Do you tarp? How?

[Jimmyt]

It's 48 deg f now, headed for 63 deg f high today. Sun is shining. Not much wind forecast, and I've got to paint the porch and do some power washing. What is this "snow" stuff you keep talking about?

If we tarp here, we have to take similar precautions, due to the fact that we might get 10" of rain in an hour or two. We all have our cross to bear I guess...

[Tomfoolery]

I just use a 2x3 rib cage. Goes together very quickly, as I marked the ends of the ribs and the backbone with numbers (S and P, 1-4), and a single drywall screw at each end. The 2x3's on the lifeline stanchions sit in shallow holes so they don't move. The 'backbone' (can't really see it) starts at the bottom of the masthead (steaming) light. A simple twin 2x4 mast strut keeps the mast from sagging, and is the same one I use for travel. Lifelines are slacked so snow and water runs off. I don't usually have to snow rake the tarp, but sometimes if it's wet and builds up a bit, I'll rake it off.

I'm on the first set of tarps I bought at HF (silver) and cheap rope from the BORG. Small one at the bow, and larger one for the rest, overlapped of course.

[Russ]

For the past 7 years I have used this system of PVC pipe and 20x30 tarp. The tarp lasts a few years, maybe longer if I pad sharp points with carpet to prevent it from poking or rubbing through.
I wrap the stanchions with a paper towel and used duct tape to secure the poles. Duct tape is great for attaching the poles. Simple 1/2" x 10' PVC for $1 each. Then I get a roll of cord and lace the tarp under the trailer. This allows enough flex and keeps it very secure.

With that said, this year we had a bad wind storm (60+MPH) and I forgot to go check on the boat. That much wind loosens the PVC polls and it did. The wood 2/4 I use to support the mast in the center has also come out.
Then we got a lot of snow and thaw. When I finally got down to checking on the boat it had created pockets of ice on top and my mast was bent down to the deck. Hammering away at the ice, the mast popped back up and the cover was still intact. Well, not really, I had to cut the cover off to get some of the ice that was hundreds of pounds. So now, the boat is naked.

Normally the snow load is fine, my problem was the arches we compromised (were laying down) and allowed melt to pool.

[Russ]

Normally, the PVC supports the snow well and allows it to shed.

[Bobglas]

I made an "A" frame that I put at the back of the cockpit that holds the mast up about 5 feet from the coaming. I use this when its at home in the summer to avoid ducking so much when prepping the boat for upcoming sails. In the winter I have it supporting the mast along w/ a crutch amidship and a 30x20 silver tarp. The added height sheds most snow as long as the tarp is snugged by lacing to the trailer. Lots of foam and tennis balls at pointy spots. Third year, so far so good. (bought the tarp thru Amazon around $100 free shipping)

[BOAT]

Yeah I guess when I'm older and can no longer sail I would enjoy listening living in a cabin out in the woods with snow and sit by the fire all day - nothing wrong with living the life - but as long as my legs are working I get the "hitch itch" if I stay in one place for more than just a few days. So California weather is cheaper for me if you calculate days outside vs days inside so for now I think I'm better off here.

[topcat0399]

This year due to procrastination we finally tarped in early Jan at 0F and 15 mph wind.
Got lucky with a 32 degree day that gave me one last chance to scrap the boat clean from ice and snow..
Tarp is shot need a new one again.

We all live our own little tarp hells....

The best advice I could ever offer is to do what you can to prevent the tarp from having a chance to inflate in high wind.
I have taken to using a piece of clothes hanger as a needle, poking holes with an awl, and sewing the tarp closed with twine
in the shape of the bow from top to bottom. The trailer points to prevailing weather so it has helped prevent arriving home
or awakening to torn out grommets and crazily wrapped destroyed tarpage.

[Russ]

The best advice I could ever offer is to do what you can to prevent the tarp from having a chance to inflate in high wind.

Agreed.

I close up my tarp pretty tight and the boat is pointed into the prevailing winds. However one windstorm from the West is probably what did mine in. Blew into the only hole and pulled the PVC supports down.

[Neo]

Then we got a lot of snow and thaw. When I finally got down to checking on the boat it had created pockets of ice on top and my mast was bent down to the deck.

Hi Russ.... Are you serious ... Did your Mast really recover from this amount of bending

All the best.
Neo

[Russ]

Then we got a lot of snow and thaw. When I finally got down to checking on the boat it had created pockets of ice on top and my mast was bent down to the deck.

Hi Russ.... Are you serious ... Did your Mast really recover from this amount of bending

All the best.
Neo

I saw it and thought, "Gotta go buy a new mast." I was so sick I didn't even take photos (wish I did). The mast was pointing UP from the mast crutch in the aft and still pinned in the pulpit in a giant U shape.

Getting under the cover was hard. Ice and snow wouldn't let me open the main hatch. The mast was bent and touching the deck with hundreds of pounds of ice pulling it down.
After cutting the cover away and dumping the ice, the mast sprung back to "normal". I was so relieved.

So yes, these things bend....and come back.

[Neo]

Getting under the cover was hard. Ice and snow wouldn't let me open the main hatch. The mast was bent and touching the deck with hundreds of pounds of ice pulling it down.
After cutting the cover away and dumping the ice, the mast sprung back to "normal". I was so relieved.
So yes, these things bend....and come back.

That is AMAZING!!

[Chinook]

We live in snow country, so a winter cover for the boat was important. I started out with the supposed heavy duty tarps in the hardware stores, and they were shot after a season. I ended up getting a heavy duty tarp from a company which fabricates what they call "hay tarps", designed to cover large stacks of hay bales. Mine is 20x40, and white in color. Very heavy duty, and UV resistant. Heavy duty grommets. I've used it for 10 winters now. Haven't had one grommet pull out, and the tarp still looks to have a lot of life left in it. I made a framework out of 1 1/4" PVC pipe, which supports the tarp. It goes together like a pole barn, with 45's to make a peaked roof. I glued some fittings together, but left others dry, using drilled holes and nails to hold the dry joints together. That way I can take the thing apart and easily store it. I only use this tarp over the winter, since it's too much work to uncover the boat during boating season otherwise. In summer I use a lighter tarp simply tossed over the lowered mast. I sewed a couple of old stretched out sails together to make a passable summer cover. The haytarp cost me about $300 when I first bought it. I figure I'm way ahead now, compared with the "heavy duty" hardware store varieties.

[yukonbob]

This is what we do. It had just snowed a few inches but this morning all that snow had sloughed off without any help from me. Although most time I still hop into the cockpit and knw it off from teh underside which has tons of room. This set-up also allows more room to get the boat out in the spring as when we put in there's still lots of snow on the ground. Also out it up on stands just enough to take the pressure off the springs and tires.

[Neo]

That Tarp you have is just the right size ... Could you please tell me the dimensions?

[yukonbob]

I want to say 30x16 or 30x12 cant remember