Winter cover talk

[SolOmoN]

I bought a cover from boat covers direct and last year I just used that. This year I used the cover and then I put a tarp over the whole mess. It's big enough to cover just about down to the waterline. My thoughts are its more water proof/resistant than the boat cover and the snow will want to slide off the steep parts. Its over a 23' Sailfish cc. One ridge board from the front of the t-top to the bow and the back takes care of itself. Last year the problem for me was water and ice collecting on the t-top and just sitting and melting down into the boat so my hope this year is the tarp which took all of 1/2 hr to secure will remedy that.
sol...

[beamie]

All you guys have the right idea for sure wrt being more economical.

Shrink wrap although nice is expensive, unless you invest in the gun and buy your own material then not so bad, your paying allot for that labor that you can do yourself....unless you don't want to. I just pulled my shrink-wrap over the boat for year 2, it is in ok shape.

The number one benefit of shrink-wrap is it is tight!!!!! Thus the wind won't get at it and the rain won't collect, snow will slide off since slippery. And it will let light through so when you working in there in the winter.

If you have a nice sturdy frame a custom cover or green, silver tarp will work just fine for a fraction of the cost. Just keep tight as best you can. I use to use canvas, still like canvas as it will breath a bit, but heavy so need a good frame.

I have often thought of getting 6 friends together and spitting the cost of shrink wrap stuff but just haven't done that yet. The one other drawback to shrink wrap is you get allot of mold if you don't have enough vents since it fits so tight, leaving you more springtime cleanup.

So in the long run the custom cover is the way to go if done right.

[MakoMike]

The number one benefit of shrink-wrap is it is tight!!!!! Thus the wind won't get at it

To me that is the number one drawback. When I used to wrap my boat the wind working against that increased surface area broke sunshades, bow rails, and other small diameter metal piping.