Shrink Wrap vs. Heat Storage

[wakerider09]

What are the opinions out there about shrink wrapping a boat vs. indoor heated storage in the great lakes area. With heated storage you can often gain access to your boat to work on it, but are there any other pro's to keeping a boat in heated storage rather than just shrink wrapping, winterizing and leaving it outside to battle the winter?

Thanks.

 

[rbh]

Heated storage would be great, keep the windows open to keep the air flow moving, no mold issues, everything dries out.

 

[oldjeep]

Option 3. Indoor unheated. Cover it or don't. I don't usually keep a cover on mine since it is in a nice clean garage.

 

[moosehead]

Indoor unheated can help with the cost, and just might keep rodents out. We don't have moisture issues in the Mountain West, so I do indoor unheated with tonneau and mooribg covers. I cry a little bit seeing any rig sitting under shrink wrap in the great white north. Still hanging onto boating through September here in Colorado, but it's already getting below freezing at night and snow has flown at elevation.

 

[thumpar]

Option 3. Indoor unheated. Cover it or don't. I don't usually keep a cover on mine since it is in a nice clean garage.

+1. That is what we do. I winterize it and put it in the garage. We don't use a cover over winter so I have access to do any maintenance I want to get done.

 

[chambers1517]

Indoor unheated can help with the cost, and just might keep rodents out. We don't have moisture issues in the Mountain West, so I do indoor unheated with tonneau and mooribg covers. I cry a little bit seeing any rig sitting under shrink wrap in the great white north. Still hanging onto boating through September here in Colorado, but it's already getting below freezing at night and snow has flown at elevation.

That is sad, here in the south it is still 90 degrees.

 

[Bayou Dave]

That is sad, here in the south it is still 90 degrees.

I agree. Our forecast is low 90's for at least the next week. But humid as can be!

 

[Frederic Lynes]

It was 104° yesterday. We keep ours in our RV garage, uncovered.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Garage kept? heated? heck ya.... most folks that live in freezing north cover it up with water proof tarps... as for winterizing.....get all the water out of block and manifold, dry storage baby!!! dont waste your money on the "pink stuff"

 

[oldjeep]

Garage kept? heated? heck ya.... most folks that live in freezing north cover it up with water proof tarps... as for winterizing.....get all the water out of block and manifold, dry storage baby!!! dont waste your money on the "pink stuff"

Only huge boats and boats nobody loves sit outside around here

And there is some benefit to the pink stuff - only after you drain all the water out. I use the -100F formula in my heater and tank pumps since it is virtually impossible to get those completely dried out.

 

[Scott Danforth]

if you have heated storage - do it.

in order of my preference:

Climate Controlled storage
indoor storage with electricity (to run a small fan and battery charger)
covered storage with mooring cover intact
weatherproof cover and outside storage
shrinkwrap
cheap blue tarp

the pros of heated storage: no freezing. generally no critters. electricity for battery maintenance. lights to work on the boat off-season. The con - a bit of $ required.

in either way, I would still drain, winterize (fluid changes, etc.) and prep accordingly for storage.

 

[Slip Away]

Have kept the last 3 boats in indoor heated storage. No mold, no winterizing, no dust, no condensation, no problems in spring.
Have always been able to work on the boats during the off season, if you pick the right facility.

 

[H20Rat]

if you have heated storage - do it.

in order of my preference:

Climate Controlled storage
indoor storage with electricity (to run a small fan and battery charger)
covered storage with mooring cover intact
weatherproof cover and outside storage
shrinkwrap
cheap blue tarp

So your #2 makes me nervous... Used to work in insurance, saw lots of garages burn to the ground because of #2. Small fans often have cheap sparks. Battery chargers can generate hydrogen. See the problem? And that is everything is working correctly, if something fails (fan motor locks up, mice chew through wires, etc...), then you have all kinds of other possible fire starting conditions.

I will ABSOLUTELY never store a vehicle of any sort with a battery connected to anything. Nothing touches the terminals, and the chance of a fire starting go to zero.

 

[Starcraft5834]

I wish I had the money for inside heated storage.. if I did, I'd likely not live in the frozen north either.. and not need any of it.. :drum:

 

[Thalasso]

I store mine in a climate controlled area.(mine). The temps stay at 55 and a relative humidity of 45. No winterizing no stretch wrap. Put the boat cover on and come back in 6 months.

 

[thumpar]

The only thing I don't like about heated storage is that some people rely on it instead of winterizing and if the power goes out no more heat. We keep ours in the garage. It gets cold. One tip for those that do the same is don't touch the vinyl when it gets really cold. It will crack.

 

[UncleWillie]

Whether it is stored in a warm building or not; you still should winterize the boat assuming that the heat will go out on the worst day of the year and it will freeze.
Drain the block. Flush with Antifreeze. Drain it again, and save the antifreeze for next year.

 

[Grub54891]

Our heated storage facility has back up gensets that start automatically when the power fails. And the gensets do their own self-tests weekly to be sure they will work when needed.

 

[Illinoid]

My genset exercises every week but has failed twice in 8 years, once the starter got loose and once the oil got low (never uses oil any other time???), both times at around 0-f. It is a great backup for an unreliable power grid but I wouldn't trust it for boat storage without winterizing also. Spend a little...don't risk a lot. Going into my first winter with a pontoon boat I will probably put it in one of the barns with lots of coumadin for all the rodents that may need a blood thinner. I do want to take it out as many more times as I can...Fall color season is coming. If I shrink wrap it we will probably get a 75 degree weekend in November.

 

[blackhawk180]

I store my boat in a carport and have outboard(s) so winterizing is pretty simple. I have a unique mouse/rodent control plan wich involves my neighbors mangy old cat. We (me and cat) have an agreement: no mouse poop in my boat or scratched vinyl and I'll forgive dirty cat paw prints. If find poop or scratches, cat is toast. So far, it's working out great for both of us. He gets to live and I have no rodent worries. I'm gonna miss the old bugger when he passes.....