinkwrap:

$3,100
Kinder Industries
75 Tupelo Street
Bristol RI 02809
401-253-7076

$2,635
SeaCanvas LLC
3011 Ocean Heights Ave
Unit C
Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234
[email protected]
609-601-2525

PS - Didn't I do a skipper checkout with you... congratulations on closing on the dream.

 

[eherlihy]

For the size boat that you are looking at, there are basically three options;

1. Fairclough Cover - ~$3500 - usable for ~10 years
2. Shrinkwrap - ~$1000 - usable for 1 year
3. Big tarps & home built frame - ~$500 - usable for 3-5 years

There are two threads that you should have a careful read through;

• http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/97778-winter-storage-covers.html
• http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cs-ya...-your-awlgrip-topsides-winter.html#post264901

I will call your attention to the following quote from Maine Sail in the second thread;

...
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!!!

I plan to pay the yard ~$850 to shrink wrap my 35' boat - again.

 

[Selkie60]

PS - Didn't I do a skipper checkout with you... congratulations on closing on the dream.

It's possible, but I think it's been something like 30 years since I last did a checkout; when I joined the Boston Sailing Center.