Tarping an H23

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Joel

Well, I denied it long enough. It's that time of year up here to put the tarp on the H23 for the winter. I don't want to get into a discussion of whether to tarp or shrinkwrap since at least for this year, I will be tarping. My questions is how the rest of you who tarp an H23 do it. Every year, I've tried it a little differently and I still end up with snow finding a way to pool in one spot. This means I always end up going back out brushing the snow off the tarp where it's not "just sliding" off. The biggest problem I seem to have is with the stantions. Since they are bolted to the deck, I either have to bunch the tarp around them (which makes for more pooling spots) or I need to cutthe tarp to fit around them, which makes for a nicer fit but I end up only getting a year out of the tarp. How do the rest of you H23 owners deal with the stantions? Do you remove them (I don't think it's a good idea)? Last year, I ended up building a spine with ribs every few feet out of PVC pipe and that seemed to work the best so far. I still ended up with a snow pool up on the foredeck but I may just need to have more ribs up there.
 
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Chuck

My slution to H23 Tarp

Joel, I too have gone through the gamut of tarping solutions. The solution that seems to work for me now is the following: 1) I start with several PVC frames; the catch here is that I remove the safety lines and attach a frame to the top of each stanction by adding a solt (in the PVC) and wiring it to the stanction with galvanized wire. 2) I use a very large oversize tarp then when I put it over the boat and frames, I mat the tarp down to the deck where the stanctions are absent. This gives a downward flow to any water or snow. This is not perfect but is has been sucessful at keeping any water out of the boat. I'd say I might need to wipe snow off once or twice during the season. Good luck, Let us know how you did.. Chuck S/V Windsongs H23
 
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Joel

Trying a new approach

Chuck, Thanks for your reply. I'm trying a variation of your approach this year. I'll post my results after the first snow storm. I detached the lifelines from each end but did not remove them completely from the two stantions on the sides of the boat. I couldn't see an easy way of completely removing the lines without cutting them. Both the fore and aft ends have toggles on them which appear to have been added AFTER the lines were run through the stantions. I added a few more pieces of PVC which are tied to the top of the stantions and then slant upwards to the PVC spine. These new pieces are mated to the PVC coming from the opposite stantion across the beam of the boat. I was a little concerned about the weight of the snow on the tarp pushing downward on these new PVC pipes and thus pushing the stantions outward possibly causing stress on the mounting on the deck. To counteract this, I stretched some plastic coated wire clothesline across the deck basically tieing the two stantions together. Hopefully, this will keep them from spreading apart too much. We'll see how this all works during the winter. Joel
 
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Kevin

Inspecting your Tarp

With or without tarps, it is prudent (check with your insurer) to check your H23 at 2 week intervals for snow or ice accumulation, or more frequently after heavy snow falls. This year I am cutting the tarp around the stanchions and keeping the tarp off the life lines. If this doesn't work, then I will add PVC as suggested in response to the original post.
 
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Bill Krause

PVC

pipe is the way to go. Just make sure you have the arc of the bent over pvc high enough and it will because of the high angle let the snow slide right off. The only problem I have had is freezing rain or sleet that sticks to the tarp and then snow accumulates. Also, some times I do have to knock off the snow if it starts out wet and stickey
 
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Tom

Tarp alone

I've tried wood and PVC frames, etc. and now use just a tarp on my H260. I disconnect he life lines fore and aft and feed them through stancions so they are lying on deck. Blue tarp is lays over mast and large round holes (6 to 8 inches dia.)are cut in tarp to allow it to go over stancions and lifelines to deck level. This provides enough angle to allow snow to slide off and doesn't trap water. I usually get a least 3 years out of a tarp, but it depends on how windy it gets. Mark the front of the tarp to make it easier to get on the same way next year. Fair winds, Tom
 
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Gerard

Question for Tom

Hi Tom- I'm storing outside for the first time this year and built a very elaborate, very pretty PVC frame that I think will hold my tarp off the deck...and allow it to get blown to bits! Your idea sounds great. Do you use a blue tarp (the thin ones). I couldn't find a canvas tarp big enough. Thanks... Gerard
 
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Tom

Blue tarp...

Hi Gerard, Yes, I use a blue tarp from the HW store. A 30x20 (or so) from HomeDepot works well for my H260. I found the frame to be too much effort to setup and take down every year, and you have to store all the pieces and remember how it all goes back together. Fair winds, Tom
 
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mike

mast tent

I don't bother to cover the stanchions with the tarp so I don't have to worry about collecting snow. Just cover the mast with a long narrow tarp and pull it down tight to the base of the stanchions. No worries mate.
 
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Donald Njaa

Support for tarp

We take pieces of wood and tie them to the safety lines and put a piece of wood somewhat raised over the mast. Then about every two feet we put cross pieces stapled together with carpet pieces. These are also stapled to the boards tied to the safety lines. Then we place a 30 by 20 heavy duty tarp tied down with lines running through the gromets and then bungied to the trailor. It works great and the snow falls off. There is snow in Maine.
 
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Bob Inkrot

Tarping a h23

I recently saw a tarped boat that took tennis balls, cut an X in the bottom, and slipped them over the tops of all the stantions. Looked like it was working, might be worth a try.
 
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