Winter cover
Hi I have been covering my boats here in Quebec for 30 years now, Emotion in a custom 48 Gulfstar sailboat and I leave the mast up, I use the boom as a center support and put 2 X 4 tied to the top of each stanchion and to the boom. In front of the mast I use the spinaker pole and lay it on top of the forward stanchion and snap the inner end in the track , same height as the boom. I build a tent like structure between the boom/pole and the stanchions with the 2 X 4rs and use 1 X 3 , to tie all the beams together and create a support for the fabric, on the end of each 2 X 4 extending about a foot over the edge of the boat, i put a 1 X 3 flat and tie the fabric to it. I use mostly cheap screws and a good electric screwdriver and hand saw to cut the wood structure as I go. In the spring, unscrew everything and stack the wood, The fabric is made of waterproof poly-something, I cut it 2 in. oversize and take it to the shoe repair shop, the can fold and sew an edge back and install eyelets . Going around shrouds is the main problem, I support the boom with a rack and remove running backstays and raise the haylyards to the top leaving only a retreiving line along the mast.
