Winter Cover

[mjk1040]

So I asked for a quote from an advertiser here on this site for a winter cover for our 1998 355 AC/MY, looking at 4K which is about 9 +/- years of shrink wrapping here in NY. What's your opinion? Mike

[Viper]

What's the life expectancy of the cover?

[waybomb]

It also costs money to install that canvas cover and remove it and store it and all iis hardware.

And you don't want to put it away wet.

But many around here cover with canvas. Been her for 13 years and the ones that have been covering that entire time still have and use their covers.

I store mine inside, but my wife did sew up a really nice cover for PV.

If I had to keep it outside, I'd have my own cover and install and remove myself

[mjk1040]

Viper they say 8 to 10 years,10 oz cotton canvas duck treated, but my guess is it would vary greatly depending on where you winter your yacht. Thanks for your opinion Waybomb, wish I could afford inside heated storage! Mike

[Viper]

A couple of points to consider; here is an edited exurb from another thread ("Shrink Wrap");

Shrink wrap gets stretched tight and when put on properly, most of the snow slides off leaving little snow load and chance of structural collapse to worry about. If done right, it won’t get caught by the wind and damage gel. Because you can tightly wrap without leaving any openings, it also keeps the critters out. An optional zippered door is great for inside access while still maintaining a tight fit.

While a custom made cover will go on tight, it's unlikely you'll get it as tight as shrink wrap so some pockets of snow will accumulate over time and increase the chance of tearing due to snow load. Too tight and the stitching will let go over time. Wind is your enemy, if it's not a good fit, it'll catch the wind. Once the cover starts blowing and flapping around, it’s just a matter of time before it flies apart. There would be nothing worse than you having to redo it during a cold windy winter. While it’s blowing around, it’s slapping your gel. I’ve never seen serious damage from this, but it could get bad enough to rub the gel such that you’re left with a cloudy surface that will need to be polished out. If it is to be tight enough to shed snow, the framing must be the exact same layout and dimensions every year or you won’t get the intended fit. If you use the same frame every year, you'll need to consider storage for the cover and framing. If the build doesn't incorporate a frame, it will sag and collect snow.

Also consider that if the shrink wrap fails in the middle of winter, it's the marina's or provider's responsibility to repair it at their expense in the middle of winter. If you put up your own cover and it fails, you're responsible for the fix (in the middle of winter!), and if it blows away in pieces, and ends up on someone's property or in the water, you're responsible for the clean up.

I've seen some good custom covers, none of them tight enough to shed snow in some areas. I've also seen several covers fail. Poor shrink wrap jobs fail also. I’ve never done a cost analysis on a custom cover vs shrink wrap over a given time frame as the longevity of a custom cover really depends on the material used and environmental factors. The cost of shrink wrapping up my way though makes the custom cover a very attractive option, but if the provider says it'll last 10 years, I'm only expecting it to last 5, and factoring in regular maintenance such as stitching, patching, water proofing if desired.

[mjk1040]

Thanks Viper, very informative info! MIKE

[TonyC]

I use to cover our 245 Bayliner for outside storage. I'd clean the deck prior to covering. While the cover did keep snow and other elements off, there was sagging with pooling of snow, ice and eventually water which seeped through the material. In the spring, the deck was always filthy and needed another good cleaning. Another big problem was finding the perfect day to put on the cover. Any breeze and the cover became a sail resulting in a constant struggle to keep the cover in place.

Based on this experience, my covering of our 350 Mariner would be a "remote" last result. We have choices of storing heated indoors or shrink wrapped outdoors. While outdoors is 1/3 the cost, the advantages of indoor are enticing.

[waybomb]

Inside for me. I do lots of maintenance and upkeep in the winter.
When it goes in the water - it's in the best possible condition from the start.
I keep it at Brian's and he lets me work on it whenever I want.

[bud37]

Shhhhhhhush .......all this talk of winter and storage... ....I will add though . that sounds about what we would pay for a good cover......32' convertible is 1k for wrap each year , up here in Ontario.

[RGrew176]

Qr Bbpost Shhhhhhhush .......all this talk of winter and storage... ....I will add though . that sounds about what we would pay for a good cover......32' convertible is 1k for wrap each year , up here in Ontario.

Yeah, to early. I have to admit that I have started thinking about my winter storage even though we are only half way through our season. Still, you can never start preparations to early.