Shrink Wrap vs. Big Blue tarp

[one4water]

OK, so last year I had the boat shrink wrapped and all was fine and dandy. But I am wondering the real value of shrink wrapping. Who can explain to my why it is so much better and worth the added cost compared to getting a huge tarp to cover the boat for the winter?

I am fairly new with boats but used to tarp my jet skiis(for about 15 years) and never had an issue of any kind.

It is a 25 foot catboat so it will have to be a big arse tarp but it would surely be cheaper than shrink wrap.

OK folks, let the opinions, ups and downs, dos and don'ts fly.

Oh yeah, the boat is stored for the winter out doors, on a trailer in South Jersey. In a well protected area and we have not seen much snow in the past few years.

[yottyboy]

The idea of shrink wrapping a boat is absolutely horrifying to me. I would never ever do such a thing. The only reason to shrink wrap would be for something like overseas shipment or a long ride across country on a flatbed. The reason for doing it as a means of preserving the boat over the winter is flawed. The winter weather is actually kinder to a boat than the summer, when heat and high UV levels are baking it daily. In winter, the cool weather, the low sun, low humidity and lack of use keep things nicely preserved. In addition, a tight wrap job may trap moisture which may promote mildew. There are some days, even in February, when it would be nice to take the boat out (thanks Global Warming!). If it's wrapped the idea would never enter your mind. With a tarp, it can be ready to use in a few minutes. If you feel compelled to throw a cover over it to keep the debris out, then a loose tarp, open at the ends, is the best way. A trip to the Home Depot to pick up some PVC pipe and fittings to make supports would be a good thing.

Do a proper winterizing job and put a tarp over it.

[pmagrady]

When I lived up north (Illinois), shrink wrap was the way to go if you wanted to work on the boat during the winter. It was relatively warm inside the bubble. Shrink wrap also handled the snow and wind better than tarps. I never had to repair or re-cover shrink wrap. I do recall having to re-do those tarps. It was not much fun, as I recall.

I finally had a custom cloth (canvas I think) storage cover made. It was more expensive than shrink wrap the first year, but the investment paid back by the second year. That might be worth looking into.

[one4water]

I was kind of thinking the tarp may need repair but the weight of snow hasn't been an issue the last few years as we got a total of 18" spread over the whole winter. I probably won't be working on it much as it is 2 hours away when stored. I wish I could have it home. A lot more would get done in the off season. I clean it before hauling it out and have the yard guys winterize the motors. I do the water systems myself. I guess one thing I worry about it the wind beating up the tarp since it would not be as tight as shrink wrap. I would hate to pass on the wrap only to find a shredded tarp halfway through the season. The other thing is ventilation, if I drape the tarp over the whole boat, there is no place for moisture to evaporate to up top. I have seen vents that can be put in but wonder if they will create a weak point in the tarp and end up tearing if we have some big winds.

[Boz]

I was kind of thinking the tarp may need repair but the weight of snow hasn't been an issue the last few years as we got a total of 18" spread over the whole winter.... I guess one thing I worry about it the wind beating up the tarp since it would not be as tight as shrink wrap.

I trust you realize that you probably just jinxed yourself by counting on a mild winter. Prepare for blizzards, Pennsylvania and New Jersey!

In the past when I had much larger boats (26' & 28' express cruisers and a 30' flybridge) "up north" I always used blue tarps. Most often there were no problems as long as I kept the cover snug so the wind didn't shred it. One winter, however, it turned into a blizzard of blue confetti all over the storage lot. Frequent checks and adjustments are a must.

I never had a problem with excessive moisture building up inside. The way the covers were folded at the stern and bow allowed fairly good ventilation. What I did have a problem with was the tarps rubbing against painted surfaces as they flexed in the wind. I was surprised how abrasive they can be. And you have to be careful where the tarp's metal grommets are when the boat is covered; they, too, can tear up a paint job. Don't ask me how I know. You also have to be sure to pad any sharp corners/edges that the tarp rests against. I found that a swimming pool "noodle", slit lengthwise, was great for padding on windshield frames and such.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Boz

[one4water]

I trust you realize that you probably just jinxed yourself by counting on a mild winter. Prepare for blizzards, Pennsylvania and New Jersey!

In the past when I had much larger boats (26' & 28' express cruisers and a 30' flybridge) "up north" I always used blue tarps. Most often there were no problems as long as I kept the cover snug so the wind didn't shred it. One winter, however, it turned into a blizzard of blue confetti all over the storage lot. Frequent checks and adjustments are a must.

I never had a problem with excessive moisture building up inside. The way the covers were folded at the stern and bow allowed fairly good ventilation. What I did have a problem with was the tarps rubbing against painted surfaces as they flexed in the wind. I was surprised how abrasive they can be. And you have to be careful where the tarp's metal grommets are when the boat is covered; they, too, can tear up a paint job. Don't ask me how I know. You also have to be sure to pad any sharp corners/edges that the tarp rests against. I found that a swimming pool "noodle", slit lengthwise, was great for padding on windshield frames and such.

You are probably right about the jinx.

I am looking for a decently priced cover for the boat now similar to Ttopcovers.com but they don't make one for my boat. That would be my preffered choice at this point. Being two hours away kinda rules out frequently checking on it. especially if the weather is bad. I know the boat yard guys I use are great but doubt they are going to baby sit it for me like that.

If anyone reading this has a decent cover source for catamarans, feel free to chime in.

[geronimo]

OK.. i'm a guy that spent 40 years boating in South Florida.. 4 years ago i relocated to upstate NY.. On the Hudson River.. I took my 23 Key West WA up here with me.. If you have to deal with Snow Load, Shrink Wrap is the thing to do "HANDS DOWN" ...Be careful about taking advice from Flat Landers about winterizing a boat for the Northeast. Blue traps are good for covering your roof after a hurricane ,but SUCK for snow and winter protection on your boat, especially a larger boat with a wider beam.! Its quite reasonalbe ($$) up here to have it done annually. Of course the best solution is to have your boat kept inside for the winter.

[one4water]

OK.. i'm a guy that spent 40 years boating in South Florida.. 4 years ago i relocated to upstate NY.. On the Hudson River.. I took my 23 Key West WA up here with me.. If you have to deal with Snow Load, Shrink Wrap is the thing to do "HANDS DOWN" ...Be careful about taking advice from Flat Landers about winterizing a boat for the Northeast. Blue traps are good for covering your roof after a hurricane ,but SUCK for snow and winter protection on your boat, especially a larger boat with a wider beam.! Its quite reasonalbe ($$) up here to have it done annually. Of course the best solution is to have your boat kept inside for the winter.

Good point about the wide beam. I would love to be able to store her indoors but that gets real expensive. A few years of that and I could build my own garage for it. hhmmmmmm, if I could only convince the Mrs. of the financial soundness of that idea, I would have a killer workshop out back.

[wkearney99]

Who can explain to my why it is so much better and worth the added cost compared to getting a huge tarp to cover the boat for the winter?

Generally, a well-done shrink job is more secure than a tarp. A tarp will have all sorts of extra folds in it. It'll end up collecting water or whipping loose in the wind. Loose material flapping can cause a lot of damage pretty quick. Water collected in the tarp can freeze or cause mold. Tarps don't usually have means to vent properly either. Most tarps aren't all that UV stable and will rot out a lot sooner (but probably not over the course of one winter). Then there's the "it looks like crap" perspective...

[ReelNauti]

When I was growing up my Dad never used shrink wrap and to this day I still don't. Beam isn't a problem, just build a higher pitch. After years of doing Dad's and my won boat's last year I finally came close to perfection. What usually ruins this are cheap tarps (get a good one), rope used to tie it and the mess at the bow which usually collects rain and snow.

My frame is 1 1/4" PVC. I had most of the pipe already so it only cost some fittings. The tarp covers about 66% of the boat fine. One key is to use HD bungees instead of rope. This allows some give. I had found some clips at BW before they went out that allows me to clamp down on the tarp. The clips have a cord slot in them to allow for clamping on the tarp with the cord inside. These are the real key. I run a line off the bow on both sides around the boe keel block. I then secure this line towards the stern with 2 lines to the swim platform struts to keep any pressure off of the keel block. The boat is heavy enough that the tarp won't move it but more is better. I then fold the tarp at the bow around these lines and pull them up on the inside and tie them to the railing. This is roughly about a 45 Deg angle. Think of wrapping a present. With the clips, I clamp them of the folded edge of the tarp and make sure the cord from the bow in in the slot which give the clips a little more bite. The clips a turnscrew to tighten and also have eyes that allow me to tie (yes, I use rope) and snug the eyes together around the curved bow under the rub rail. This leaves no tarp wrapped on the outside with a upturned edge to catch the rain and snow as the folds are on the inside.

Bottom Line- 1 tarp for $150 = 3 years - you can't touch shrink wrap for that.