How many people who live where there is winter weather store their boats inside ? If you store it outside what precautions do you take , Mike
winter storage
- Thread starter mmsailor
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Not much, really
My H23.5 spent the first 7 years in Vancouver where it is relatively mild. For the last 5 winters it has just sat outside on the trailer on my lake lot 60 miles north of Calgary. The temperature dips to -30F at times. I take the outboard home and put it in my attached but undeated garage where it probably doesn't go below 0F. I empty the boat except for cushions, fenders, docklines, life jackets, boat hook, whisker pole, etc. The jib comes off the furler and into the bag which either goes in the boat or in the house. I wrap and tape a plastic garbage bag around the furler drum. The mast stays up. The boom comes off with the main still flaked into it, and it goes into the boat. I leave the water ballast value open as the manual suggests. I have canvas (sunbrella) winch and companionway covers. That's about it other than to say I don't know how much longer I can put up with a 4 month sailing season. ...RickM...
My H23.5 spent the first 7 years in Vancouver where it is relatively mild. For the last 5 winters it has just sat outside on the trailer on my lake lot 60 miles north of Calgary. The temperature dips to -30F at times. I take the outboard home and put it in my attached but undeated garage where it probably doesn't go below 0F. I empty the boat except for cushions, fenders, docklines, life jackets, boat hook, whisker pole, etc. The jib comes off the furler and into the bag which either goes in the boat or in the house. I wrap and tape a plastic garbage bag around the furler drum. The mast stays up. The boom comes off with the main still flaked into it, and it goes into the boat. I leave the water ballast value open as the manual suggests. I have canvas (sunbrella) winch and companionway covers. That's about it other than to say I don't know how much longer I can put up with a 4 month sailing season. ...RickM...
4 month sailing
If I had a water ballast boat like the 23.5 it would see a little bit of Florida or some warm weather during the winter . I have kept our boat inside for the last 12 winters .It is a long drive to the storage facility and I have found a much closer outdoor storage so was woundering about the effects of being out. I did not know whether snow or ice might cause problems , thanks for the reply , Mike
If I had a water ballast boat like the 23.5 it would see a little bit of Florida or some warm weather during the winter . I have kept our boat inside for the last 12 winters .It is a long drive to the storage facility and I have found a much closer outdoor storage so was woundering about the effects of being out. I did not know whether snow or ice might cause problems , thanks for the reply , Mike
Much like Rick M
We do much as Rick M does. We have had an 18.5' trailerable for last two winters & will picking up our 23.5 in the next couple of weeks. I will store both boats the same way. I strip all soft goods & sails and store inside. Motor goes in basement. It has been flushed & run dry of gas. I use left over gas in the snowblower! Head does down in basement too. Battery is in corner of my study & I hook it up to the charger a couple of times during the winter. I store the boat itself outside next to my garage in the lee of the prevailing winds. I have a silver tarp over entire boat & throw a second worn blue tarp over it too to help protect silver tarp from UV degredation. I jack up the trailer & block to take weight off tires. I might remove tires this winter too & cover hubs with garbarge bags. I wrap the exposed ends of the mast in garbage bags too, wrapped with packing tape to protect lines. I think that's pretty much it.
We do much as Rick M does. We have had an 18.5' trailerable for last two winters & will picking up our 23.5 in the next couple of weeks. I will store both boats the same way. I strip all soft goods & sails and store inside. Motor goes in basement. It has been flushed & run dry of gas. I use left over gas in the snowblower! Head does down in basement too. Battery is in corner of my study & I hook it up to the charger a couple of times during the winter. I store the boat itself outside next to my garage in the lee of the prevailing winds. I have a silver tarp over entire boat & throw a second worn blue tarp over it too to help protect silver tarp from UV degredation. I jack up the trailer & block to take weight off tires. I might remove tires this winter too & cover hubs with garbarge bags. I wrap the exposed ends of the mast in garbage bags too, wrapped with packing tape to protect lines. I think that's pretty much it.
Boat Storage
We have a h23 and we store it in our shop. It just fits with the mast laid down one end touches the back wall and the other just clears the door. It makes it nice to work on during the winter. The only real problem is the dust and I just wash it come spring. We did store a 25 we had outside with a tarp over it. Things got damp but I put a heater out there and a dehumidifier thing with pellets. I prefer the shop but If I had to drive that far I would go for a good tarp. I took one of the silver tarps and made sure it was secure then took the grommits on the back and put spring clips to keep it held together and then when I wanted to go on to work on it just undo a couple of clips. Very easy to open and close up. Rob S/V Euphoria
We have a h23 and we store it in our shop. It just fits with the mast laid down one end touches the back wall and the other just clears the door. It makes it nice to work on during the winter. The only real problem is the dust and I just wash it come spring. We did store a 25 we had outside with a tarp over it. Things got damp but I put a heater out there and a dehumidifier thing with pellets. I prefer the shop but If I had to drive that far I would go for a good tarp. I took one of the silver tarps and made sure it was secure then took the grommits on the back and put spring clips to keep it held together and then when I wanted to go on to work on it just undo a couple of clips. Very easy to open and close up. Rob S/V Euphoria
Caution on outside storage near woods ~~~
I typically cover my sailboats well with a tarp in very good condition or a new tarp as described in the previous messages. I now have a Hunter 240 and previously a McGregor 22’. My only caution is that one winter the McGregor was the home for a field mouse or mice and they subsequently chewed some holes in the sails left onboard! I live in northern Minnesota and my property has pine and oak trees on it. I now remove all sails and fabric like material and spread some of the clothes dryer type softener sheets (smell quite strongly) inside the boat. Other folks have used Irish Spring soap cut into pieces spread throughout inside the cabin. I have had no problem since and the boats do not suffer any winter damage. Howard
I typically cover my sailboats well with a tarp in very good condition or a new tarp as described in the previous messages. I now have a Hunter 240 and previously a McGregor 22’. My only caution is that one winter the McGregor was the home for a field mouse or mice and they subsequently chewed some holes in the sails left onboard! I live in northern Minnesota and my property has pine and oak trees on it. I now remove all sails and fabric like material and spread some of the clothes dryer type softener sheets (smell quite strongly) inside the boat. Other folks have used Irish Spring soap cut into pieces spread throughout inside the cabin. I have had no problem since and the boats do not suffer any winter damage. Howard
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