Winter Shelter for boat

[NewfieDan]

I would like to get my boat out of the rain/snow for the winter. I am trying to locate a temporary shelter but I am having trouble finding one to fit. I need one that is about 30' long by 10' wide by about 12' high.

Does any one have any idea where to find one like this? I live in Newfoundland so it needs to be able to stand LOTS of wind.

The boat is a 23ft Rinker Express Cruiser, with a swim platform sitting on an EZ loader trailer.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

I understand your pain. A shelter that size that will endure the weather might be (will be) VERY expensive.

Have you considered building a structure from "saw horses", wood and PVC pipe covered in a tarp or two to protect the boat??

I have done it in the past and it was pretty good...... here are pictures of a bass boat I did years ago.

 

[NewfieDan]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

I have thought about that, but my boat is a little different than the ones in your pics. Here is mine:



Like I said we also get a lot of wind here. Last week we had winds of 100-110 km/h (60-70mph).

So I need something sturdy

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

North Dakota is about as windy, or worse!

The only structure of that size that will withstand that wind involves 2x4's, plywood, some rafters, shingles... There are shed-in-a-box shelters, and you can get them up to that size, but just consider that a down payment. The cover will only last a couple years at best, and then you buy it again.

 

[BRICH1260]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

Try finding someone in the area with a pole barn, wharehouse or indoor storage facility. My boat is near that size and would not fit into my garages . Paid $50.00 per month.

 

[shrew]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

Consider buying a shrink wrap gun and the materials. The gun is the most expensive part and once you own it, you own it for life. This makes yearly wrapping very cheap after the initial startup cost. Since it's a once/year item, consider finding a couple of boating friends to split hte cost, share the gun and you can help each other wrap every year. It's very easy to do. Shrink wrap stand up to wind, rain, snow and ice very well. The white wrap (most common) keeps it very dry and even pretty warm in the winter and lets tons of light in for winter projects. $600 for a gun would pay for itself very quickly, particularly if you go in with 1-2 other guys. This is what I do and I'm very happy with it.

 

[NewfieDan]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

What is so special about a shrink warp gun? I mean what makes different from, say an electric heat gun mine puts out 1200F air.

I also have a tiger torch. Can my torch be modified to make it a shrink wrap gun? The head of the torch is threaded on. It may be a simple matter of changing the head?

The rest I think I can figure out if I need to.

 

[oops!]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

lots of us just use a tiger torch foe shrinking

 

[rbh]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

I am thinking the biggest issue your going to be dealing with besides the wind is all that newfie snow you folks get!

If I was in your position I would be looking at building a PVC backbone just like bobvt did with a support leg on the helm side (stern) of the window, and cross bracing.
2 inch thick wall PVC (still bendable) T fitting for the support leg need to build a foot, maybe another T fitting.
Build high enough (Arc) it so the snow will slide off and not build up, "use a good new tarp"
(you may want to double up)
and pull it tight so it will not sag, no "open" pleats as thats were snow will build up.

 

[HCMQA]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

Whats wrong with the cover you have in the pic already on the boat?
Rental place will be best

 

[oops!]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

Whats wrong with the cover you have in the pic already on the boat?
Rental place will be best

they get really really heavy wet snow there.......the cover he has will work......but it will wreck the cover in a few years....if not...one good snowfall.

a pvc back boan is a good idea...even with shrink.......cheap insurance !

 

[kemer1]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

I would say getting a covered storage unit would be your best bet. Doesn't appear by your pics that you have enough side yard space to dedicate to build a dedicated shelter for your boat, so a rental facility would be the next best option.

 

[NewfieDan]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

The pic is very deceiving. We have just about 1 1/4 acre here. But we have a small garage(at the stern of the boat) and a larger one behind that. But I didn't have this boat when I built it or I would have had it built big enough to fit the boat into. Now I am thinking about buying some of the property to the south of us to be able to build a higher garage to fit the boat into. And to have a place to do some work on it when I need to get out of the weather.

This will make it look like I have a small community here though. May be too many outbuildings. may have to look at buying a lot somewhere nearby.

I have looked into renting a storage space but they are all full. So I need another option for this year.

Oops is right. We can get a lot of wet heavy snow here. So I need something that can stand up to some very bad weather. we can also get a lot of wind. As I said earlier.

 

[BRICH1260]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

Can you build a "lean to" onto the side or back of one of your existing out buildings. It could be done in a couple days and a few hundred dollars worth of building supplies. It does not have to be fully enclosed, primarily just roofed.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

look at my recent thread on shrink wrapping..... That's what I'm gonna do this year and there is a link to some how to vids in my thread.

 

[fotto]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

I just had on of these put up for my 18ft Four Winns, 12 x 21' for $795 installed. Looks like they have a 12'x31' for around $1340.
They can enclosed some portion or all of the sides/back if you want for extra $'s. My goal was to just keep the direct snow and rain off, but still plan on using a winter cover as well.

 

[1216bandit]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

Hey fotto those buildings look good...who are they made by??? Cant make it out in the attachment

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

I am thinking the biggest issue your going to be dealing with besides the wind is all that newfie snow you folks get!

If I was in your position I would be looking at building a PVC backbone just like bobvt did with a support leg on the helm side (stern) of the window, and cross bracing.
2 inch thick wall PVC (still bendable) T fitting for the support leg need to build a foot, maybe another T fitting.
Build high enough (Arc) it so the snow will slide off and not build up, "use a good new tarp"
(you may want to double up)
and pull it tight so it will not sag, no "open" pleats as thats were snow will build up.

Problem with PVC is that it gets brittle in the cold. The stress from the wind snaps it apart. Past experience gave me an ugly lesson.

 

[fotto]

Re: Winter Shelter for boat

Hey fotto those buildings look good...who are they made by??? Cant make it out in the attachment

The price sheet I posted (and the model I bought) are from American Steel (www.americansteelinc.com). I got the 12ga version and it's very sturdy. I see that you're in Canada and not sure they install there. Just google steel carport to see what's nearby you. If they charge you a lot to assemble/install, consider doing it yourself. They built mine in about 1.5 hours in the rain no less. I would have had no problem doing it myself if not for the fact that the price included installation.