Winter covering for H26

[Fred]

This will be the first winter that I will be preparing my H26 for outside storage. I am located in a northern area where we get significant amounts of snow. The PO left the mast up and simply covered the companionway area and front hatch area with small tarps and let snow collect in the cockpit area. I would prefer better protection from the elements and would be interested in how others accomplish this. Just draping a tarp over the unstepped mast doesn't seem like it would sufficiently shed snow especially with interference of the lifeline stanchions.

 

[Ian McGain]

The first thing to remember is not to cover your stantions with a tarp. The first time I did this I lost four stantions to a snow load. If you have a perforated toe rail, look at the owner modifications on this site for older Hunter 30's. I have posted an affordable cover made from greenhouse film that has lasted many years.
Good luck
Ian
s/v Meant to Be

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Be careful if using your mast which to put a cover over. If so, highly suggest that you put supports over and make darn sure you have the tarp tied around the hull so not to let snow, ice or any water puddle. Actually, I do not suggest the mast at all as the cost of replacement should you bend the mast as a result is very costly.

 

[njlarry]

Ian, can you provide a link?
I keep getting "no matches found" on searching Hunter owner modifications.
Thanks.

 

[twodzusfittings]

I made an A frame end attached to a wooden U channel. The wooden U channel was attached to the boom upside down with straps. A tarp was hung over the entire boom and extension, covering the cockpit area. Using bungees I stretched the tarp over the life line and attached it to the perforated rail. The tarp is the silver version and heavy duty. It has a very slippery surface and any snow fall sheds right into the water.

 

[caverun]

I followed the write up that Clarence Casper did for his H26 on my H240:
http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/in...mid=267&cat_id=15&aid=7510&page=article&mn=26

Before I started I emailed him, and he has made some modifications: use 1" PVC pipe, and mount the frame at the base of the stanchions. Key is to get the mast horizontal, up off the bow pulpit. Clarence sent me a link to some new photos that better show the new design- I hope he doesn't mind me passing this along:
https://plus.google.com/photos/1183...9527708065?banner=pwa&authkey=CLiDtpz2qev7igE

 

[cephius (Dave)]

We get a bit of winter here in Minnesota. I lower the mast and place a crutch at the mid-point to support it. (The snow did bow it more that I liked before I started using the crutch.)

I cut up carpet into pads that I tape on top of the stantions. I buy a heavy tarp that is longer than the boat. I tie it as tight as possible to the trailer on the sides and lace the ends close to form a complete envelope.

Its got to be very tight to prevent the wind from tearing it apart or snow melt from pooling. While I do buy a good quality tarp, it is only good for a single season. This is still cheaper than inside storage fees.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Again, I will caution anyone from using the mast as support for a tarp. If you must, then I strongly recommend three additional supports equally placed under the mast so it will not bend and for tarp, tie it so it is taunt so water, rain, snow, ice, sleet, hail and so on will just slide off but also be cautious of the life lines and stanchions as well. If you bend the mast, the structural integrity is jeapordized. Remember it is made of aluminum, not steel.

 

[isaksp00]

On my 23, I built a PVC frame sort of like the one in caverun's posting, a series of seven "A frames" made from 1.5 inch PVC. I added a vertical piece of 1.5 in pipe using 45 degree elbows so the base of each A is above the height of the stanchions, and a 1.5 in ridge pole from bow to stern (actually, two poles as it is not straight). The idea was to have the angled sides of the A at a 45 deg angle. Holding down the bottom of the vertical legs was tough - I used 1.5 in Tees, and cut a slot in the horizontal segment of the T so it would more or less fit over the molded toe rail on the 23. Not as good as I'd like, but it works OK. I then stretch a very large canvas tarp (which is really heavy) over the frame, and as noted above, use ropes through the grommets to tie it around the trailer frame - like a drum skin. It was a pain to design and build, but has worked. Last winter was really bad in NE Pennsylvania and some of the frames cracked, so this is not a perfect design. It is less costly that the $200 or $250 charged each year for shrink wrapping.

 

[Fred]

I decided to use the mast as the main "ridgeline" support for the winter covering. I built a support that rests on the bow pulpit to raise the mast about 16 inches. This makes the mast horizontal when supported by the production mast crutch at the stern. Additionally I build a support that rests on the mast step and one that supports the mast just aft of the companion way. This way the mast is supported every 8 ft which appears to be sufficient.

The covering tarp was modified with slits so that it does not rest on the lifelines and stanchions. This seems to give a good pitch to allow the snow to slide off.

I will check this arrangement after the first significant snowfall.

 

[John23883]

Buy a snow-load approved canopy.

Here's my solution after I lost my free indoor storage.

 

[Fred]

Very neat solution. I wish I had the space for that. Why did you make it so high?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Fred;

I like John's solution. Why so high, probably to get above the spreaders leaving the mast so high. Folks, never use the mast when covering a boat because the weight or snow, ice or water will bend it thus a new mast is going to have to be purchased. I do not care if the mast is supported underneath. The higher the angle on the roof portion of the cover, more the better as it will deflect everything off like the houses with high pitch roofs up north where there is abundance of snow.

 

[isaksp00]

I like that too, except it is not too feasible if you use a yard to store your boat. My PVC frame that mounts over the boat is sort of like that, except its legs are on the toerail. The "roof" angle is 45 degrees - I measured the A-frame "rafters" so it would be that angle. The mast plays no role in supporting the canvas.

 

[Fred]

I agree with Dave that it is not ideal to use the mast as a support however I have gotten away with this approach for many years (CL16 & Venture 25). One year I forgot to support the mast in the middle on my CL16 and the mast looked severely bent after the first snow fall. Very stressful! Fortunately it did no permanent damage. Many boats in our club appear to use this strategy.

The lack of a toe rail on the H26 makes it difficult to build an alternate structure.

One concern I would have with John's installation would be the snow accumulation on the house side of his structure. These temporary snow structures are designed to allow snow to shed off the roof to both sides. I have seen some collapse before due to snow accumulation.

Moving south may be the best solution of them all!

 

[John23883]

Had to be that high

I had to put the boat in by making a 90 degree turn which also required removing the mast center support and with a rope hanging the mast from the cradle until the mast is on the cabin top. That makes the mast 9 ft 6 in high and the legs of the canopy are 10 ft, allowing the mast to swing under the horizontal pipes. To swing the boat in, the boat is turned until the mast is right up to the first leg, the leg is removed and the boat is turned and backed and the leg is replaced, then swung and backed until the mast is up to the second leg, then the second leg is removed, then boat swung and the second leg is replaced. Then the third leg and then push straight back the last 10 feet.

The first thing I ordered for the new truck we bought in October was a front hitch!! There was no way I was backing it in attached to the rear hitch.

And also: There's a 3 foot drop-off at the end of the driveway and a 2 foot drop-off on the concrete pad.

 

[Chris14830]

Wow, lots of replies, must be the season!
Here's mine for my H23:
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=1534&pictureid=10606

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=1534&pictureid=10605

I use a pressure treated 4x4 held up by the mast crutch, two sheets of 3/8 plywood on that, and a small 6x8 foot tarp over the hatch area. It has worked well for 25 years despite how scary it looks on the ramp!
-Chris

 

[isaksp00]

I built a frame of 1.5 inch PVC, over which I drape a big canvas tarp. A few shots of what the frame looks like here.