Can anyone provide some info about doing shrink wrap yourself? Every fall we on the average dish out $500 each to shrink. Was wondering if it is a difficult job for a group of our club members when equuipped with the right tools. comments
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Don't shrink wrap. Buy a monster tarp and build a PVC frame. Your materials will be reusable for years to come.My insurance company warned me that shrink wrap causes blisters. They must be right because when we pulled off the shrink wrap this spring we had mold and thousands of blisters where the moisture and condensation built up.
ventilate
Like Bud, I wouldn’t advise tightly shrink wrapping a boat over a full season. They do sell “passive” vent (louvres) accessories, intended to allow for ventilation - but they’re mostly ineffective. Tents, like Bud suggests, must also have open gables, or other means of adequate ventilation (easy to do). Gord May
Like Bud, I wouldn’t advise tightly shrink wrapping a boat over a full season. They do sell “passive” vent (louvres) accessories, intended to allow for ventilation - but they’re mostly ineffective. Tents, like Bud suggests, must also have open gables, or other means of adequate ventilation (easy to do). Gord May
The simple answer is yes, but
it all comes down to how much time you want to spend on this. You can put up a frame and tarp by yourself in a couple of hours the day after haulout. Or you can be dependent on getting a work team together, wait for a good weekend and spend the whole day, if not two, doing all the boats and waiting around for the wand. My club has been doing their own shrink wrap for a coupls of seasons and the number one reason people go back to a tarp is because it takes up too much time and it can take a couple of weeks before their boat is covered. Kevin
it all comes down to how much time you want to spend on this. You can put up a frame and tarp by yourself in a couple of hours the day after haulout. Or you can be dependent on getting a work team together, wait for a good weekend and spend the whole day, if not two, doing all the boats and waiting around for the wand. My club has been doing their own shrink wrap for a coupls of seasons and the number one reason people go back to a tarp is because it takes up too much time and it can take a couple of weeks before their boat is covered. Kevin
It doesn't get better than Shrink Wrap
After the initial investment in the heat gun I am able to shrink wrap my 34' boat for fifty bucks a year. Working by myself it takes about 5 hours. I've used tarps and had them damaged by wind and snow load. The boat is usually dirtier in the spring than it was when I put it away using tarps. Shrink wrap is cheaper, cleaner, stronger and you can recycle it. Adding ventilation is important. I usually add a zipper door to allow access during winter. You can buy 20' wide shrink wrap for about a buck a foot if you have access to wholesale suppliers like Kellogg in Conn.
After the initial investment in the heat gun I am able to shrink wrap my 34' boat for fifty bucks a year. Working by myself it takes about 5 hours. I've used tarps and had them damaged by wind and snow load. The boat is usually dirtier in the spring than it was when I put it away using tarps. Shrink wrap is cheaper, cleaner, stronger and you can recycle it. Adding ventilation is important. I usually add a zipper door to allow access during winter. You can buy 20' wide shrink wrap for about a buck a foot if you have access to wholesale suppliers like Kellogg in Conn.
Yes, but you still have all that waste...
...at the end of storage. A good tarp and a PVC frame are reuable every year. It is true that moisture builds up under the shrink wrap and can cause mold and blistering. I use 1" PVC that makes a great frame and an HD silversided tarp. Strong and very easy to put up and take down.
...at the end of storage. A good tarp and a PVC frame are reuable every year. It is true that moisture builds up under the shrink wrap and can cause mold and blistering. I use 1" PVC that makes a great frame and an HD silversided tarp. Strong and very easy to put up and take down.
PaulK
We use tarps. Compared to the cost of shrink-wrap, they paid for themselves and the framework after the second year. They're now seven years old, and it is time to replace one of the three we use. We'll use the worn-out one as a dropcloth for another two years before the shreds go to the compost heap (it's canvas). Waste not---want not.
We use tarps. Compared to the cost of shrink-wrap, they paid for themselves and the framework after the second year. They're now seven years old, and it is time to replace one of the three we use. We'll use the worn-out one as a dropcloth for another two years before the shreds go to the compost heap (it's canvas). Waste not---want not.
Heavy Duty Tarps
Had my share of tarps, but finally found a solution with the heavy-duty tarps, a heavy-duty green/black combo. The heavier tarps make all the difference in the world. The lighter blue tarps blew apart in a single season. I use three tarps, one coming up to the mast; the second wrapping from the mast to the arch; and the third wrapping covering from the arch to the stern. In three years, still using the same tarps. Far cheaper than shink-wrap, the heavy-duty tarps are well worth it. Paul
Had my share of tarps, but finally found a solution with the heavy-duty tarps, a heavy-duty green/black combo. The heavier tarps make all the difference in the world. The lighter blue tarps blew apart in a single season. I use three tarps, one coming up to the mast; the second wrapping from the mast to the arch; and the third wrapping covering from the arch to the stern. In three years, still using the same tarps. Far cheaper than shink-wrap, the heavy-duty tarps are well worth it. Paul
Extending shrink wrap
I hear people say if you cut it off carefully, you can tape and reuse the same wrap job several years. Haven't tried it myself.
I hear people say if you cut it off carefully, you can tape and reuse the same wrap job several years. Haven't tried it myself.
Pros and cons
I have used shrink wrap and a custom cut tarp. I agree that the shrink wrap is superior in many ways: It keeps all water off the boat, the boat is cleaner and there is no issue with UV damage to the deck, etc. That said I have used shrink wrap and while I liked it I had the devils own time installing it solo. Also if there is much of a wind it is a much harder job. However if you can come up with a gang of folks to help and you do in on a calm day it is a pretty easy thing to do and as you gain experience it gets easier. After struggling with shrink wrap for a couple of seasons alone I bought a custom cut duck (boat)canvas tarp for about $1,200 bucks. Not cheap but when I need to replace it (in about 10 years) the old tarp will make a pattern for the new one thus making the building of a new one quite a bit cheaper since most of the expense for the new one was fitting and measuring by the tarp maker. As I said if you can get a crew of folks to help out you can buy a case of beer, put on a pot of chili and on a nice autumn day git 'er done! Your call.
I have used shrink wrap and a custom cut tarp. I agree that the shrink wrap is superior in many ways: It keeps all water off the boat, the boat is cleaner and there is no issue with UV damage to the deck, etc. That said I have used shrink wrap and while I liked it I had the devils own time installing it solo. Also if there is much of a wind it is a much harder job. However if you can come up with a gang of folks to help and you do in on a calm day it is a pretty easy thing to do and as you gain experience it gets easier. After struggling with shrink wrap for a couple of seasons alone I bought a custom cut duck (boat)canvas tarp for about $1,200 bucks. Not cheap but when I need to replace it (in about 10 years) the old tarp will make a pattern for the new one thus making the building of a new one quite a bit cheaper since most of the expense for the new one was fitting and measuring by the tarp maker. As I said if you can get a crew of folks to help out you can buy a case of beer, put on a pot of chili and on a nice autumn day git 'er done! Your call.
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