Winter sailboat cover for mast down storage

[DOUG142]

Okay,
We have the boat all cleaned out for outside storage, as the 19 will NOT fit in any of our garages. 

What do you all use for boats stored outside, Winter cover.?

Went online and found covers for mast UP.  Would rather not here, we just had 50 mph winds!!!
Throw a tarp over it?  What about lifelines? Stanchions?
Do you build a frame?  
Thanks,
Doug142
Sweet Dreams , Cp-19, 1983year

[kahpho]

I just use a cheap plastic tarp over the mast as ridge pole. We don't usually get enough snow to worry about, just a few inches a couple times each winter. What we do get is lots of rain and wind. Winds of 45+ mph aren't unusual but in the winter they're from the south so my garage blocks most of it. If I do my part securing the tarp I have no problems. The tarps need to be replaced every other year... if I'm lucky.

I don't know if this would work where you are though.

mel

[CaptRon28]

Best thing is a full custom cover made out of Sunbrella or similar. Expensive, but should last 10 years or so. My Horizon is up in NJ now with one on now. It's totally sealed up, I don't think a bee or wasp could even sneak inside. The lowered mast serves as the main support (like a tent).

[Bob23]

Doug:
   I can email you photos of the cover and support system that I use for my 23. It is a one-piece canvas cover using the mast as a ridgepole set on 2x4 supports with 3/4" pvc hoops run over the mast and down to yet more 2x4's which are set on top of the stanchions. The pictures will show it much clearer than my verbal description.
Bob23

[DOUG142]

Bob23,
Thanks.  Please do send. 
I am open to any design for this.
Doug

[blocknshackle]

Does anyone know of a vendor that has made sunbrella (or similar) full-boat covers for Com-Pacs?  I'm looking for one for my Eclipse, and I would rather not use the local upholstery shop, although they said they would give it a shot if I couldn't find someone who already has a template.  Bob, I would be interested in seeing your photos as well.  Many thanks.

Mike

[CaptRon28]

Find a canvas shop who knows what they are doing. There's a bunch of them - look in some of the magazines or google it (sunbrella boat cover ?). Many of the better places already have the pattern for your boat.  There's a good one on Long Island but I forgot the name. Maybe get some names of previous customers and call them.

[Shawn]

For a winter cover I don't think you would want Sunbrella but would want cotton duck canvas.

I don't know if they have made a cover for a 19' but try Fairclough Sailmakers in New Haven, Ct.

http://www.faircloughsailmakers.com/

They are who made the cover/frame for my 23 and it is fantastic.









By not using the mast as the ridge pole the slope of the fabric gets much more vertical and the cover usually sheds snow on its  own very easily. Also gives lots of room to work under it during the winter.

Shawn

[curtisv]

This is what my cover frame looked like in fall 2004.  This was not the first year with this design.  (Note: old photo, I still had an outboard).



Then after 2 1/2 feet of wet snow in Jan 2005 when it got crushed by the weight of the snow.



After rebuilding it a little stronger it still had a problem pooling ice in the stern.



But with slight modification its still going last winter.



I thought I had a recent photo of just the frame but I couldn't find one.

The point is the frame needs to be strong if you might be carrying snow on it and if you experience a lot of wind over the winter these blue tarps only last a few years.  An oversized tarp that is closed at the bottom seems to last longer.

Curtis

[Bob23]

Beautiful cover and frame, Curt.
  That is sort of what I've done except I use the mast as a ridgepole which gives me more than standing headroom in the cockpit. I usually have some winter projects going on so I need to move around inside the cover.
  My one goal was to have no part of the cover or frame touch the hull. An covering the boat down to the waterline really helps keep her looking pretty.
  I also tried the blue tarp route, then upgraded to the green and silver tarp and that lasted a little longer. My canvas tarp is heavy and that also helps withstand wind and snow. Plus I love the smell of canvas! Being a traditionalist, it works for me. The cover costs me about $450.00 or so and covers the entire boat. The only pain is that it is so heavy it really is hard to haul up the step ladder and over the mast to install. But I wanted it in one piece so I'll pay the price.
Bob23

[curtisv]

Bob,

There is room inside but going to the foredeck is a pain since I have to climb through the framing.

I'm usually doing interior work over the winter if I'm doing anything or working on something I can bring inside and do things like mount things on the foredeck in the spring with the cover off.

btw- Shawn - I looked at your photos again and that is a really nice cover.

Curtis

[Greene]

I think the cover I built for our CP19 is just about right. 





Even our Wisconsin winter will have a tough time getting through that cover.

Mike

[curtisv]

Greene,

Our house came with a boat garage but the doorway is way too low for a CP23.  The original owners kept a daysailor in it.  The boat garage is 2 car garage sized with a one car garage door.  Its under the car garage which has a heavily built wood floor and a steel beam down the middle.  It wouldn't be easy raising the boat garage door on account of the steel beam header over the door and there is no way to get it high enough for a CP23 even if the beam could be removed.

So we have a boat garage with nothing in it cause its damp, and over that we have a car garage with no cars in it but with boats, three kayaks (used to be four) and a sunfish, plus a lot of tools, and we are temporarily storing some furniture.  Obviously the garage is on a slope and we don't have a car garage on the second story which would make it hard to get the cars in.  We definitely need to work on better using this space.

The Wisconsin boat cover is real nice.  You obviously have your act together on this way more than I do.

Curtis

[Greene]

Yeah it is pretty nice to just back it into the garage when we are done sailing each time.  Hopefully I will sell this house before I buy the next boat because it won't fit in this garage either.    Your 23 might fit in this one, maybe we should just trade boats?

Mike

[curtisv]

Yeah it is pretty nice to just back it into the garage when we are done sailing each time.  Hopefully I will sell this house before I buy the next boat because it won't fit in this garage either.    Your 23 might fit in this one, maybe we should just trade boats?

Mike

Nice try Mike.  Wouldn't work anyway since my boat garage door is only 6' high.  The previous home owner had an Oday daysailer and tried to sell that with the house (but was asking too much for a daysailer that was in OK shape but probably could stand to have sails replaced).  The daysailor fit nicely, and my son's sunfish and the kayaks would fit nicely too.  I could move the sunfish and kayaks there any time but I'd leave the sunfish sail in the upper garage where I'm more confident there will be no mice in the winter.

OTOH if I move up to a CP27 or something else, I'll know that you are looking for a CP23.

Curtis