How do you cover your boat for the winter? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

beamie · 09-28-2006, 04:39 PM

Tying to the trailer is probably ok. Likwids point he is trying to make is never tie off to jack stands. This is an absolute no no. Stands get a little loose over time and if the wind catches the tarp and pulls the stands out....... over goes the boat.

sokinwet · 09-28-2006, 06:53 PM

I usually cover my boat with snow!

striperman36 · 09-28-2006, 07:12 PM

I like the now muss no fuzz of a shrinkwrap solution.
I have been going out there with a broom for 25 years, snow in my boots, up my sleeves, so on.
Anybody own a shrinkwrap gun they want to rent?
You can do it yourself for reasonable money except for the dang heat gun.

pmueller · 09-28-2006, 07:20 PM

A Taylor made boat cover. Instead of using the pvc stuff for the peak this year, I'm going to use one of those big pool cover pillows.

Rip Runner · 09-29-2006, 08:38 AM

I can't really believe this is much of a question. All the money we spend on our boats why wouldn't we want to protect them the best we can over the winter months? Unless you have some type of indoor storage shrink-wrap is the only way to go.

Someone mentioned not covering it all..? That leaves you open to stains from leaves, branches, sap and anything else that can land in your boat. It also opens you up to water entering then freezing and potentially expanding in areas it shouldn't. The boat will become more weathered sitting out all winter.

If I had a small older inexpensive boat I may consider a tarp, but that would be the only time. Who wants to go out and put another tarp on thier boat and shovel it out after it ripped during a blizzard, or just high winds? Not me.

Winterize it, clean it, wax it, wrap it, and open it up in the spring ready to go. On colored hulls you can wrap it to the waterline to protect it better and it won't scratch like a loose tarp can. Make sure you cut some vents with flaps for air and you are good to go. I've been wrapping my boats for years and have never had one rip or any any issues at all. I also install a door on the bigger boat so you can work on it during the late fall and spring before you unwrap it. It's nice knowing you don't have to worry about your boat all winter.

You get what you pay for, you can do it cheap or you can do it right.