Cold winter outside storage

[zich6]

Here in North Idaho where we get many feet of snow annually I'm going to store my 22i outside under a cover. The question is has anyone successfully used an electric heater under the cover to melt snow, without harming the cover or boat. I bought a 1' x 10' rubber roof line electric heater designed to melt snow. It's 3.3 amps 400 watts. But I'm thinking an electric space heater of some kind would be good too.


Thanks.

[freeheel4life]

Hopefully bsreid, bcrider and some of the other Canadians chime in. My .02 is at least run an over the tower tarp to help shed snow, or make sure your cover is tented very well. Snow gets heavy and weighs down the cover, then you have to get out and start clearing snow from the cover(I use a push broom and pull the snow off the cover).
We do a lot of shrinkwrapping. Its not cheap but when done right it sheds snow on its own and as long as the boats dry when you shrink it the boat comes out perfect in the spring.

[bsreid]

I wouldn't leave my boat outside with the boat cover in the snow. Your cover is gonna rip from the weight and your boat will be soaked. I would do one of three options, find indoor storage, shrink wrap, or roof shelter like shelter logic.

Edit. We just get rain over here on the west coast, really only a couple snow falls a year so I'm not much help. I do know we can't keep anything outside without it getting soaked and moldy.

[RNH3]

shrink wrap or indoor - only way around it - I live in New England and have done both - if shrink wrap - put some dry sponges hanging from the shrink wrap frame with a bucket underneath it - with the sun - you will get condensation - the sponge soaks it up and then drips into the bucket,

[gumby]

I think if it was me. I wouldn't do a heater just to unreliable. I would shrink wrap. If I couldn't afford or find someone who dose it. (what ever your reason) I would try to make something from 2x4 and a tarp. Using the tower to build a slide so the snow would slide off easy. It would have to be strong 3 1/2 inch way not 1 1/2 way. You could accomplish this by doing something like this.
STEP
1 drill a 2 3/4 hole at the end of a 2x4 (Example size) drill hole size 1/8 bigger than your tower tube size.
2 Cut through the hole half way with a saw. now you have 2 half circles. one small one... one on lets say on a 10 foot 2x4
3 Pre drill the small pice run a long screw to put it back together. ( or use pocket holes what I prefer )
4 place 3 or 4 around the tower use the d Rings to hold them in place and your transom grab bar
5 now do same to the front you could land on a 2x4 or drill your holes on an angle to land together on the nose of the boat
6 use the front d ring to hold them in place.
7 tarp as tight as you can get it

Now I have said all that but have never tried it. I live in the south we don't get much snow. It works in my mind. You could reuse it Every year. I hope I explained it well enough how to make the 2x4. You can kinda get an idea by this jig when I built my tower. There are more pics on My Profile.
IMG_0992.jpg

[KoolAid]

I wanna go hang out at Gumbys metals shop.

[gumby]

Oh...... I wish it was my shop. It is a buddy. He obviously has way more room than my garage and a way better TIG welder.

[MikeB313]

If it's outdoor, shrink wrap it. Heavy snow will cave in your cover and ruin it. Shrink wrap is cheaper than a new cover.

[zich6]

Thanks. What would you charge to shrink wrap a 22i?

[zich6]

Thanks all. Curious that no one recommends a heater of some kind. I didn't anticipate that.

[BCRider]

Hey, just because we are Canadians doesn't mean we are trenching 6' tunnels to our houses over here ok! lol. As Bsreid said, we get a $h!t ton of rain on the west coast....not a lot of snow or even sustained cold for that matter. Heck, I'm going out on the boat later today while I see a lot of people on here & FB talking about winterizing already.

I'd also suggest looking to new a shelter or even a metal style one as they are pretty reasonably priced. If you are winterized properly you should be fine. I know some people even talk about just leaving a trouble light down by the engine. You don't have to keep the boat warm....just above freezing.

I'm no help though. My boat goes over to my friends house next door and lives in his shop for the winter. Next spring I got plans to rip off the current triple car garage I have and build it taller/deeper so my boat can go in. I'll then be installing a 10'x20' door. My boat just lives in the driveway during the boating season currently.

[freeheel4life]

shrink wrap or indoor - only way around it - I live in New England and have done both - if shrink wrap - put some dry sponges hanging from the shrink wrap frame with a bucket underneath it - with the sun - you will get condensation - the sponge soaks it up and then drips into the bucket,

We hang lavender scented dessicant bags in the boat. They soak up all the water and the boat smells oh so good when you cut the shrink off.

[JohnnieMo]

I also highly recommend an impervious cover that goes up over the tower. I was cheap and decided I didn't want to shrink wrap, so I got a large tarp and it is myself. I just put a board from the transom up to the tower. The front was tight enough on it's own. Below the run rail I put a rope. There ended up being enough "flapping" for air circulation, and the snow would fall right off. I also sprayed some sections with Teflon spray to make it extra slippery.

boat cover.jpg

Don't use a heater. The snow will slide off anyways, and the heater just adds a fire risk.

[gumby]

johnnieMo that is exactly what I thought it would look like just thought the 2x4 would help with sagging. Guess they might not be needed.The polly plastic is a great idea, and it is cheep.

[freeheel4life]

Thanks. What would you charge to shrink wrap a 22i?

We are 14.40 per foot this year, just as an idea. I know some shops charge up around 18-20/ft. Not sure who shrinks up there, but Im sure Hagedone does. Maybe Tobler as well. Olingers might but I have beef with those guys so I personally woulndt recommend them even if they were the cheapest shrink in town, but thats just me.

My main argument for not running a heater is unless you have a VERY waterproof cover you will just be melting the snow through your cover and your boat is going to be VERY wet all winter, and as others have said the snow really weighs on covers and starts tearing them.