for fifteen seasons i have used the RIDGEPOLE approach with quite fine
results.....i took 2x4x16 and scarfed about 3` to join them using west
epoxy and bolts.....this is held about 16" above the cabin top (this is
necessary to both create sharply angled sides to shed snow and water
quickly and surely AND to create storage area or antennae, fenders, etc)
.......the ridgepole is supported by THREE braces
[1] at the transom, a 2x4 runs flat across the transom washboard and
is held at both ends by u-bolts to the stern cleats.....it has carpet under
it all across and bends slightly when the u-bolts are cranked down.....
it has a triangle of 2x4 upon it, both west epoxied and 4" screwed up
from the base into the triangle side pieces...a galvanized piece is also
in place via the home construction industry for extra strength......at
the apex of the triangle, the two side 2x4 are mitered and then rein
forced with a triangular piece of 1/2" ply on each side and then west
epoxied and screwed tight........this creates tremendous rigidity with
the force going all downward......at the very apex, i cut a slot 2 wide
and 4" deep....the ridgepole drops into that slot....a block of 2x4 on
both sides of the ridgepole in front of and behind the a-frame slot
keeps the ridgepole from migrating fore or aft.
[2] in the bow, a smaller but otherwise identical a-frame is set across
the foredeck with attachment via my bow cleats.......again, carpet is
under the wood which makes it both snug once in place and protects
the gelcoat.
[3] on the cabin roof, there is a short block of three 2x4 standing on
a base of 1'x1' x1/2" ply with the center piece 4 inches lower than
the other two to accept the ridgepole, as with the end supports.....
thus, the 2x4 ridgepole is held at the ends and in the center by a slot
it drops into snugly.........the cheek blocks on the ridgepole make it that
neither end can move independently of the other.....finally, both the ends
have a bow eye thru bolted just below the apex with lines leading to the
midship cleats....these have tent-tighteners on them and are brought up
quite taut........neither end can fall away because of the taut lines attached, and neither can move inward because of the four cheek blocks
immediately inboard of each a-frame.....the result is quite rigid.
i use a 40x20 heavy plastic tarp and hold it down with gallon bottles
of (dumpster origin) pink engine winterizing fluid half full with water.....
these are zip tied to grommets at about 2-3` intervals all around the
cover.....before the cover is dropped over, the entire ridgepole is wrapped with carpet using duct tape each foot......the tarp, then, is NOT
help firmly, but can "pant" freely, even "bounce" at times with wind gusts
.......all corners are padded with double thickness of carpet held into place
with zipties to the boat.......lastly, the front end is closed with heavy spring clamps except for a 5 gallon pail at the the top of the front and
held to the underside of the ridgepole........this guarantees flow thru the
cover...the aft is closed except for a 2`x3` opening for flow in the center
.......oh, i always buy BLACK covers ( i am on a new, third cover going
into winter #15) because any amount of sun will heat it and the sleet and
snow will melt and SLIDE OFF readily down the steep sides....my boat will
be free of any/all pooling of water, sleet buildup or snow accumulation
while light colored covers have packed stuff 4-6" thick for weeks......the
interior is also more comfortable, as the black will heat up noticeably with
even modest sunshine......
i use a catalytic heater (origo) out in the cockpit and a ceramic heater
in the cabin full time when i am on the boat for a winter weekend.....it
will be toasty warm, ie work in a tee shirt.........i use both a worklight for
small spaces and a flood light for the whole cockpit......these also produce
warmth as well as a bright, cheerful interior to work in......i look forward
to weekends aboard; they are QUIET and very productive......i am free to
look at every screw, bolt, wire, item aboard with a calm, unhurried look
that is impossible during the season.......I FIND THINGS GOING WRONG..
loosening, corroding, chafing, fracturing; by the end of the winter i will
have found and fixed several things trying to go wrong.....i have to tell
you, i really get off when i find something going south and straighten it
up (or usually, upgrade it to prevent whatever happened from ever
happening again!)........
it is restful and highly productive time for me......the other key,
besides time to just stare at things for a while, is that you can disassemble things and rebuild them...if parts take three weeks to
arrive, or you find you have to send the whole thing to a service center,
no problem......during the season, this would be a disaster.....oh, and
the service people are far nicer and more cooperative in the dead of
winter than in april and may!........that is when everybody wants every
thing DONE NOW.......naaahhtt.....
i see winter as an integral part of a full year of boat ownership.......
far from neglected, one`s boat gets sorely needed attention and mainten
ence simply unavailable during the season.......but the HIGH RIDGEPOLE
and the ample lighting and heating are the key features to permit this
to take place.......lastly, i will state that i am firmly OPPOSED TO HEAT
SHRINK.......it doesnt allow the ROOM one needs to work and be comfort
able, it`s white color holds sleet/snow in large (heavy!) amounts, it does
not provide good VENTILATION, and it is environmentally a (landfill) very
negative practice.......in short , it does a poorer job ( working space and
ventilation) than a rigdepole approach, and it COSTS MORE......
the ultimate goal of the cover (and of the winter, in general) is to
have your boat READY.....i take great pride in being the first in the water
in the spring with a boat that has been checked over and is in the best
shape it can be in......this means more on-water time AND, with some
luck, no breakdowns, failures, or other glitches in your entire boating
season.......
in sum, the success of a boating season STARTS in december!....i grew
up just south of ucla, in the heyday of john wooden.......he had a tv show
each week with game films from the preceding week which he analyzed
and showed practice time too......his motto was short and sweet: failing
to prepare is preparing to fail.........to bring his state of mind to boat
covers, i cant see how shrinkwrap allows for preparation; in sharp contrast, the high ridgepole, "floating" black cover, ample lighting and
heating all permit and enable full winter PREPARATIONS.......
P.S. my project today is to go thru all my gps waypoints for accuracy,
as well as purging ones not used and adding some new one that will
be helpful......with the portable (magellan 5000d) gps, this is a job for
a miserable winter day outside while you sit by the fire under a comforter
with hot chocalate......when april 1st comes, and i head out, i want that
gps loaded and RIGHT....oh, and i am spooling new ande classic onto my
reels......dan
