[Barquito]

My boat has winter cover fails on both sides (mine hasn't failed, yet, b/c I haven't put it on!). Any other epic winter cover fails out there?

Cockpit cover in a wad:


Swimming pool on the foredeck (is probably a skating rink now):

 

[Minnesail]

Our first snow of the season started really wet and sticky, so the colder dryer snow that followed stuck to the base coat instead of sliding off my tarp. The weight pulled enough to break the tips of my spreaders through the tarp.

Snow 1, cheap blue tarp 0

I think I'll go out there and slide some carpet remnants under the pressure points to spread the load. It's 5ºF now and headed to -10ºF tonight, so maybe I'll wait till Friday when it's supposed to be a tropical 18ºF...

 

[eherlihy]

I hope that my boat has been shrink wrapped by now. The marina where I keep her does not let allow DIY shrink wrap.

Also, winter sucks...

 

[Tim R.]

That's not a winter cover, that is a tarp. The gray cover in the background is a winter cover. Did they really expect it to shed snow/rain without some type of frame supporting it?

I would keep a close eye on those tarps. A good cross wind and you will have grommets flogging your boat.

This is a properly framed and shrink wrapped boat:

 

[azguy]

I never understand why people have nice things and protect them with $10 covers...

 

[jimrafford]

I don't even want to get into why the sails are still on.
Jim

 

[Barquito]

I don't even want to get into why the sails are still on.

That is actually what concerned me the most. The blue transom in that picture is me. One really strong wind from the north, and I am worried the shi**y wood cradle that thing is on will fold up. The boat with the swimming pool on deck will just be shipping a lot of weight. I didn't think about the tarps flogging my boat!

 

[benesailor]

Wow, Don't sailors talk to each other in that yard? If i saw those tarps over the lifelines like (no supports? )that i'd be the first one to give the guy advice and strongly suggest he seek a different alternative.

 

[chip]

I had a cover mishap last year.

We had dropped the mast and towed the boat to high ground for Sandy. When the marina had recovered enough for us to put her back, we didn't bother to step the mast because 1) it seemed silly, 2) we thought the marina might need to move the boat around to do stuff (and she can't leave the yard with the mast up because of overhead electrical wires), and 3) we're lazy. The problem was that our fitted cover doesn't work with the mast down. We decided to go back to the tarp, tented over the lowered mast, as we did in our first year of boat ownership (which also went pretty poorly).

We had the mast positioned to the port side of the cockpit so that it could be supported by the stern rail (there's a notch cut out in the middle of the rail for the traveler). This left too much loose tarp on the starboard side, despite our best efforts to tie it down tightly, and water pooled in it. Then froze. Then broke off all of our stanchions.

It sucked.

There are more pictures and a more graphic depiction here: Finesse, Force, and Physics | Sailing Fortuitous

We're back to the real cover this year, with the witch's hat, which works much better.

 

[Delta-T]

That's not a winter cover, that is a tarp. The gray cover in the background is a winter cover. Did they really expect it to shed snow/rain without some type of frame supporting it?

I would keep a close eye on those tarps. A good cross wind and you will have grommets flogging your boat.

This is a properly framed and shrink wrapped boat:

I would think that would be a condensation nightmare, does not look like there is any ventilation? Are you living on that boat? I wonder why they have not come up with a way to use tyvek Tyvek - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

 

[Tim R.]

I would think that would be a condensation nightmare, does not look like there is any ventilation? Are you living on that boat? I wonder why they have not come up with a way to use tyvek Tyvek - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Actually there is zero condensation. There are air gaps around the entire boat at the toe-rail and a large gap at the bowsprit. This is the 4th year living aboard with this winter cover system and it has been problem free. It acts as a greenhouse on sunny days so we can enjoy the cockpit or work on deck. Sides are high and wide enough to not damage the lifelines/stanchions and you can walk up the side decks.

Tyvek is not a bad idea but it is not transparent(for us live aboards) and it has no stretch which helps keep things quiet on windy nights.

The frozen moisture you see here is on the outside. You can also see the gap at the toerail.

 

[Delta-T]

Actually there is zero condensation. There are air gaps around the entire boat at the toe-rail and a large gap at the bowsprit. This is the 4th year living aboard with this winter cover system and it has been problem free. It acts as a greenhouse on sunny days so we can enjoy the cockpit or work on deck. Sides are high and wide enough to not damage the lifelines/stanchions and you can walk up the side decks.

Tyvek is not a bad idea but it is not transparent(for us live aboards) and it has no stretch which helps keep things quiet on windy nights.

The frozen moisture you see here is on the outside. You can also see the gap at the toerail.

Very nice indeed, great job, one of the best setups I have seen! Yes, stretching and noise would be an issue with Tyvek, but those not living on board and using tarps could benefit.

Thanks for the reply, cheers!

 

[PNWvagabond]

I have to agree, that looks like the most practical way to cover up for a liveaboard. Do you just tie the PVC (I think its PVC) down to the stanchions? I saw in another post someone had decorated with xmas lights with a similar set up. It looked really cozy in there. Hopefully you get to do the same.

 

[Delta-T]

I actually designed and built a PVC frame that is easy to setup, needs no wood ridge beam, needs no internal gussets, and held together with only 3/8" rope. I built it for reconditioning my mast in the back yard, but it could be used for a boat cover. And it was cheap. I think it would qualify for the low buck (under $100) project thread. I will post it there.

 

[Tim R.]

I have to agree, that looks like the most practical way to cover up for a liveaboard. Do you just tie the PVC (I think its PVC) down to the stanchions? I saw in another post someone had decorated with xmas lights with a similar set up. It looked really cozy in there. Hopefully you get to do the same.

Center ridge and vertical supports are 2x4s. Ribs are 3/4" PVC conduit. Bases sit on rub rail and wire tied to toe rail. Stringers in photo were 1/2" PVC conduit but it turned out to be too flimsy so this year I used 1x2 wood furring strips that are much better. Door frame is 2x4 tied back to ridge with two 2x4s. Door is 2x3 with diagonal bracing.

The ridge is tied down to the hand rails with strapping. The PVC bows actually create a lifting force on the whole frame. The entire structure is very stable even in high winds.

Look familiar? Winter 2010.

 

[Sal Paradise]

Basic tarp over mast setup. Did block up and support mast and spreaders.

 

[jimrafford]

Tim
I started using clear 3 winters ago.
I'm on it most weekends working on projects and the clear shrink wrap is great.
It can be 20 outside on a sunny day and it's 60 under the cover. Everyone around our slip told me the clear was going to be a mold and moisture factory. Not so!
Jim

 

[benesailor]

Tim r, that's a sweet rig you have there.

Why are people going straight over their stanchions when covering with no support?

That's a path to destruction. I see so many broken stanchions from shrink warp or tarps over stanchions every spring. Take them down or cut around them.
Stanchions are not that strong.

 

[Tim R.]

Tim r, that's a sweet rig you have there.

Why are people going straight over their stanchions when covering with no support?

That's a path to destruction. I see so many broken stanchions from shrink warp or tarps over stanchions every spring. Take them down or cut around them.
Stanchions are not that strong.

Not sure why but I can guess.

 

[benesailor]

tim,
not directed at you. just directed at the general populace.