Winter Storage

[MJR63]

I know....how could I be thinking about winter already when it was just Labor Day a few days ago??? lol. Well, I plan to keep my boat in my backyard this winter and I'm looking for a solid boat canopie to store my boat in all year. It needs to be strong enough to handle our New England winters. I've shrink wrapped my boat before but now I'm looking for something I can use all year long to keep her protected.

Any suggestions on good brands and where to purchase?

Thx!

Mark

[Cigars n scotch]

Canopy? Is building a structure out of the question? NE winters are pretty harsh. I used to shrink wrap my boat every year in NJ in the offseason, held up fine but like you I'd always wanted to keep it out of the elements. I'd think a strong wind would do wonders on just a canopy unless you really were able to protect it on the sides too.

[bergermaister]

Canopies like this don't do too well in the wind and 1-2" of snow will stretch them to the breaking point (trust me)

http://moto-shade.com/PRODUCT_IMAGES/MS/Large/XL.jpg

I've had one for a while and have replaced the top at least 3 times now - about every other year. Does fine in the rain but deteriorates in the sun and wind.

I can't recall the name, but Newty was talking about a heavy duty cover that goes clear over the tower. Even saw it on his boat one time. It's got a zippered door up on the side that makes it easier for the thieves to get in and out of too.

[newty]

Canopies like this don't do too well in the wind and 1-2" of snow will stretch them to the breaking point (trust me)

http://moto-shade.com/PRODUCT_IMAGES/MS/Large/XL.jpg

I've had one for a while and have replaced the top at least 3 times now - about every other year. Does fine in the rain but deteriorates in the sun and wind.

I can't recall the name, but Newty was talking about a heavy duty cover that goes clear over the tower. Even saw it on his boat one time. It's got a zippered door up on the side that makes it easier for the thieves to get in and out of too.
Maybe you could put a zip tie through the zipper to deter the would be thieves.
http://www.transhield-usa.com

[MJR63]

I'm thinking about more of an all weather car/boat that is made to handle rain, wind and snow. I like the dome style that would shed off the snow easily. Like this one.... Seems pricey but it looks heavy duty and is Galvanized

http://www.acecanopy.com/maca14x24x10.html

[bergermaister]

That is getting spendy. The frame will hold up fine - it's the tarp material that will go bye-bye.

Are you looking for something permanent or just winter?

[MJR63]

Yea, I know... Looking for something a little less pricey. I'm looking for something I can store it in all year long. Hoping it will last a few years. I have a few acres of property where I can store the boat. I can shrink wrap the boat for winter but i would like to keep the trailer out of the winter weather too. It would be nice to have something to protect the boat during the season as well.....

I will continue my research!

[bergermaister]

If I had the space I'd be putting one of these up-

http://www.valleyshed.com/sampleimg/std-carport-18x21x5-1.jpg

[MJR63]

Humm.... That might be a good idea. Wondering if they have removable sides that can be added for winter? I'll have to look into that. Thx Berg!

[jmvotto]

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/janitorial-maintenance/tarps-canopies/greenhouses/gray-14-w-x-42-l-x-15-h-peak-rv-boat-storage?utm_source=biz_shop&utm_medium=shp&utm_term=B445022&utm_campaign=Garages-Cars-Boats-RVs-biz_shop&infoParam.campaignId=WZ


this may work if you don't want to build a structure

[98outback]

If you have the space go with a better shelter. This is mine but I live in Florida. I had the metal brought down the sides and the back. Will take a side picture tomorrow.18413

[MJR63]

Thx JM! Global Industries had just about the same round shelter I was looking at almost 1/2 the cost. Same pic was used for each site but the ACE one seemed a little better....

[Cigars n scotch]

If you have the space go with a better shelter. This is mine but I live in Florida. I had the metal brought down the sides and the back. Will take a side picture tomorrow.18413

Now that one could work.

[98outback]

It's comparable in price to some of the large canopies. Mine is 20ft wide x 26ft deep. Legs are 9 ft tall. Price was 2800.00 installed roughly 6 years ago.

[moombahighrider]

If you have the space go with a better shelter. This is mine but I live in Florida. I had the metal brought down the sides and the back. Will take a side picture tomorrow.18413

This is basically what I have going on with out the back closed in, but I only use mine for summer. I put it in a storage Facility for the winter and use the carport for my work truck in the winter. I got the reinforced version for snow loads (Colorado mountains). Mine was just over $3k installed. If I had to do it again, I would have gone with a fully enclosed version (12' wide x 30' long) with a proper garage door, separate man door and 6 windows. Online price, installed is about 10k. There are some websites that let you build it to your specs and see drawings of the finished product.

[trayson]

If I had the space I'd be putting one of these up-

http://www.valleyshed.com/sampleimg/std-carport-18x21x5-1.jpg

I have a thread on the Supra forums very similar to this one. I've been trying to scrape up enough money to justify a metal carport.

Looks like the optimal size would be:

21 feet long (because if I go any longer, the price jumps up dramatically)
11 to 12 feet wide (same price either way, 12 feet is as wide as I could really go on the RV parking on that side of my house).
9 to 12 feet tall sides. (9' would mean I'd have to fold the tower. I measured and my boat on the trailer is 10' tall with the tower up. 11' sides seems like a comfortable amount as the roof has extra height built in above the level of the side posts. I don't want to go TOO high and piss off the neighbors even more and have height I don't need, but I also don't want to go too low and mess myself up if I got a different boat in the future that for whatever reason sat higher...
http://www.carport.com/images/faq-clearance-height.png


This is a mockup of the 21L x 12W x 11H with half walls at the top and the standard roof. Thoughts? I would think that with one of these it would dramatically decrease the dew/moisture that the boat would see...

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a1IELHtoDD0/Ui4VtfgYYBI/AAAAAAAAO7o/JX23hF59w0g/s800/Carport.jpg
As you can see from this pic, I went to carport.com and used their online design tool. It's pretty cool and seems like the prices would be hard to beat.

The half sides seem like a legit upgrade, and that's in the above mockup. kicking out for full sides would be a lot more ($350 for a structure that had 11' walls, and $205 if I had gone with as low of roof height (10 foot) as I could justify. Would I be kicking myself for going with 1/2 sides vs. full sides? Will it make that much of a difference?

[bergermaister]

Half sides will definitely help keep the liquid sunshine out. Now you've got me looking at them... Cost isn't as bad as I thought it would be but I've got a somewhat unique space to fill at 14' wide wall-to-wall between two houses.

Personally I think it would be worth it to go longer. My carport "tent" is 12x25 and I fill it end to end and then some with the platform off the back.

I'm pricing a 14Wx25Lx7H sides with side walls on that site at $1845. I can't go too tall because of the roof line of each house so my tower would have to stay down, but I'm already used to that.

You might want to check into your HOA rules if you have one - I had to help a buddy dismantle his not too long ago because a bitchy neighbor saw it and turned him in. His was really tall though, big enough to fit his travel trailer under.

[trayson]

Half sides will definitely help keep the liquid sunshine out. Now you've got me looking at them... Cost isn't as bad as I thought it would be but I've got a somewhat unique space to fill at 14' wide wall-to-wall between two houses.

Personally I think it would be worth it to go longer. My carport "tent" is 12x25 and I fill it end to end and then some with the platform off the back.

I'm pricing a 14Wx25Lx7H sides with side walls on that site at $1845. I can't go too tall because of the roof line of each house so my tower would have to stay down, but I'm already used to that.

You might want to check into your HOA rules if you have one - I had to help a buddy dismantle his not too long ago because a bitchy neighbor saw it and turned him in. His was really tall though, big enough to fit his travel trailer under.

I don't have a HOA, thank God. So, it's really only Clark County code (looks like we both live in the same area).

http://www.clark.wa.gov/development/land_use/documents/garden-shed.pdf

So, technically I should have a 2’ setback. I certainly don’t want that. I want to use every damn bit of property up to my fenceline because that's how my RV parking is setup. I have roughly 11 to 12 feet of usable width behind my double fence...

I guess it’d only be a problem if my neighbor got butt hurt by it. And he just built a shed, so he knows the rules. However, he also ran power out to it which is against the rules, so maybe he’s down to bend the rules too…

So far he’s been pretty cool and lax about stuff. I mean, it’s not like his enclosed moto trailer isn’t an eyesore that he parks in the front sticking out to the sidewalk...

Yeah, my “gazebo” or whatever you’d want to call it is really just barely over the 200 square foot max. 21x12 vs. 20x10. It’s not like a neighbor could go into my back yard and measure. And if I went with 21x11, it’d be even closer to being legit. I guess worst case would be I’d have to move it to agree with setback, but I don’t see that happening.

As far as the length, I get what you're saying but when I go from 21' to anywhere between 22 and 26 feet, the price jumps up by another $440! I'm sure it's because it needs another side support leg.

With my current boat, if I measure from the rail at the back of the trunk and measure forward to the end of the vinyl at the front of the bow, I'd have 1' overhang with a 21' shelter. Yes, not nearly as much as I'd like but I think i could "get by" with it. It wouldn't be hard to hang a tarp to be a flexible front and rear "wall".

I know that 25' would be optimal, but it's a big jump in price and I may be stretching it a lot as it is. (plus 25' would be really breaking county code)

Oh, and with the top of my tower at 10' tall, yeah, mine would be really tall with the 11' tall sides. almost as tall as the peak of my garage's 3rd bay roofline. As a bonus, I would be able to set up my Chalet Alpine A-Frame camping trailer under it if my boat wasn't parked under it. I'm thinking that the additional height will be really nice... Not having to fold the tower would be a plus in my book.

[bergermaister]

If you're county then screw the rules! After our break in I talked to the sheriff about my plans for a 9ft fence (facing the road) and he told me to go for it. That it would be a cold day in hell before they'd do code enforcement on something like that.

I actually only have 7ft from my house to my side fence, but several years ago I re-landscaped my neighbor's front lawn in exchange for her letting me take down the dividing fence and use her 7ft side yard as my own. It was basically a deadspace for her anyway and works great to keep my boat tucked away out of site. Trick is finding a "temporary" cover that will fit in that space as I know the day will come that she'll move, or we will, and I'll be taking down whatever structure and putting the fence back up.

I could build a cover way cheaper than I could buy one - but that makes it feel (and look) a lot more permanent.

Not having to lower the tower would definitely be nice but I'd take out the gutter every time if I didn't...

I'm actually on the Northeast end of town - Padden Parkway and Ward Rd area. We should meet up sometime.

[trayson]

If you're county then screw the rules! After our break in I talked to the sheriff about my plans for a 9ft fence (facing the road) and he told me to go for it. That it would be a cold day in hell before they'd do code enforcement on something like that.

I actually only have 7ft from my house to my side fence, but several years ago I re-landscaped my neighbor's front lawn in exchange for her letting me take down the dividing fence and use her 7ft side yard as my own. It was basically a deadspace for her anyway and works great to keep my boat tucked away out of site. Trick is finding a "temporary" cover that will fit in that space as I know the day will come that she'll move, or we will, and I'll be taking down whatever structure and putting the fence back up.

I could build a cover way cheaper than I could buy one - but that makes it feel (and look) a lot more permanent.

Not having to lower the tower would definitely be nice but I'd take out the gutter every time if I didn't...

I'm actually on the Northeast end of town - Padden Parkway and Ward Rd area. We should meet up sometime.

That would be fun. I've got my DD as surfable as it's likely going to get under my ownership, so it's always a treat to get some time behind a v-drive. :-) Mine does put out a nice ski wake though. (despite the fact that I took out the center ski pylon because I'm not serious about slalom).

I usually launch at Portco/Marine Park because it's close and I bought the annual parking permit. We ride on the SW side of government island (along marine drive by the 205 bridge) but have been spending more time in the Hayden Island Slough by the end of the no wake zone and the Port of Portland. The width and increased depth there makes the wife a lot happier.

I used to ride in the Camas Slough before I got my boat, but that's a long haul up river and I have a hard time driving twice the distance and paying for parking when Portco is so convenient.

I've gone out once with Newty, and that was a blast. We're looking at going out Tuesday this week for sure. Maybe Fri/Sat. I'll ride Wed if I can get a crew or if I get an invite to be on someone else's boat...

[MJR63]

Well, after some research I ended up going with a Rhino Shelter round shaped garage 14'W x 24'L x 10'H. They had them on sale at the Eastern States Exposition fair. I got a great deal! I talked to a few guys that have them in Maine and they said they lasted upwards of 10 years.

I priced out a similar metal unit at carport.com and it was over $3,000 w/me doing the install. Too pricy for me. That was not even including the double garage doors that I got on this one and the perminate anchors!

http://www.rhinoshelters.com/instant-garages/8-boat-round.html

The shelter is made using rugged and long-lasting industrial grade 10oz. fabric and is available in two distinct colours. The entire cover, including doors, are constructed with a CPAI-84 rated Poly with woven backing, which is UV resistant and fire retardant. The outer and inner layers sandwich a special layer in between called Inner Black Scrim. This layer has a coating that prevents any sunlight from infiltrating the material. All the components for the frame are manufactured using galvanized steel.

Ratchet straps come standard with Rhino Shelters. The shelter cover never loosens or sags, thanks to the strong webbing material used in the ratchet strap. The tight fit allows the ratchet straps to withstand much higher snow loads than ordinary rope. Every door contains a pouch to accommodate a pole and grommets. Cable earth anchors and 36" drive rod come with the package.

Exclusive Round Boat Features:

Heavy Duty Galvanized Finish on All Steel Frame Components for Maximum Strength & Long Life
10oz., CPAI-84 Polyethylene Fabric Backed Cover and Doors
All Pre-Drilled, Easy Bolt Together Assembly
Ratchet Straps for a Drum Tight Fit
Wind Brace Support on Both Sides
Two (2) Double Zipper Doors with Bottom Pockets
One (1) complete Roll-up Door Kit
Protective Plastic Tube End Caps - All Open Ends
Standard Thread Plated Hardware Kit with Retaining Nuts & Protective SS Washers
Quick Assembly Wrench included
Heavy Duty Poly Rope for Main Cover Tie Down
Heavy Duty Grommets on Cover & Doors
Eight (8) permanent anchors included
Average Installation Time: 3 Hours
350 lbs. Shipped in 2 boxes

[trayson]

Well, after some research I ended up going with a Rhino Shelter round shaped garage 14'W x 24'L x 10'H. They had them on sale at the Eastern States Exposition fair. I got a great deal! I talked to a few guys that have them in Maine and they said they lasted upwards of 10 years.

I priced out a similar metal unit at carport.com and it was over $3,000 w/me doing the install. Too pricy for me. That was not even including the double garage doors that I got on this one and the perminate anchors!

http://www.rhinoshelters.com/instant-garages/8-boat-round.html

The shelter is made using rugged and long-lasting industrial grade 10oz. fabric and is available in two distinct colours. The entire cover, including doors, are constructed with a CPAI-84 rated Poly with woven backing, which is UV resistant and fire retardant. The outer and inner layers sandwich a special layer in between called Inner Black Scrim. This layer has a coating that prevents any sunlight from infiltrating the material. All the components for the frame are manufactured using galvanized steel.

Ratchet straps come standard with Rhino Shelters. The shelter cover never loosens or sags, thanks to the strong webbing material used in the ratchet strap. The tight fit allows the ratchet straps to withstand much higher snow loads than ordinary rope. Every door contains a pouch to accommodate a pole and grommets. Cable earth anchors and 36" drive rod come with the package.

Exclusive Round Boat Features:

Heavy Duty Galvanized Finish on All Steel Frame Components for Maximum Strength & Long Life
10oz., CPAI-84 Polyethylene Fabric Backed Cover and Doors
All Pre-Drilled, Easy Bolt Together Assembly
Ratchet Straps for a Drum Tight Fit
Wind Brace Support on Both Sides
Two (2) Double Zipper Doors with Bottom Pockets
One (1) complete Roll-up Door Kit
Protective Plastic Tube End Caps - All Open Ends
Standard Thread Plated Hardware Kit with Retaining Nuts & Protective SS Washers
Quick Assembly Wrench included
Heavy Duty Poly Rope for Main Cover Tie Down
Heavy Duty Grommets on Cover & Doors
Eight (8) permanent anchors included
Average Installation Time: 3 Hours
350 lbs. Shipped in 2 boxes

At $1,320 shipped, that's pretty steep. (I'm sure you got a better deal though.) But awesome to know more options. For that much cash, I'll keep leaning towards a metal one...

[MJR63]

At $1,320 shipped, that's pretty steep. (I'm sure you got a better deal though.) But awesome to know more options. For that much cash, I'll keep leaning towards a metal one...

I got mine for $799 but I'm picking it up in CT at the warehouse..... :) I think will honor the Big E fair pricing all week....

[Schmitter]

Last year I went to Ocean State Job Lot and bought a slightly oversized non custom cover. I then built a frame of 2x4 lumber that created a very steep pitch with the cover and just snow raked the snow off the cover the couple of times we got really big snow. The verticals on the support frame are about 4' tall. This worked out perfect for me, better than the dealer I used to store my Outback. The last year they had it they chipped the swim platform and when I picked it up there was a wicket ant nest in it. Tilex kills ants instantly by the way.