Should I put a cover over my fibreglass boat?

[fender22]

I have a very tall glass boat, and have no way of storing it under cover. I bought a full cover for it which works great but was just in there before and boy it's hot and sticky in there! I would hate to leave the boat in the sun as the gelcoat is so good but wondering if I'm doing the right thing covering it re rot. Not so much worried about the cosmetic timber bits topside but wondering if it would aid rot underneath? The cover is over the boat but air can get in as it's open at the back where it covers the motor but I wouldn't say there's a great flow of fresh air?
I guess moored glass boats are exposed to the elements 24/7?

[Vitamin Sea]

I have a very tall glass boat, and have no way of storing it under cover. I bought a full cover for it which works great but was just in there before and boy it's hot and sticky in there! I would hate to leave the boat in the sun as the gelcoat is so good but wondering if I'm doing the right thing covering it re rot. Not so much worried about the cosmetic timber bits topside but wondering if it would aid rot underneath? The cover is over the boat but air can get in as it's open at the back where it covers the motor but I wouldn't say there's a great flow of fresh air?
I guess moored glass boats are exposed to the elements 24/7?

Fender, I think any cover is a good cover.

I to just tarp the boat down, don't have a carport / garage that it can fit into, all I do is dry it out for a couple of days, then tarp it.

left completley uncovered all the time, the boat will look like crap in no time

Cheers

[sik008]

the fiberglass will change colour to a yellowish tinge when left in the elements! in only a short time. i would tarp it if i was you because if you dont the boat will start to look like crap!!!

[PeterInSA]

Fender,
I had my boat under tarp for about 6 years, what I noticed was that the wind action on the tarp sanded down the Fibreglass edges, similar to using very fine sand paper. I ended up putting soft cloth around the edges. if your boat is not in a winding location this may not be a problem.

[bustastu]

Any cover is better than none. Just leave it uncovered in the sun for a day or two after a trip so it dry's out then wack the cover on it. The occassional polish every six months or so and it will look as good as ever.

[SgBFish]

Fender.

Buy yourself the cheapest pack of disposable nappies you can. Once the boat has dried and you tarp it turn one inside out and throw it under the tarp or in areas that attract moisture.

They are amazingly absorbent and should keep the condensation down.

Scott

[Blackened]

G'day

Do NOT tarp it, will retain heat and mark the buggery out of the gel coat.

Best thing to do is get some breathable UV stable fabric custom made to fit. Canopy material should be fine. Treat it with a quality water repellent.

Dave

[Roughasguts]

How about rigging up some sails made from shade cloth. It would cost bugger all breath and not touch your boat. Plus probably look a hell of a lot better, than a crappy tarp flapping around.

[Vitamin Sea]

G'day

Do NOT tarp it, will retain heat and mark the buggery out of the gel coat.

Best thing to do is get some breathable UV stable fabric custom made to fit. Canopy material should be fine. Treat it with a quality water repellent.

Dave

G'Day Dave

I've tarped the boat down for the 6 or so yrs since I've had her, can't see a problem with it, re scuffing, IF it's done right.

Your idea is prob the optimum, however, will cost a buck or two.

Re shade cloth, also ok as far as uv protection goes, but, it lets the water in, in my mind, not a good thing on older glass boats.

Bill

[Greg P]

I am tossing up whether to get one of the caravan covers at BCF for $415. They are made of the right stuff and provided they last in a wind they are about a quarter of the price to get a custom job.

Anyone got one for their caravan ?

[Blackened]

G'day

Bill, you're probably right. I've done a few tarped recently, and they were on pretty tight.

You must have a good system for yours, keep it up.

Dave

[Roughasguts]

I am tossing up whether to get one of the caravan covers at BCF for $415. They are made of the right stuff and provided they last in a wind they are about a quarter of the price to get a custom job.

Anyone got one for their caravan ?

I had something similar, it was only water resiatant for a short while maybe 9 months or so. It was a big disapointment.

[ozscott]

I have used 2 tarps over about 3 years on mine (tall Vagabond). Unfortunately the tarps have been the cheaper silver with black inside and after a while the the inside starts to come off in tiny rectangles!!! I am going to try to get a better quality tarp for the old girl, but inevitably that will spell heavier and getting it over the boat then becomes a bit of a drama (getting it over the boat with the full canopy - the roof back to the motor well - is very difficult even with the light weight tarps; my roof is off at the mo' so its easier).

Anyone reccomend a good quality tarp seller for this type of thing...?

Cheers

[BM]

I agree with Blackened,

Tarps are a bad idea. A proper breathable fabric is the proper way to protect your boat and allow it to breath also. Particularly important for you Queenslanders with the humidity.

RAG's shade sails a good idea too.

Cheers

[mik01]

don't know what sort of room you have, but I assume you have plenty as you have a big boat.

therefore why not spend your money on a carport. not the ful deal, but one of those ones like a marquis (kind of like a tent). you get the cover without the pain of having to pull it on an off every time you need to access the boat, and you can work on it during rainy days.

I think these are relatively cheap - perhaps around the same price as you are considering spending on your caravan tarp?

[mik01]

ok so I have no idea about pricing, but far better IMO than a tarp or cover over your boat -

http://www.supaqik.com.au/gazebo-3x6.htm

there are many others like this going around.
just secure the legs to prevent it flying away and you are laughing.

[Chimo]

I agree with Mik. The pricing on the units not bad and maybe you could take it camping too.;)

My rig (Vag) is over 3 m off the ground and a 3.1 m high carport fixed my issue.

If you do your sums the cost benefit of a decent cover ie carport is pretty good. and it adds value to the ranch.

The deterioration on the boat is cut to nil or at worst very little and the resale on the boat and car etc you jam under cover alone is enought to justify the cost of the carport.

Also you can catch some good rainwater off the tin roof and your saving water and you you have it where you want it to wash the boat / car etc too.;D

The above logic works for me and also convinced the other half too!::)

Cheers
Chimo

[Vitamin Sea]

ok so I have no idea about pricing, but far better IMO than a tarp or cover over your boat -

http://www.supaqik.com.au/gazebo-3x6.htm

there are many others like this going around.
just secure the legs to prevent it flying away and you are laughing.

G'Day Mik

Ex neigbour bought one of these to cover her car, unfortunatley it lasted until the first storm came along

Cheers

Bill

[fly_1]

I leave my cat outside, uncovered. It has spent most of its life either on a airdock next to a pontoon, or on its trailer. It gets a proper wax twice a year, and thats it. It looks like the day it left the factory. If you keep the wax upto it, and keep it free of dirt / grim etc, it will last for ever.
Lets face it, how many 35ft bertrams etc do you see covered by a tarp in the local marina???.

[ozscott]

yep - we had 40+ knots the other day.....nothing not cemented in that lasts too long.

Cheers

[mik01]

bugger it then - get a stratco outdoor cheapo carport and cement the ba$tard into the ground!!!! :)

probably wouldn't cost much more than the collapsible one, and all you need is a few mates and a slab or 2 of beer and a half a day to put it up. :P

[Mrs Ronnie H]

Hi All
Have had a tarp over our glass bvoat and find that we get patches of mould. I have it up on poles so not much is touching but I still manage to get moist areas.

Just started a thread for some good marine polish !!!!!! I have removed our tarp and am thinking of some kind of shade sail. We have the double titan but not big enough for the boat unfortunately.

Ronnie

[ozscott]

The trouble with sheds is that they generally dont come big enough....I am going to weld up some brackets and sink some holes and make my own car port!

[Manjilad]

Nice thread on the PROBLEM most of us face.
My history - have a 6.3m glass with full canopy. Went thru 2 x bunnings 9m x 7m tarps in 12 mths at $50 a pop.
Now on a BCF 9m x 7m tarp with 12 mth guarantee, got at sale on 20%+ discount for about $110 and 18 mths later still going strong (silver one side and green the other). I turn the tarp over each time I take the boat out. I have always used one of those supercheap 4WD car covers under the tarp (and ideal also to use on the boat when the tarp is off for a few days after an offshore return washdown.
RESULTS: No damage whatsoever that I can see. I still need to wax at least a couple of times a year (use Septone boat wax-maybee I should try MacGuires::) .
I use a large tarp to cover the trailer and tyres as well.
Apart from a fully fledge BARN built up the back, I see no alternative apart from a tarp or just plain 'ol harsh UV smashing the apolstery and yellowing the Gelcoat! then flogging the tub off and buying a new one etc etc::) ... I WISH!
Cheers.

[ozscott]

Mate the green stuff will come away in little rectangles...they are light weight which makes them cheap and easy to pull over the boat cannopy, but they degrade. I have found if water sits on them whilst folded on the ground they degrade much quicker.

Cheers

[Mtx]

Just had a carport built for my boat.
9 metres long and 3.5 meters high custom job with Gabled roof, gutters, downpipes, etc. Mounted out through the roof tiles to get the height.

Looks unbelievable and really matches in well with the house.

Big investment for current boat but had it built that height so I can upgrade next year.

$6100 all done.

[Vitamin Sea]

Just had a carport built for my boat.
9 metres long and 3.5 meters high custom job with Gabled roof, gutters, downpipes, etc. Mounted out through the roof tiles to get the height.

Looks unbelievable and really matches in well with the house.

Big investment for current boat but had it built that height so I can upgrade next year.

$6100 all done.

G'Day Mtx

Sounds like you have a situation similar to mine, do not have enough width at the side of the house, I have investigated carport as well.

I would have to go up with posts fixed to the house, through the eaves and tiles:P

Do you have any pics of your set up?

Lot's of coin to cover the boat.........

[Fish Guts]

yeah id steer away from tarps.

- they leave little specs and crap all over the boat when u take it off.
- pain in the arse to fit every time
- the boat in the yard looks pretty ordinary with a big tarp over it. and you need about 40 thousand ropes to keep it down when the wind gets up.

On our last boat we got a fully custom made cover with a warranty (5 years) i think. Was really easy to fit. For a 6.1m boat it cost around 800-900. before that we had another one made for a previous boat that lasted 12 years in the sun. I honestly think a custom job is the way to go. if it last 12 years or more its less than a hundred a year for a boat to be kept in good condition. and your font yard looks a lot more presentable with a nice fitted cover.

If you need a good trimmer in Brisbane, give Justin at brisbane boat trim a call 0411515585. And no im not affiliated with the company, have just recieved great service and resonable pricing.

[Mtx]

Vitamin Sea, I will get some pics over the next couple of days and show you.

The carport I have had is 3.4 meters wide from the house to the fence. It goes almost 1 metre over the house roof.

Cheers

Mtx

[Mrs Ronnie H]

The trouble with sheds is that they generally dont come big enough....I am going to weld up some brackets and sink some holes and make my own car port!


Scott I agree sheds are never big enough. We don't have enough clearance now to put a carport in front of the shed either. Our girl is six metres and pretty high so we would need to have a bloody carport higher than the shed anyway.

The only thing i can do to protect our boat is make a cover myself--- Custom Made to the height and width I need. I have been thinking about a boat cover for some time now and especially now the stormy season is upon us.

Was thinking about shade cloth- although not waterproof at least it would cut down on direct sunlight and give some protection from ALL the Storms!!!!!!:-/
I was thinking of doing it like a shade sail!!!

I will not use a tarp again as now I need to get all the marks off the boat as well as all the blue crap from the tarp. going to buy the meguires polish tomorrow..

Cheers

Ronnie



Will think about this some more and when i have the plan in my head I will let you guys know

[kingtin]

Go with Fish Gut's suggestion. Justin does a good job.

I have a 6.5 whittley sea legend and she is bloody high. I had a custom cover made to fit, in white, for 900 bucks and it's as good as new after over 2 years use. I bent a piece of ally tube to fit in the rocket launcher lengthways and this holds the top of the cover up off the rig itself for air circulation and anchor light protection, although obviously it touches at the sides of the rig.

The only downside is that I have to climb up onto the rig to pull it over the top and if it's a windy day that's a bit precarious at my age (can't wait till the kids get older) :-)

Also, think about any future customising. I added a marlin board to my rig after I had the cover made,and of course, although the marlin board doesn't need covering, the cover won't pull down the sides of the rig as it should due to the rails on the marlin board.

I have a steep drive that will not lend itself to a car port but the way I see it.........if a cover costs a grand and it lasts only 4 years then that is 5 bucks a week well spent.

If you're local, I'm at bracken Ridge so you can do a drive by and see the cover.

kev

[Greg P]

If you need a good trimmer in Brisbane, give Justin at brisbane boat trim a call 0411515585. And no im not affiliated with the company, have just recieved great service and resonable pricing.

FG - Is Justin still going at Brendale? I tried to call and sounded like he has moved on. Thought maybe he has gone to Nobles fulltime ?

He did a great job on my cover on the Sportfish.

Cheers

Greg

[Chimo]

Hi Vit Sea

Here is another way to squeeze a carport in between the house and the boundary. There is a council requirement for a .5 m setback from the boundary and this was achieved by popping the carport guttering above the house roof guttering with the carport remaining as a free standing 6 x 9 structure the required distance from the boundary.

Works a treat and gives a great breezeway and no sun impact on any of the stored toys.::)

Cheers
Chimo

[Fish Guts]

Greg,

I coudlnt tell you, but its interesting you say that because i drove over there a couple of months ago and it was all locked up and i presumed he was taking a week off, but i also thought there could be a chance hes gone to noble. He wouldnt be too far away thou. prob worth giving him a buz. he does do a bloody good job, no bullshit too.

cheers

fish guts

[Dean1]

FG - Is Justin still going at Brendale? I tried to call and sounded like he has moved on. Thought maybe he has gone to Nobles fulltime ?

He did a great job on my cover on the Sportfish.

Cheers

Greg I hope justin is still at brendale, he's worked on my last 3 boats does a top job and well priced. Was gonna get him to make some cushions up for me new toy ;)

[Vitamin Sea]

Thanks Chimo

Mate, you blokes are spoilt for space, the distance between the side of my garage and the fence is for memory 3200 - 3300mm, take away 600mm eave, 150mm or there about gutter and you can see whats left, boat is about 8' across.

If I put up a carport, I would have to get a Council relaxation to put the columns up against the fence, simply do not have the room.

Hence the reason I have stuck with the tarp

cheers

Bill

[Chimo]

Hi Bill

Some councils allow a total of 9 metres of structure to be abutting the boundry fence. If you don't have other structures such as a garage or shedding adjoining the bounary it would be worth having a good look as you may be OK to take your carport right to the fence.

I had a retreat adjoining the fence so had to do the 500mm setback.

Cheers
Chimo

[Tassie JR]

hey mate we built a cover for our boat, the cover is 7 meters long and 4.1 meters high with 90% shadecloth on top works great. it only costed us about $150, ill post a pic tomorrow.

cheers tassie JR

[fender22]

mate, u can get a cover from ebay, from a seller called the cover guys. It's really great breathable but water proof material and it's tough. Cost me $90 bucks for one for my 19' half cabin. Been the only place I could find a jalf cabin cover and fits like a glove, they make all sizes for all boats inc high half cabs, centre consoles etc. Second one I've had and they're brilliant

[Tassie JR]

Here is our cover

[Mrs Ronnie H]

Hi All

Just a quick update. I went in to town today and bought a square shade sail for just under 80 bucks. Measures 5metres by 5 metres. Will possibly cost a little for steel poles and cables but should work well in our yard.
With limited space in our bachyard this is our only option.

Ronnie

[Roughasguts]

Pine logs are just as good Ronnie, might be a lot cheaper too.