Can anyone recommend a cover for the 16? One that fits tight and is durable as well. Must be able to handle snow and wind as well. I keep my 16 inside but I think I am going to move it outside and want it covered well.
Harbor Freight, JC Whitney, and some other companies I have looked at but would like experienced owners input.
Thanks in advance.
Lee...
I store my CP outside at a local marina all winter and I have had great success with a heavy duty tarp I by mail order from Boater's World. It is 10 feet x 20 feet and grometted on all sides. It is green on one side and brown on the other and sells for about 25 bucks. They last me two years here in the northeast. I use bungy cords to secure this cover and I built a simple A frame that it goes over to allow rain and snow to run off.
I have used these covers on both my CP and my previous boat for the past eight years with success.
I just use a 10x20 tarp from Lowes with grommets, bungied for the summer (doesn't do a fantastic job with heavy rain) and tied with rope for the winter (handles Connecticut snow no problem). Takes a little while to tie it down well, but I only do that once a year. Interesting idea with the A frame...
When I got my first sailboat I was very nervous about how to get it through a NH winter successfully. I now have three sail boats and unless they are being worked on inside a building they all make it through the winter fine with just a cheap tarp using the mast as a ridgepole. the key seems to be to set the mast high enough on supports to allow a good pitch for the tarp and most of all keep the tarp tight enough that it can't flap around.
One year I did kind of a sloppy job of building a Stimpson shed out of strapping. It cost about $400.00 and lasted 2 years.
(http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w164/cantstopnow/Stimpsonshed.jpg)
I also built a PVC frame using the stanchion bases for the anchors and that worked well. This set up allowed some room for winter projects to be completed.
(http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w164/cantstopnow/PVCFrame.jpg)
Spring is coming and soon we will be swapping boat covers for sail covers:)