Winter boat cover

[sea wolf]

Just bought a new blue tarp to use when I cover up my boat for the winter. We get a lot of snow around here & I'm wondering what u guys do to avoid having the cover collapse under snow loads. Usually, I just prop some 2x4's under the cover to raise it up but it always seem to cave in where the snow biulds up, then I have to mess with the cover & of course it always happens when it's dark out. Any ideas?

 

[bayman]

Re: Winter boat cover

Even roofs on buildings cave in once in awhile under heavy snow so it's not surprising that it happens to boats too.<br /><br />The telescoping boat cover support pole with venting is a favorite for many. It is attached to the cover and thus doesn't slip. Put it up high to help snow to slide off.<br /><br />Here it is on this site:<br /> http://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cgi?keywords=support+pole <br /><br />There are many other possibilities too. Some park under a carport to stop most of the snow. Some build "portable" garages for their boats that either have a top to stop most of the snow or have sides as well. These definitely have their problems and many of them collapse if snow isn't taken off of them during and after large storms. <br /><br />Remember to watch out for mildew as well as the snow load. A little air flow can make things smell a lot better come time to take the cover off in the Spring.<br /><br />Good luck, I'm about ready to do deal with the same thing!

 

[Laddies]

Re: Winter boat cover

We get a couple of sawhorse brackets and make a long horse with one leg just behind the dash and the other at the rear of the cockpit, cut both ends on a angle and pad them to make the tarp live. It's best for the front of the support to reach beyond the windsheild and to have as much pitch as possiable in the tarp--Bob

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: Winter boat cover

A fairly new blue tarp will shed snow well. If it's old and weathered, the snow will tend to stick.<br /><br />I make a ridge pole out of a 2X8. Each end is propped by supports I made from metal saw horse brackets - I just used longer 2X4s than you'd use for a saw horse. I have never had a problem with this rig until about the 5 th year when the blue tarp was degraded and everythign fell apart after about 3 feet of snow! New stuff this year!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Winter boat cover

The steeper the angle of the tent you make the harder it is for snow to stick. Whatever you make however, spray it with silcone spray. Snow will slide off more readily.