winter cover

[Chuck]

Hi, I live in the mountains where snow gets fairly deep and wanted to cover my boat on the trailer.  I saw a brochure for covering motor boats and used some of the ideas for my cover.  I used 2 inch pvc piping for the main beam and side supports.  I measured from the mast as it sat on pushpit and pullpit to the deck wherever I decided to put a vertical support.  This was: at the aft seat, at the raised section near the hatchway, at the mast step, and on the forward deck.  To this I added four feet to get the height I wanted to let snow fall off the cover, and to allow room to work inside if I want.  I used abs tees to run cover supports along both sides of the boat, and because of the lifelines, I used 45 degree elbows so that the side supports could rest on the gunnels and the tarp would fall outside the lifelines.  To keep the main beam of pipe sections and tee's from falling apart, I put 3/8 threaded rod through the main beam.  The main beam was tied off to stanchens, pushpit, pullpit, anywhere I could find a good solid support.  I put terrycloth toweling at the base of the side supports where they sat on the gunnels so they don't scratch the glass.  I made plywood bases for the vertical supports to spread the weight over about a 15 inch foot, and put toweling under them.   I used a large farmers silver tarp that is very strong , and tied it down to the trailer.  So far so good.  Any breeze fluffs off snow, and wind hasn't been a problem yet.  If it is, I'll let you know.  I don't know how to post pictures, but if anyone is intrested and can't decifer my explanation, I will try.  If not, I can send pictures. Chuck

[Bob23]

Chuck:
   I've done mostly the same thing. I use my mast as a ridgepole, set on 2x4 supports so I have standing headroom in the cockpit. Then a series of 3/4" pvc hoops are placed over the mast (after protecting it) and brought down to a series of 2x4's which are laid on the stanchion tops. The pvc is held in place with copper pipe clamps, you know- the ones used to secure 1/2" copper to studs, joists, etc.
    I  used to use a tarp. Now I have a giant canvas tarp which is laid over the whole thing and lashed to the trailer. It's been on in snow, high winds and has always stayed in place.
   We are on the same track. I just ditched my plastic tarp for canvas- it has a door and an addtional ventilation flap, both zippered. Your arrangement sounds a bit more robust than mine but I'm on the NJ coast, not the mountains so conditions are not as severe.
   I, too, haven't learned how to post pictures here but can email you some if you wish. Same here- my address is in my profie. Feel free to email any photos.
Bob23 & s/v "Koinonia" 1985 23/2

[Craig Weis]

I just wrap her in a 20' x 10' tarp and put her in a nice tight unheated building. I am very concerned about that invisible water flowing into invisible cracks in the fiberglass and then freezing and expanding to open up those cracks into VISABLE cracks. It's happening right now on my buddies C-P 19. He does not care. Drives me crazy.
skip.

[curtisv]

In Jan 2005 we had 30 inches of damp (heavy) sticky snow.  My boat cover frame broke in two places due to the weight.



There were a lot of boats with ripped shrink wrap or broken frames that winter and many owners had their boat stored somewhere and didn't look until spring.

Depending on how much snow weight you need to carry you may want to think about a more sturdy frame.

btw- this winter started out bad with the boat cover coming loose in 50 MPH winds but it got retied and is all fine and well so far.

Curtis

[Bob23]

Chuck:
  My apologies. Back in January, I mentioned I would email you photos of my cover arrangement. I plum forgot, man. So I'll do it right now. It has withstood the tons of snow we received this winter as well as 2 boats of blizzard-strength winds.
  20 days till Spring!
Bob23

[Shawn]

The prior owner had a really nice cover built for Serenity. The main frame was built with electrical conduit bent into shape and attached to the ridge pole. It is very tall so it sheds snow very well.




Shawn

[Salty19]

Shawn--Your cover is really nice.  Fits like a glove!

[tmolik]

The prior owner had a really nice cover built for Serenity. The main frame was built with electrical conduit bent into shape and attached to the ridge pole. It is very tall so it sheds snow very well.




Shawn

Shaun..I liked your cover..what kind of compass do you have mounted?
tom

[brackish]

That is one nice boat cover.  Can I move in?

What supports the bottom of the frame, i.e., what are they attached to?

[Shawn]

Tom,

The compass is a Ritchie Navigator.



http://www.ritchienavigation.com/catalog/product.jsp?op=pgroup&pgid=E9B7CF03-47CB-11D8-885F-C92F268E72FD

Shawn

[Shawn]

"What supports the bottom of the frame, i.e., what are they attached to?"

It has rubber feet on the bottom of the frame poles and basically stands on the deck. Most of the framing stands either at a stanchion or at a cleat so I tied the bottom of the frame to this just to be sure it doesn't move. As I recall there are four As holding up the ridge pole. The cover hugs down the hull to also help keep everything in place.

You can't see it on top but the connectors the framing fits into on the ridge pole can be slid forward/backwards as well as have their angle adjusted side to side and then locked in place with an allen bolt so it really let the frame be dialed in to the boat. The company that built it did a fantastic job.

From the front...



With the cover off showing the framing...



Shawn

[tmolik]

Tom,

The compass is a Ritchie Navigator.



http://www.ritchienavigation.com/catalog/product.jsp?op=pgroup&pgid=E9B7CF03-47CB-11D8-885F-C92F268E72FD

Shawn

Shawn...
where did you get the teak backing for the compass   and
are you satisfied with the compass
and  where did you buy it  
thanks
tom

[Shawn]

Tom,

The compass came with the boat. I think the Teak backing is a Ritchie part. Defender sell the compass and the teak backing for it.

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|17|8357|8391&id=8775

Shawn

[kahpho]

Well, that must be one of the nicest boat covers I've ever seen. Lucky you Shawn.

mel