Shrink wrapping

[Ericl]

I am shrink wrapping my Catalina 30 for the winter with the mast in. Does anyone have suggestions on how to avoid damage to the lifelines from the pressure of the wrap and the snow load?
Also, any tips on keeping the water from running down the shrouds and stays and ending up on deck?

 

[Maine Sail]

I am shrink wrapping my Catalina 30 for the winter with the mast in. Does anyone have suggestions on how to avoid damage to the lifelines from the pressure of the wrap and the snow load?

You need perimeter boards and cross ties screwed to the uprights.

Sorry for the bad spelling of perimeter..

Also, any tips on keeping the water from running down the shrouds and stays and ending up on deck?

Nope... I tried everything for years and nothing completely seals it. The only sure fire answer is to store with the mast down..:cussing:

 

[Opie91]

Shrink wrap

You should not have to worry about the life lines from a good shrink wrap job. I find that most damage comes from the cover being too tall you end up with a lot of additional windage that way. A peak around the height of the boom should do. Just look at all the blue tarp boats blowing around the marina if you want to know how to not do it.

 

[sean0965]

I know it's a little late now....but for what it's worth.

If you do not have any boats along side as a wind break/buffer, I would recommend bracing the midship lifeline stanchions on those sides. My C30 was shrinkwrapped and exposed to the wind with no buffer on the port side. The wind load on the shrink bent the two midship life lines on that side (actually broke the weld on the plate on one). I'll get some pictures...I went back and braced the slightly bent one to prevent further damage.

 

[Maine Sail]

I know it's a little late now....but for what it's worth.

If you do not have any boats along side as a wind break/buffer, I would recommend bracing the midship lifeline stanchions on those sides. My C30 was shrinkwrapped and exposed to the wind with no buffer on the port side. The wind load on the shrink bent the two midship life lines on that side (actually broke the weld on the plate on one). I'll get some pictures...I went back and braced the slightly bent one to prevent further damage.

While that may be possible the more likely cause in Maine is snow load sucking the cover in and bending the stanchions. This is why the perimeter board and cross ties are used. Any snow load is transferred to the cross braces not the stanchions.

 

[Alchemist]

Your other option is to shrinkwrap to the toe rail and leave the stanchions / pulpits outside the wrapping. That would be a pain to do and leave multiple holes through the wrap.

I had the same stanchion bending problem with the earlier canvas winter cover on my boat, so I replaced it with a new one that runs from the boom to overlap the toe rail. Having the cover not go over the stanchions also improves the slope of the "roof" to more easily shed the snow.

With my C-30, I didn't cover the entire boat for the winter. I just covered teh companopnway and the main hatch. six years later when I bought a new C-320, I had a cover made as described above. Worked beautifully for 5 years (until I sold the boat, and has worked beautifully for the next owner since), and this is the second winter on te new cover on my C-380 that replaced the previous stanchion bending cover (purchased by the PO).

I wouldn't put anything over the stanchions for the winter without adding something to prevent them bending in.

Steve
Alchemist C-30T #4764
Alchemist C-320 #909
Alchemist C-380T #71