This year I decided to leave the boat at the lake. Uusally I haul it home and cover it in the backyard where I can keep an eye on it. I think there are advantages and disadvantages to leaving a boat covered with a tarp. So I though I check to see what folks in the north east do. We get a fair amount of snow in Iowa. What are your preferences.

Rhapsody is left outside at the yard uncovered with the mast up, however....

After I finish recoring areas of the deck and having the topside refinished, I plan on having a custom cover made that will cover topsides down past the toe rail. It will have a zipper entry so I can get inside the boat when needed. That probably won't happen for another year or two.


I figure the snow and ice buildup are probably the worst offenders that impact topside preservation

I srinkwrap down to about an inch above the toe rail. I would get a custom cover but they are very big and heavy to store during the summer. The srinkwrap and wood frame get recycled.

I do this mostly so I can work on the boat during the winter and to cut the UV down by half during the year on my expensive running rigging.

Our mast is removed and is kept on deck. Above the must, mounted to the mast support framework we run a 2 x 4 backframe down the length of the boat. 1" electrical conduit runs from the lifeline station bases up through the backbone.
We use a 20' x 32' heavy duty gray nylon tarp (like the blue nylon tarps sold at Home Depot only heavier) that we use to cover the boat. Both ends are left open I have easy access from the stern - the tarp covers the sides down almost to the boot top. There is plenty of air flow under the tarp but the snow, rain and ice are kept off of the deck. The current tarp has been used for 6 years and has at least 1 or 2 seasons left on it. I paid less than $100 for it when I bought it. - shrink wrap costs $100 - $400 per year, custom covers cost ???. I put the savings into upgrading to hi-tech mains

Although some store the boats with mast up, I recommend storing the boat with the mast down

Russ,

Sounds like a nice setup. I am going to build the same cover this year. I have stored inside, but this year I decided to save $$ and store outside mast down.

Question.. Why the backbone above the mast? Could you use the mast as the backbone of the frame?

The cradle we built for the mast was intended for transporting the boat on the highway. The trailer we used was high to the point that we had to keep the mast as low as possibelto make sure the boat cleared the highway bridges. Thus the mast sits below the bow pulpit and just clears the companionway slide in the back.
The backbone that is used for the cover is higher than both the stern and bow pulpits so that there is a bit more room to work under the cover. It is also angled slighly (tent fashion) so that snow does not accumulate
The other reason we don't use the mast for the backbone is that there is concern for the cover to rub on the mast.

I try a similar system on my P27 but used PVC pipe for the back bone. It was to flexible. The mast won't sit up high enough to use as a backbone. The tarp ends up flat then the standchions poke through. LAcking materials at the lake, I decided to just roll the tarp at the toe rails and thread rope through for tie downs. Will see how long it last. It will keep the ice off the deck.

I bought a cover from Thurston Canvas in Bristol, RI about two years ago. I had mine made so I can store the boat with the mast in place. There is a side door on the starboard side. The frame is metal and easily pieced together or disassembled. The cover goes down to the waterline. As I recall, the cover was in the $3,000 range. It's probably the best investment I made for the boat. I'm able to keep the hatches open during the winter and thus, the boat "breathes." Melting snow and ice and then having it refreeze is the bane of boats in the northeast. The cover keeps the deck protected. It also allows me to start work on the boat about a month earlier in the spring since it's nice and cozy inside during March and April. The cover zips together athwartship at the mast, thus joining the two pieces. It can be easily stored in a corner of the basement. When a heavy snow comes during the winter, I simply climb under the cover through the door and push up on the cover. The snow easily slides off. It takes about two minutes to remove all the snow, regardless of depth.

Bite the bullet. You won't regret it.

Bob Rude
#352
Mmmmm