Boat cover

[Southold]

Recommendations for a boat cover for storing my Suncat over the winter in the harsh New York climate would be appreciated.

thanks

[capt_nemo]

You came to the right place with that question.

I've stored several larger boats up north in areas of cold weather and snow, making custom wood frames to support Polytarp Covers, so I know the challenges you face.

Covered my 2010 Sun Cat "Frisky" with a heavy duty WHITE Polytarp to protect it from the ravages of weather and the Sun's ultraviolet rays down here in SW Florida. The boat was covered 24/7/365 when not in use, and was in "like-new" condition when sold a few months ago.

The Sun Cat mast makes an ideal ridge pole for a boat cover. Started with a 16 X 20 tarp and later changed to 14 X 20 to reduce the amount of tarp hanging on the sides. Used plastic jugs 1/2 to 3/4 filled with small rocks or water with old bungee cord hooks tied around the tops, to weigh down the untied sides. No knots to tie or untie, just a single quick action move to attach or remove from the grommets along the side bottoms.

Here are a few photos of the covered boat (with long sides). Strongly recommend WHITE Polytarp!

Hope this helps.

capt_nemo

[Tom L.]

Used this company for poly tarps http://www.tarpsonline.com/ The sun cat is as easy as it gets to cover as you can see from Nemo's pictures. When I called this company I asked them the best material for storing in the Florida Sun. They recommended silver to block out the sun and I find that it stays really cool under the silver tarps. Their tarps are considerably heavier than the big box stores. Pad the corners of the gallows, the chain plates and any sharp hardware along the mast. If it's really cold where you are you may want to consider a darker color to warm up the interior of the boat during the day to help dry it out. The ends of my tarp overhang the end of the boat and I keep them open to allow air to circulate through the boat.
You may want to contact tarps on line and ask their recommendations for a winter cover up north.
You can buy an expensive custom cover made from top gun that is made to cover the boat mast up or down but insted of $40 were talking $600.00.

Have a great winter.
Tom L.

[Tom L.]

http://www.mastheadsailinggear.com/pc-19324-2524-compac-suncat-mooring-cover-top-gun.aspx

Above is that custom made cover available from Masthead sailing gear.

Tom L.

[nreamer]

I concur.  My last boat was a pain to cover and keep low spots from happening (it was a 17' Scout Center Console)!  I decided to spend the bucks, based on previous experience to get a fitted factory cover.  I had a generic tarp for my previous boat and hated it!  The Compac factory cover is very nice, but after having observed how it fits, anything that is reasonably waterproof would suffice!  That nice horizontal surface provided by the mast and the boom gallows at the stern pretty much guarantee you are not going to have to go out after every drizzle and pull the thing tight and get drenched by the water that puddled and caused the tarp to settle. 

Capt Nemo, I must admit, had I seen the pictures in this post, I would have bought a $20 tarp ( don't let my admiral see this post!).  Oh well, live and learn.  Frisky is still spotless though! She is under her expensive cover at the front side of my yard, away from all the trees by the lake.  When we have storms like this, the roots on the oaks get saturated and the winds can blow them over rather randomly.  I am keeping her out of harms way!

neil

[hoddinr]

I had Masthead build a custom cover based on the Top Gun cover in Tom's post.
It had to be custom made due to the stainless rail that runs around Nomad's gunnel.  It looks the same except for little cut outs and buckles for the vertical parts of the rail where it is bolted to the deck.

It was a LOT of money, but keeps her dry as a bone, and it SO tough!

Ron

[Catawampus]

I'm afraid that there is a problem with the polytarp solution in lands of snow and ice. Snow and ice will accumulate and stretch the cover in the area between the back edge of the cabin and the boom crutch, over the cockpit. With enough snow and ice, the depression slumps lower and can rip the tarp/cover. I experienced this with the factory cover stretched tight with tie down straps to the trailer.

[capt_nemo]

Catawampus,

Strongly disagree with your negative comments regarding Polytarp Covers in the lands of snow and ice.

I successfully covered several sailboats for many years in lands of snow and ice with polytarps and custom fitted wood ridge poles and cover support frames.

Of course snow and ice will pool in the areas you cited if care is not taken to properly fit a WINTER Polytarp boat cover. One must do what is necessary to achieve the proper slope of sides to ensure that they will shed snow and not allow snow or ice to pool anywhere. If that means removing the boom gallows and using some other support for the mast then so be it.

Frequent checking of the boat and cover is advisable, as is shedding any accumulating heavy snow and clinging ice. And, don't forget to take along good quality DUCK Tape to repair any chafed areas of the cover.

capt_nemo

[Catawampus]

Nemo,
My warning was not regarding polytarp covers, but that simply stretching one over the existing support of the Suncat's shape, (as pictured in your illustrations), would be inadequate when snow and ice are added to the equation.
regards,
Catawampus

[Joseph]

Sassy spends her winters here up-north under a regular heavy-duty silver tarp. I prefer to leave her outside rather than in a barn as the cold weather keeps rodents and other critters away. I have not had any issues with snow or ice and the tarp stretched over the spars has so far been enough to keep her dry the entire winter. I use a trick of mine to attach the tarp to the frame of the trailer using 50 ft long lines without threading their entire length through the grommets of the tarp. Here are the details: https://thewakesileave.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/alla-stagion-dei-fior/.

J.

[Tom L.]

Joseph, that is by far the most clever use of shower rings I have ever seen. Good Idea.

Tom L.

[deisher6]

Or you could move to coastal NC, keep the boat in the water, and sail year around.

regards charlie

[skip1930]

It's important to keep the weight of the snow off of the vertical standsions  ... nothing should sit on these or the cables.

skip.

[nreamer]

I will make one very positive comment about the factory cover.  We have had basically three weeks of constant rain, including more yesterday.  (We are just NE of Columbia SC that was so hardly hit by the recent flooding).  I had Frisky under cover and away from any trees for the duration. The day was beautiful today with light winds of 6kts, so I decided to throw the cover off, see how much water got in, take care of that, and go sailing.  Not a drop got in the boat! 

It was a beautiful day on the lake.  The winds were fickle, but we had some good sustained runs of 3.5 knots and a few of 2.5 knots, so that was fun.  It was a laid back, relaxing day.  Just being outside and seeing blue skies was wonderful!

neil