Tarp Update

[Mark42]

A while back I had posted that the best price on tarps was at Harbor Freight. Well, the Harbor Freight 11 mil silver tarp is apparently not UV ray protected because it lasted only two years before ripping apart. One literally fell apart in hand size chunks. This is the second Harbor Freight tarp I have had die an early death.

I have bought replacement tarps from Lowes, and also an online retailer called "Tarp and Cover Superstore". The tarps from both retailers are 11 mil silver tarps, but the both specify UV protective coating, where the Harbor Freight silver tarps do not mention UV protection at all.

If these latest tarps don't last 4 years, I will be very disappointed.

Will keep you posted.

Oh, almost forgot.... I ordered from the Tarp and Cover Superstore because they also carry pool supplies, and those large inflatable "pillows" that prevent freeze expansion damage to pools. Included two 4x5' pillows and will try using them to fill in the bow rail area instead of the previous PVC pipe frame to make a "tent" shape so snow and rain roll off the incline instead of building up inside the bow rail area. Was told by a fellow boater in the NE that this works well. Though I would give it a try this year. Anyone else use the pool pillows inside the bow rail?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Tarp Update

Mark, I have seen people use truck tire tubes set upright ......

 

[Triton II]

Re: Tarp Update

Mark, I have seen people use truck tire tubes set upright ......

Yep, that's what I do... stops the water pooling and has the added advantage of preventing the neighbourhood cats using the cover/tarp over the anchor area well as a hammock!

TII

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Tarp Update

good idea on the pool pillows but it seems most of us have one--a "tube"

Those used billboards sound like a great idea for tarps. google it; lots of companies sell them.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Tarp Update

I wish I could get truck inner tubes. They seem a thing of the past around here. New tubes are expensive, and no tire shops seem to have used tubes when I asked. So the pool pillows were ordered instead. Cheaper than a new inner tube.

Regarding the bill board tarps, I checked that out. Wow! Super cool idea. Wish I knew about this before ordering a traditional tarp. Although they tend to come in big sizes, or odd shapes, getting one big enough in the small dimension could be cut in half giving two tarps. And they are twice as thick as the traditional heavy duty 11 mil tarp. Bet they are heavy. Hmmm... Next time, this is it. http://www.billboardtarps.com/ Thanks for bringing it up. Wonder if one is available with a Victoria's Secret ad on it??

 

[robert graham]

Re: Tarp Update

I've used those silver tarps from Harbor Freight and Northern Tools and about 2 years is about all you can expect to get out of them, the UV, wind, rain, cold/hot weather just eats them up. My 10'x20' enclosure tarp is about $50, and I just replaced mine after 2 years. Northern Tools sells a yellow, waterproof woven cotton fabric tarp that will last much longer, but weighs twice as much and costs 3 times as much($150), so guess I'll stick with the cheap polypropylene unit and replace every other year. Silver tarps are mostly just disposable junk, but the price is good and they work fine until they fall apart!

 

[ziggy]

Re: Tarp Update

and will try using them to fill in the bow rail area instead of the previous PVC pipe frame to make a "tent" shape so snow and rain roll off the incline instead of building up inside the bow rail area.

fwiw. i use a large beach ball. same idea. to form a peak so the snow load don't sit on the bow... i do still have to sweep the snow off if it's a heavy snow though...

i also use a small beach ball in the center of the hardtop, not shown in the pic as i didn't have the idea yet. same idea. to get a peak for snow or rain to run downhill...

 

[JoLin]

Re: Tarp Update

On the 24' Chris Craft, my 'ridgepole' runs from behind the stern, to a couple of feet forward of the windshield (the last forward vertical support rests on the foredeck).

I don't need to put anything on the fordeck to raise the tarp height above the bowrail...

the 'tent' covers the rear 2/3 of the boat. The rest of the tarp (at the bow) is just pullled straight down between the bow rail on both sides, and then secured to the bow eye. Water naturally runs down the 'slope' and off the bow.

It works fine here, with 1-2 feet of snow being the average 'storm'

My .02

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Tarp Update

Pool covers are a great choice as well, very stout, waterproof, uv protected. If you look around you can find them on sale or even used they will far outlast a tarp and come in bigger sizes. I even made some snowmobile covers with the excess I had off one larger pool cover.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Tarp Update

fwiw. i use a large beach ball. same idea. to form a peak so the snow load don't sit on the bow... i do still have to sweep the snow off if it's a heavy snow though...

i also use a small beach ball in the center of the hardtop, not shown in the pic as i didn't have the idea yet. same idea. to get a peak for snow or rain to run downhill...

What the heck is that white crap all over your boat? You should look into removing it.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Tarp Update

I wish I could get truck inner tubes. They seem a thing of the past around here. New tubes are expensive, and no tire shops seem to have used tubes when I asked. So the pool pillows were ordered instead. Cheaper than a new inner tube.

Regarding the bill board tarps, I checked that out. Wow! Super cool idea. Wish I knew about this before ordering a traditional tarp. Although they tend to come in big sizes, or odd shapes, getting one big enough in the small dimension could be cut in half giving two tarps. And they are twice as thick as the traditional heavy duty 11 mil tarp. Bet they are heavy. Hmmm... Next time, this is it. http://www.billboardtarps.com/ Thanks for bringing it up. Wonder if one is available with a Victoria's Secret ad on it??

Ayuh,... I bought 1 last year,.... Saturn of northwest Indiana....
It held up Ok,.. I'm gonna reuse it this year...
They are abit stiff, 'n crack, but so far, it's holdin' together....

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Tarp Update

I've had good luck with Lowe's silver tarps. Not on the boat but on the wood piles. (the boat is in the garage ) Have 3 that are 3 or 4 yrs. old, still good as new.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Tarp Update

What the heck is that white crap all over your boat? You should look into removing it.

never seen snow ay? ah ya flordia guys have it made, boatin all year long.. i did remove it, after it got about 4'' deep. and kept removing it over and over. that was last winter, it was a bear. so far so good for no white this year. by this time last year we were gettin hip deep by now..

i will say one good thing about snow and feezeing temps. it does two thing. gives ya a chance to do pm. + it give my bank account a little time to build back up for next season.. . best i can do for the benefits of freeze temps and snow though..

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Tarp Update

never seen snow ay? ah ya flordia guys have it made, boatin all year long.. i did remove it, after it got about 4'' deep. and kept removing it over and over. that was last winter, it was a bear. so far so good for no white this year. by this time last year we were gettin hip deep by now..

i will say one good thing about snow and feezeing temps. it does two thing. gives ya a chance to do pm. + it give my bank account a little time to build back up for next season.. . best i can do for the benefits of freeze temps and snow though..

I've seen snow (once on TV )!!

Actually I left the snow behind with the family when I was 10. Been in FL ever since. Late November now and temps are 78-81 all week (average is 77 this time of year).

It'll start getting "our version of cold" about mid December and then boating gets moved to the back burner, although we still go out. I just put the heater in the boat on and we don't swim...

 

[tommays]

Re: Tarp Update

http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/ss91/tommays/Seafever/PA302582.jpg

when your going big

You gotta shop around and get creative Costco sells TWO PACKS of 12 x 16 10 mils for 20 dollars

They get tired after 12 months BUT they like a hard life between the snow and regular 50 MPH wind storms and 40 bucks covers a 29' boat

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Tarp Update

Here's a little helpful tip that I use to help prevent tarps an covers from splitting prematurely.

Spray them with a water treatment agent that also has UV protection, you have to search around for it but it is available for camping gear etc.

On the windshield frames, take a length of fuel line and split it lengthwise, then slide it over the top of the windshield frame, including around the corners, this strops the frame from cutting into the tarp or cover.

Of course some of you are lucky enough to have the custom fit covers with sewn in reinforcments for this, so this doesn't apply to you........this is for those of us who have wives that limit our funding for our boats