Cover caved in!

[the_mayor]

Re: Cover caved in!

To my horror, I realized the motor was full to the top of the carb with water/ice!

Oh joy...something else to worry about until Tues

Mine was like that all winter. I drained it, changed the oil, fixed the carb, and presto, fired right up. Changed the oil a few more times and I was good to go. I didn't mean to worry you. It turned out to not be a big deal at all. Besides, my engine cover was off, so the water was able to get in.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Cover caved in!

My only hope there is my engine cover is still on so I really doubt that it could get to the carb. That and the fact that it's still so cold here there hasn't been much thaw.

I liked the picture using the straps as additional support. Wish I would have seen that last fall.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Cover caved in!

Just to make you feel better mine caved too. I had snapped up my convertible top and thew a walmart grey tarp over the whole works, I knew I would have to keep the snow off of it and was doing fine until the 10" heavy stuff fell overnight. It totally ripped my canvas and collapsed the top support poles, so now I'm down to the grey cover with a pole prop in the middle, hopefully no more serious snowfalls.
One year I the back of the boat full of ice about a foot thick, not much you do now maybe some carefull chiseling, I was able to take the ice out of mine in about about 7-8 big 50lb chunks, but don't even think about chisels until it begins to thaw out and looseten it's grip.

 

[rbh]

Re: Cover caved in!

If any one has any trucker buddys that have to tarp loads, those tarps are great, they are heavy duty and the snow will slide off easly.

 

[skargo]

Re: Cover caved in!

I almost had my new boatport collapse after all time record snowfall here in md.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Cover caved in!

Just to make you feel better mine caved too

Why yes, it does. Misery loves company. Thanks.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Cover caved in!

From looking at a lot of boats over the winter...basically if you don't want to worry all winter...either you shrinkwrap...or build an A frame type arrangement with a ridge beam from bow to stern....and cover that with a well lashed down tarp...or get a Fisher cover (these are made to have 2x4s slipped in to support the cover)...the cover is expensive but it's a one time expense and can last a long time. If I didn't buy the custom cover I made the frame for....I might have gone with the A-frame/ridge beam/tarp system since when properly done it does shed snow well because the sides are so steep...shrink wrap is good too but you have to watch for condensation...I have not had problems with mold in my boat but the cover does breath and at the rear a part can be kept open (where the swim platform is) so there is some air circulation...

 

[cr2k]

Re: Cover caved in!

Where I am snow is not a problem but we get lots of rain. I put 2 emt (1/2 in. metal conduits from each side of the center pass thru windshield back to the motor cover then my summer cover and over that I got a used plastic shipping cover from a local dealer (free if they are in a good mood) and put it over the cloth cover and tied them both down tight. Now the rain runs off both sides and down the center off the stern.

You might put an electric space heater in the boat under the cover, then when it snows hard you can plug it in and melt the snow and it will run off.

 

[grego]

Re: Cover caved in!

In MI. we have learned that a tarp will save your roof, your shed,your dog house' your carport. When we to get a lot of snow, I would get out the paint roller extention and the push broom."this did NOT" work well. untill I just tosted acouple of lines over the roof atached to a tarp,one on eighter side. "waited for snow." tosted lines back over,tied to 4 wheeler and pulled snow off roof. a tarp can save ton a of time and your heart. works for boats too.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Cover caved in!

Pretty sure Bin laden was somehow involved in the collapse of my twin tent poles. I'm thinking of contacting the NIST guys and doing some serious looking into whether there was any conspiracy.v

 

[H8tank]

Re: Cover caved in!

[quotre]
because of the cost impact on the environment [/quote]

Say what? You drive a power boat and you are worried about the environment?

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Cover caved in!

I had a ridge beam supported by two 2x4's both front and back with a 4x4 spanning the length of my 15' aluminum boat, the wood frame sat fore and aft the hull and was 6' above the boat with a hd green tarp spread over it and lashed down to the trailer frame. The first storm was fine, the snow was dry, but the second big snow was wet and stuck, I cleaned it all off twice but it turned to freezing rain overnight the first night and the 4x4 snapped. and sagged to the deck, this filled the middle of the tarp up with about 20" of wet snow. It took me 4 hours the next day to clear all the snow and rebuild the support. Luckily the boat never got wet. Being a a small aluminum boat I was more concerned about the weight than the snow or water getting it.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Cover caved in!

I take meticulous care of things I buy with my hard earned money. Growing us we had wood boats that were stored outdoors and required constant repairs. For me, outside storage is just not an option.

I bought my first boat after I had built the garage to store it in.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Cover caved in!

I opened up the cover today (nice day here in Long Island for Feb....sunny and almost 40 degrees)....to put both of my batts on the charger.... and was pleased to find no water...ice or mold...so my frame works pretty good...but I must say that brushing off snow after anything more than a few inches really helps...because even if it does not cave in (even with 15 in it was fine in the first big storm we had) when you have freeze/thaw cycles the water just sits on the cover and can leak in no matter what you do...get the snow off if you can...

I have another idea to make it stronger...adding a few more bows crosswise...and also using some of that orange fencing you have to put up when doing construction. It's plastic, flexible and pretty easy to cut...I thought of cutting a few sections and duct taping it to the bows over the cockpit area...this would make the whole thing strong like a car convertible top....I have a roll of this stuff I got at HD from when we had our pool put in...

 

[Gregk]

Re: Cover caved in!

I always brush the snow off my cover. It's really not meant to hold snow.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Cover caved in!

"because of the cost (and) impact on the environment......"

Say what? You drive a power boat and you are worried about the environment?

sure, just because you are part of the problem doesn't mean you should completely stop caring.....

Out of this whole thread the most constructive thing you can find to add is that???? c'mon get with the program

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Cover caved in!

I take meticulous care of things I buy with my hard earned money. Growing us we had wood boats that were stored outdoors and required constant repairs. For me, outside storage is just not an option.

I bought my first boat after I had built the garage to store it in.

I wish I had the room to build a garage big enough to hold all of my boats and toys, but they won't even let me build a simple little two car garage here. They require a minimum of 25 feet between all neighboring buildings, if I go by that standard, my garage would only be 24" x 79". I've got a neighbors house on one property line and mine sets back on the property. All the neighbors have garages but they were built prior to the ordinance and they refused me a variance twice. Besides, a two car garage would only get two or three out of the weather, the cabin boat would never fit in a standard garage. I'm just glad all of mine now are aluminum but one. I do rent a building where my shop is but I can only squeeze one boat in there over the winter without jamming up the shop.

I've been trying to think of a creative way to get around the no garage thing, maybe a hothouse type structure that somehow morphs into a boat garage? They'll let me put up a hothouse, but a shed or garage falls into the spacing requirement.