Boat Tarps - Use a good DIY 'A'-Frame & $90 tarp versus shrink wrap @ $20 per foot - PER year!

[DaleH]

Never mind the expen$e ... of > $600 per year ... think about the dayum plastic ecological WASTE! The going rate for S-W up here is up to $20/foot up to 30' ... all other boats and sailboats by quote.

For 40+ years now, my bros and I have made steep 'A'-frame structures of strapping setup over our boats and we use white Sigman brand tarps, where a 20x30' covers my present 21' hull that is fairly representative of a Parker 21' WA model, with OB out on bracket.

Frames last me 8 to 10-years, but might swap out one section or another every few years, and I get 4-5 Winters out of an $80 tarp. You can see the frame tied into the rails and cleats. The main beam is 2-pieces, that allows center supports to be hinged (makes easy post-Winter storage) and hung from bolts in-between the 2 main beam sections.

As you can see ... ventilation is key ... and I see a lot of boats with mildew damage after being too tightly shrink-wrapped! So I use thin plastic tubing, 8" round and 3' long, tied into the main beam on an angle (not shown, but to prevent rain from accumulating under the tarp) to allow fresh air to circulate inside. No mildew for me! Yeah, maybe some airborne dirt, but that's easily washed off before the Spring launch.

For ~$30 per year to cover my boat .... works for me!

 

[tomc585]

I teepee my boat and use a generic cover ($250) More than 5 years old and still in good shape. No puddles is the key.
It all comes down to how much value is your time worth and are you capable. Some people tarp like a 9 year old, they deserve what they get.
Shrink wrap isn't for me at this time in my life but it is something that's needed since there is quite a market for it.

 

[Mpellet]

Cheap ladders, 2x4s and ratcheting cargo straps work great. Everything is 100% reusable.

 

[cbigma]

Here is my version of the traditional wood ridge-pole-tarp-wrap which includes two distinct features that reflect the long cold New England winters; A High ridge (steep slope to shed snow) and a two-rope rubrail-seal (to keep out critters).

This is the minimalist approach, "barebones". Low cost and simple. The support structure is made of 5 pieces of dimensional lumber; three vertical supports of 1X6 Pressure Treated, and two horizontal 1X6 Pressure Treated ridge beams. They are bolted together with carriage bolts (wing nuts for quick assembly no tools required). Each gunnel has a 2X4 attached to fasten and tension the nylon spreader-lines.



There is rubber padding at the obvious chafing points and a neoprene pipe insulation sleeve along the entire top of the ridge line to prevent tarp wearing.

Spreader lines are evenly spaced to support the tarp and prevent snow buildup.




I put a dual-line cinch-rope around the entire rub-rail, one line above the rubrail, one line just below it. This uses the rubrail itself to form a critter-tight "tupperware" seal. Small nylon twine loops spaced every couple feet keep the two cinch-lines from separating.



The tarp is a heavy duty (Harbor Freight) 28X40 1000 denier nylon thread 11 mil tarp that completely covers the top/sides/underbelly and is twisted to form a "trunk" in the bow to complete the seal. The underbelly is sealed by lacing the grommets together under the keel with nylon twine.

Have used the same lumber frame elements for 20 years now, and a new tarp every 2 or 3 years depending on the severity of the wind during the winter. .

 

[DaleH]

Here is my version of the traditional wood ridge-pole-tarp-wrap …

UPDATE - Added ‘vents’ to my boat tarp, even though I never had mildew issues, but this should at least help vent fresh air into and under the tarp.

Just a piece of 10’ plastic gutter drain, cut in 2, with 1-1/2” holes every foot, staggered sides & top/bottom, last 2’ free of holes that sticks out of the tarp.

 

[dcunniff]

Used to do that. Good to see a post from you, Dale. Since moved to a different state, been storing it inside for the winter. Wife does not miss framing, tarping, adjusting during the winter. She is surprisingly content at paying for storage!

 

[JohnB]

I do the same. A-frame and a 20x40 tarp for my 2520MV. A-frame setup on roof higher than radar. Then 2X4 to bow from that. Then from there again to A-frame in rear extended past motor. Rope at any points the may sag. Works perfectly. Tarp $100. Wood was used from a wall removal in house. 2- guys 2- hours max with hydration breaks.

 

[Parker Mark]

I did agree with using tarps and lumber. However, I actually created another concept and was able to re-use the shrink wrap that I had someone put on my boat for 7 years. What I did was that I kept my engines all the way down, took out the batteries (and stored them in my heated garage with trickle charger attached to them)and attached I battery jumper cables to the wires that went to the engines (and placed the jumper cables in a bag so the weather wouldn't famage them) and kept the battery swithes on. And then I purchased foam noodles from the dollar store and secured them anywhere needed so the shrinkwrap wouldn't get pierced. Once the shrink wrap was initially installed I had everything set up. When spring came, I hooked the battery up to the battery cable and tilted up the engines and loosened up the shrink wrap. When winter came back, it would reuse the wrap. Plus I used rope where needed for the structure instead of lumber. (the rope was a lot easier and lighter). And, I placed tags on the ropes so I knew where they had to be placed in the future. It really worked well for me.

 

[Dleopoldi914]

I bought this from fisher it was $1600 but has a 10 year warranty. I shrink wrap my boat the first year and it was $400. 4 years break even and not relying on shrink wrapper

 

[SharkBait]

What boat is the fisher cover for and how long ago did you get it.

 

[Dleopoldi914]

What boat is the fisher cover for and how long ago did you get it.

Fisher cover is custom made they measure it. I have it on a 21se.

They make it for any boat they want and warranty it for 10 years.

 

[JDesrosier]

Shrink wrapping isn't that hard. It was $200 for the gun, and about $150 a year for the wrap for my 2120 sc. It's a little sketchy because it sounds like a jet engine but one you do it once. It's not a big deal.

 

[Puck-n-Fish]

Shrink wrapper here too. $600+ for the gun, $200+ for 150' of wrap and $100 for tape, strapping, buckles and vents. My 1800 uses 25' of wrap per season so I'm good for 6 seasons. $900 / 6 = $150 per year. But... from what I've noticed, the gun loses little value over time, so selling it later shouldn't be a problem. Also, I work for a company that occasionally has to shrink wrap a crate or two so I get a little kick back on that end. The wrap that comes off the boat in the spring gets stored and re-purposed and re-shrunk to cover the big outdoor patio set the following fall. Wife happy Me happy
Its also available for my boating friends.

 

[DaleH]

Shrink wrapping isn't that hard. It's not a big deal.

No one said “it’s a big deal” … do what you want …

We’re just providing a lower co$t and far more ecologically sound alternative.

 

[Blueghost93]

I love the mummy wrap. In SoCal the sun just destroyes any tarp in a matter of months. I went the expensive rout.

 

[cbigma]

Now -That's- proper winter storage! Do you guys even -have- a winter in SoCal?

 

[Puck-n-Fish]

"winter in SoCal" = nice summer in New England...

 

[Blueghost93]

Now -That's- proper winter storage! Do you guys even -have- a winter in SoCal?

We get snow at my place but not like back east.

 

[POGE]

20 x 30 tarp for 2300CC, bungee cord every grommet, it’s tight and snow slides off, Old yogurt tubs on the rocket launchers, unpside down 5 gal buckets on t top roof, tarp last 3 years. Holds up in mini hurricanes we get call Nor eastahs .
best of all, can get inside and it’s a man cave for the winter projects or just some alone time

 

[POGE]

No one said “it’s a big deal” … do what you want …

We’re just providing a lower co$t and far more ecologically sound alternative.

Agree,$450 a year to shrink wrap, ridiculous . Besides, old tarps can be cut for covering fire wood, painting drop clothes, lining the trunk of a 82’ Caddy for when payments are off