Winter storage

[gamriebay]

This is my first winter with my Mac 26X. I am storing it outdoors in Atlantic Canada and we tend to have moderate amounts of snow. What I propose doing is to cover the sliding hatch with a small tarpaulin and keep the boat cleared of snow after each snow fall. The outboard has been winterized. Is there anything else I should do?
Jim

[James V]

It really depends on how much work you want to do in the spring. Check out west Marine web site and get the winterizing checklist and go from there.

This may take a full weekend to complete but you will be ready to put the boat in the water at the start of the season without much work.

[Night Sailor]

I'd advise removing the sails and storing them inside.
IF you have a furler, be sure the furler is as straight as possible and tied securely to the mast so the foil doesn't develop bends.

[March]

You might want to buy a larger tarp and cover everything--keep the UV exposure to the minimum. With a propped mast, a 30X10 tarp would fold neatly like a tent and it can be attached easily to the trailer. You wouldn't have to worry much about brushing off the snow either.
I got such a tarp from Menards for less than $30 and this is the third winter it has serviced me well--reinforced with some duct tape where it rubs afainst metal parts

[eric3a]

..

[gamriebay]

Well, moving south would be my best bet.Unfortunately, I can't.
I did try a 30x15 tarp. Problem with the tarp up here is that the weather can fluctuate so much in winter with conditions going from rain to freezing and back to mild again in a matter of days. Rain tended to pool as the tarp sagged. The collected rain froze and made the tarp sag even more. I was afraid that the accumulated weight would eventually bend the stanchions. As well wind makes the tarp flap a lot. I tried weighting the tarp with old tires and also covering the tarp with a net and tightening. This worked for the noise but the rain build-up was still there.
I think that next winter, as I can't move south, much as I would like to, I will try and locate inside storage.

[James V]

Please do a search. As I recall somebody made some PVC and put it underthe tarp to make to like a bail (covered wagon style) and reported that it worked well.

If all else fails you could raise the mast up a few feet at the bow and that should do it.

[Shane]

Please do a search. As I recall somebody made some PVC and put it underthe tarp to make to like a bail (covered wagon style) and reported that it worked well.

If all else fails you could raise the mast up a few feet at the bow and that should do it.

That's the route I went (covered wagon) and it is working just fine. Rain is no issue, and we've had a good bout of rain/wind (40-60 mph) here over the last month and it's doing well. Snow has to be knocked free though, or it will collapse the PVC. We get real wet & heavy stuff here and you could see the load of only a couple inches effecting the PVC. The kids loved climbing aboard to take care of it.... unlike shovelling the driveway

[captin5317]

Sounds like you have a winter like I do. I can get anywhere from 6" to 3' feet of snow over night. I too have just covered the hatch and forward with what I call runner's, 5 x 8 foot tarps. Snow is a hugh issue. PVC or Gray (electrical) wont cut it. 1,2, or 3 feet of snow will collapse any pvc and plastic you have over your boat. So far a great coat of wax and constant clearing of the snow is all I can do. next year I will be buiding a 12' x 32' RV or my case Yacht Port, Metal roofed carport. IMPORTANT!!! last year I climbed on top to remove the snow, slipped on the ice, fell flat on the side of my head on the deck of the boat. Luckily I didnt fall to the pavement, long drop. layed there semi concious calling for my wife, couldnt move for about 5 mins. I was in pain for a week. Lesson learned!!!!! I now remove the snow with a soft push broom and a painters extension pole. I live in the Sierra Nevada near Tahoe. The snow is heavy and wet. Snow Loads of 80lbs. per sq ft required for our home. Good Luck and stay off the boat when covered with snow, that bottom inch is ICE!! <SMILE>
Bruce

[gamriebay]

Sage advice, I have already found from past experience that a wet deck is a difficult place to tread unless wearing proper deck shoes. Ice and snow would only compound the problem. I have a fairly large push broom I can use. However, I decided to try and find one of these large floor squeegees that janitors use, I think that may do a good job of quickly removing snow.
Luckily we are having a mild spell, it hit +10degrees celcius today and it looks like this weather may be on the mild side for the next couple of weeks. The longer the snow stays away, the less I need to worry.

[beene]

There are very few areas in the world that get snow like Newfoundland gets. If I lived there, I would try to find a farmer with a barn that I could put the Mac into for the winter. I would be surprised if you couldn’t. Just go for a drive in the country and ask around, you’ll find a place for sure, and for just $100 $200 I would guess. I have seen what a snow storm does to NLFD first hand, 3”-3’ overnight….. try 30+ FEET!!!

I seriously doubt there is a contraption strong enough to just tarp over the boat for the winter in NLFD. Just put her away somewhere safe and try not to think about her till spring.

[gamriebay]

I have been looking around for some inside storage now that the weather is mild again. I have found a place that may be suitable for next year, when the owner levels off the entry. The current entry slope is too steep over a short distance and I am sure the trailer will bring up on the dip just before the entrance. he said that someone else had tried to bring a longer trailer into there, but the trailer dug into the ground. I don't want to risk it.
I checked the commercial storage places and was quoted Can$210 a month + tax, upwards for a 30 foot by 10 foot unit, too much for me.
I have lived in Newfoundland for almost 30 years, having grown up in the UK. Yes, the snowfalls can be huge, especially on the west coast. However, last year the west coast had the lowest snowfall on record with only 1/3 of normal accumulation. On the east where I live, we had no snow of consequence until the end of January. In fact, people were still playing golf until the third week in January and temperatures were hitting a balmy +16 celcius. Then the snow came and came and came, so much so that in February and March we ended up with more snow than we normally get for a whole winter.
The good thing about Newfoundland is that it is a big island, surrounded by water and there are lots of great sailing areas. The Mac 26 is ideal for here as you can be at a different sailing location every weekend if you wanted to. There are loads of old deserted communities on island and isolated bays. Couple that with the whales, dolphins and porpoises which you can scarcely go out out in a boat without seeing and it is what sailing is all about. You can even do an 'overseas trip' in less than 3 hours
each way sailing to the French owned islands of St Pierre and Miquelon.
This summer we plan on spending a week in Exploits Bay using the Lewisporte Yacht Club as our base, link below.
http://www.lewisporteyachtclub.ca/index.htm


Mod's edit: BB-code for URL - fc

[beene]

That all sounds quite wonderful.
I wish that all of that was a bit closer to me. I have often contemplated towing MV out to the Strait. I have family in both NS and PEI and would be able to sail between Tatamagouche and Charlottetown. Just not sure I want to tow her that far.

Ontario has thousands of lakes and bays, all within a short drive of each other. We do not have many of the things you spoke of, but that is what makes every place special. I was born in YYT and moved to YYZ area in ’73, and remember the whale tails-iceburgs-lots and lots of gulls-steep cliffs on the Atlantic etc, I will always miss it all.