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Boat living outside this winter.....canvas cover or shrink wrap???


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My boat is going to be spending the winter outside this winter in a driveway. I have a very nice Rankin cover (which never pools water). I'm trying to determine if it would be better to use that (from a breathability standpoint), or just go get it shrink wrapped. I'm thinking that the cover may take a beating over the winter and (as most of you know), towing covers aren't cheap. I'm afraid of some of the mildew horror stories that you read after shrink wrapping. Thoughts? Suggestions?

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Use a second cover or tarp to keep the junk (snow) off the good cover. The tarp willl be trashed by the end of winter but you good cover will not have to take the beating that getting covered with snow will do. If you have a tower you can go over the top of that as well. Hope this helps at least give you a good idea to protect your boat for the winter

REW

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Save the rankin for covering when you are towing or actually use the boat occasionally. A tarp or second cover over the top should be fine. And something inside to keep it dry, ie; dry-z-air, fan, etc.

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Get it shrinkwrapped. It will save a ton of wear and tear on your cover and they will put vents in it so it will breath...

+1, get it wrapped for sure.

When it starts to warm up in the spring take it off, that's when you can get condensation issues.

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My boat is going to be spending the winter outside this winter in a driveway. I have a very nice Rankin cover (which never pools water). I'm trying to determine if it would be better to use that (from a breathability standpoint), or just go get it shrink wrapped. I'm thinking that the cover may take a beating over the winter and (as most of you know), towing covers aren't cheap. I'm afraid of some of the mildew horror stories that you read after shrink wrapping. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Have you thought about indoor storage at somewhere like the local fairgrounds? I have done that the last 3 years, and it is by far and away the best. I put it in one of their barns for the winter. When I pull away, the hitch is locked and it doesnt move. Once the barn is full they lock the doors and they dont open until mid March. It is actually cheaper for me to leave it there than it is to have it shrink wrapped. Costs me about $150 for the entire winter. Just a thought.

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Be very carefull when you shrink wrap!! It will save your mooring cover and keep the boat clean but you need to take every precaution you can to get all the moisture and moisture absorbing items out of the boat. Remove carpet if you can, any lines fenders, jackets, filler cushions...etc. Anything that's not bolted down....take it out of the boat!! then leave it in a garage for a few days to dry out if you can.......remove all plugs. Then when you have it wrapped make sure they put the vents in it.....and a zippered door...it will cost you extra but if you can't check on it periodically you could unwrap a boat full of mold in the spring. Also with the door you can put a moisture absorbing bucket in the boat. If you wrap it over the tower it will make the door much easier to do.

I'm in Seattle where shrink wrap more often then not leads to mold....but if done right can work very well.

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