Still far from perfect, my shrink wrapping is getting better. I'm getting better at the wrinkle free finish I need. I modified my torch which helped a lot and used up the last of the white material. My tutor and professional shrink wrapper says the blue material changes color slightly as you reach the temp where it shrinks allowing you a better chance to get a smooth wrinkle free job. Structurally, I'm there, it will hold up until June withstanding the worse Lake Superior snowfalls can dump on her. It's cost me $130 per year to do a 40 ft boat. At that rate , I think I have the best way to go for me and Panta Rhei. I've got more cost info herehttp://panta-rhei.weebly.com/whats-new-with-panta-rhei--crew
Unlike last year, I have the mast up and the boom on. I'm using the same sawhorse connection kit to support the aft end of the boom and extend support over the the cock pit. This also supports the middle of the bimini structure so I don't have to remove the structure. This is a bit controversial around the marina some think I should take the bimini structure down. I think it helps support a place where I could get a big snow load if it starts to sag. (I guess we will see when the first heavy wet snow comes) I included a photo of the structure from last year when the mast was down. The same 2x4 structure exists for 2014 holding up the aft end of the boom.
I need extend my messengers for the halyards so I can tie them off either forward or aft. My pro calls it four pointing the halyards. This year's arrangement is lacking and could cause some contact with the mast.
I am not going over the stanchions this year as two of them were bent last year due to my less than ideal design and several heavy wet snows that came early and melted between snow falls. This left several inches (about 10 in some places) of solid ice loading the structure. I also tied strapping across the boat from the top of each stanchion. Something you should never do because shrink wrap alone will tear or stretch before it bends a stanchion. I learned an important lesson last year. Don't think you are holding up snow. You are holding up ice. Water can pool in sags and freeze into solid ice, much heavier per square inch than snow.
Another lesson I learned was to use spray on contact adhesive in cold weather. Spraying some on the shrinkwrap will allow shrinkwrap tape higher initial tack in cold weather. It also allows you to reinforce with sheets of material vs many side by side strips of expensive heatshrink tape. You can see many blue pieces I used to reinforce places or where I stretched the sheet too thin.
This year's biggest improvement was the structure now using the boom and modifying the torch. You can now buy heat shrink guns for $220. Down from nearly $1000 two years ago but they still require expensive extensions for larger boats. I like my composite hockeystick extension. (very light) weight is important as you have it overhead often. I might modify it further for next year by jointing the burner nozzle with a 90 elbow directly to the flow control valve removing the heavy length of pipe.
A word of caution: be sure to keep the opening of the barrel combustion rink roughly the same size when you flatten it. I ground away some of the top and bottom corners. This is important as the combustion causes rapid expansion and you do not want a high velocity flame that will cut right through the shrinkwrap. I extended strapping from the mast forward the the bow plate. This did not leave enough slope at the bow. Snow will build up but should not cause any damage. Next year I will wrap around the bow pulpit to solve this problem.
You will also note that the boat is pitched slightly aft. all drains are aft on a O'day 39 with the exception of the anchor locker hatch cover. This I covered completely with shrinkwrap.
Unlike last year, I have the mast up and the boom on. I'm using the same sawhorse connection kit to support the aft end of the boom and extend support over the the cock pit. This also supports the middle of the bimini structure so I don't have to remove the structure. This is a bit controversial around the marina some think I should take the bimini structure down. I think it helps support a place where I could get a big snow load if it starts to sag. (I guess we will see when the first heavy wet snow comes) I included a photo of the structure from last year when the mast was down. The same 2x4 structure exists for 2014 holding up the aft end of the boom.
I need extend my messengers for the halyards so I can tie them off either forward or aft. My pro calls it four pointing the halyards. This year's arrangement is lacking and could cause some contact with the mast.
I am not going over the stanchions this year as two of them were bent last year due to my less than ideal design and several heavy wet snows that came early and melted between snow falls. This left several inches (about 10 in some places) of solid ice loading the structure. I also tied strapping across the boat from the top of each stanchion. Something you should never do because shrink wrap alone will tear or stretch before it bends a stanchion. I learned an important lesson last year. Don't think you are holding up snow. You are holding up ice. Water can pool in sags and freeze into solid ice, much heavier per square inch than snow.
Another lesson I learned was to use spray on contact adhesive in cold weather. Spraying some on the shrinkwrap will allow shrinkwrap tape higher initial tack in cold weather. It also allows you to reinforce with sheets of material vs many side by side strips of expensive heatshrink tape. You can see many blue pieces I used to reinforce places or where I stretched the sheet too thin.
This year's biggest improvement was the structure now using the boom and modifying the torch. You can now buy heat shrink guns for $220. Down from nearly $1000 two years ago but they still require expensive extensions for larger boats. I like my composite hockeystick extension. (very light) weight is important as you have it overhead often. I might modify it further for next year by jointing the burner nozzle with a 90 elbow directly to the flow control valve removing the heavy length of pipe.
A word of caution: be sure to keep the opening of the barrel combustion rink roughly the same size when you flatten it. I ground away some of the top and bottom corners. This is important as the combustion causes rapid expansion and you do not want a high velocity flame that will cut right through the shrinkwrap. I extended strapping from the mast forward the the bow plate. This did not leave enough slope at the bow. Snow will build up but should not cause any damage. Next year I will wrap around the bow pulpit to solve this problem.
You will also note that the boat is pitched slightly aft. all drains are aft on a O'day 39 with the exception of the anchor locker hatch cover. This I covered completely with shrinkwrap.
From our cabin top to the peak of the cover bow I have over 8'...
