Maintenance

Ask Andrew - Protecting Your Boat for the Winter, Part 1

ARTICLE BY ANDREW MCDONALD COURTESY OF CANADIAN BOATING

Be careful of slippery docks

As the cold approaches, shrink-wrapping is a hot topic, and I’ve heard more than a few debates at yacht clubs about the merits and disadvantages of winter covers, tarps and wraps. First, why cover your boat at all?

Three main reasons:

  1. To prevent snow, rain, water and moisture from penetrating the corners, crevices, edges and cracks and freezing and expanding – causing more problems and compounding damage.
  2. To keep the boat secure – prevents unwanted intrusion of humans and animals
  3. To keep the boat clean and moisture free – inside and out

Essentially, covering a boat in the off-season is a protection of your investment.

What are the options for covers? There are a few.

Lets talk about the pros and cons of each:

Tarp

Pros:

  • Inexpensive
  • Easy to find
  • Easy DIY

Cons:

  • Tend to fray and leak
  • Not reliable
  • Tough to secure
  • Not fitted to the boat
  • Not long-lasting

Custom Cover

Pros:

  • Very secure
  • Fitted to the boat
  • Very durable
  • Good for many seasons

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • Custom

Shrink Wrap

Pros:

  • Secure
  • Fitted to the boat
  • Durable
  • Can be DIY

Cons:

  • Can be costly
  • Only 1 season use
  • DIY with equipment

There are options for every budget – but consideration should be given about the best way to protect your boat based on budget and ease of use.

winterizing, maintenance, DIY project, off-season care, boat storage, boating tips

Shrink-wrap is extremely popular – it’s cost-effective, durable and serves to protect the boat well. There is no shortage of contractors who can perform the work. Alternately, shrink-wrapping can be a DIY project – but requires a bit of prep and investment in both materials and tools/equipment

A custom cover can’t be beat in terms of durability and longevity. The only drawbacks are availability and cost – proper lead time is needed to arrange the creation and fitting of the cover, and return on investment may not be seen for a few years.

Boat covers, Protection, Boat protection, Winter Storage, Maintenance

Tarps serve their purpose on a budget – but should be carefully fitted, tied and secured.

In Part two we’ll explore a closer look at shrink-wrapping as a DIY project.

Happy last few weeks of boating!

Radar reflectors, how-to, DIY project, Ask Andrew, Canadian Yachting Magazine

Andrew McDonald is the owner of Lakeside Marine Services – a boat repair/maintenance firm based in Toronto. Andrew has worked in the marine industry for 12 years and is a graduate of the Georgian College ‘Mechanical Techniques – Marine Engine Mechanic’ program.