Spent the last two days getting things set up to cover Verboten for the winter.
First, I added a mast crutch that goes in the mast tabernacle. Pretty amazing what a difference that makes and I shouldn't have any more issues with it bowing under the weight of any snow we get. I might make a shorter one for when we're on the road so it doesn't bounce.
Next, I decided to replace the PVC frame I've used for the last 6 years. It does ok with the rain but it was a problem with the snow last winter and I was always hitting my head on it when I was trying to do something with the tarp on. I bought a bunch of 1x4's and some aluminum flashing at Home Despot. Two boards are connected end-to-end with a strip of the flashing, which lays across the mast; the boards are long enough to reach from the mast to the lifeline on each side. I beveled the ends of the boards to protect the tarp and cut grooves in the bottom so they "lock" into the lifelines. There are 6 sets from the stern to the pulpit.
The new tarp is 33' x 25'. It's maybe finished just a bit smaller. It's perfect fit lengthwise, since it covers both ends of the mast. It's also wide enough that I was able to pretty much close up the aft end of the cockpit, something I've never been able to do in the past. Unfortunately that means it's dragging on the ground at the front, so I got out the scissors and cut a section out of each front corner. Tarp clips replace the grommets.
The final thing I did, since the new tarp covers the normal spot where I mount my solar panel, was to mount the panel on the fence behind the boat. It took a while to come up with a workable solution but I think this will be enough to keep the battery from going flat over the winter. At least once the trees lose their leaves it should have better coverage.
It will be interesting to see how this setup does. In the past I've had the ends of the tarp open and the solar panel bungied onto the wooden mast crutch in the cockpit. When the wind comes up from the south, as it often does in the winter, the tarp would balloon out some but the wind just went on through (generally leaving leaves in the cockpit). I'm hoping this setup will keep the wind and leaves out without holding so much moisture things get moldy. Which reminds me I need to get some DampRid for the boat and the travel trailer.
First, I added a mast crutch that goes in the mast tabernacle. Pretty amazing what a difference that makes and I shouldn't have any more issues with it bowing under the weight of any snow we get. I might make a shorter one for when we're on the road so it doesn't bounce.
Next, I decided to replace the PVC frame I've used for the last 6 years. It does ok with the rain but it was a problem with the snow last winter and I was always hitting my head on it when I was trying to do something with the tarp on. I bought a bunch of 1x4's and some aluminum flashing at Home Despot. Two boards are connected end-to-end with a strip of the flashing, which lays across the mast; the boards are long enough to reach from the mast to the lifeline on each side. I beveled the ends of the boards to protect the tarp and cut grooves in the bottom so they "lock" into the lifelines. There are 6 sets from the stern to the pulpit.
The new tarp is 33' x 25'. It's maybe finished just a bit smaller. It's perfect fit lengthwise, since it covers both ends of the mast. It's also wide enough that I was able to pretty much close up the aft end of the cockpit, something I've never been able to do in the past. Unfortunately that means it's dragging on the ground at the front, so I got out the scissors and cut a section out of each front corner. Tarp clips replace the grommets.
The final thing I did, since the new tarp covers the normal spot where I mount my solar panel, was to mount the panel on the fence behind the boat. It took a while to come up with a workable solution but I think this will be enough to keep the battery from going flat over the winter. At least once the trees lose their leaves it should have better coverage.
It will be interesting to see how this setup does. In the past I've had the ends of the tarp open and the solar panel bungied onto the wooden mast crutch in the cockpit. When the wind comes up from the south, as it often does in the winter, the tarp would balloon out some but the wind just went on through (generally leaving leaves in the cockpit). I'm hoping this setup will keep the wind and leaves out without holding so much moisture things get moldy. Which reminds me I need to get some DampRid for the boat and the travel trailer.