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How to Shrink Wrap, what supplies to use.


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1. How much hard work do you think shrink wrapping would be for two people on a scale of 1-10? 

2. How much time do you think it would take two newbies at it with good tools?

3. Do you go up and over the tower? Or around the tower and wrap the tower separately? That almost seems like more work to do both separately. 

 

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You can rent a propane heat gun for $75 for a week delivered, They cost $300-500 new. Thinking about doing it ourself to keep the rain off here. Doesn't snow. 

Supplies I'm looking at cost ~$250: 

Heat gun and propane tank and long hose $75

Shrink wrap

Plastic strap wire

3 stick on vents

Plastic zipper door

2'4''s wood for support

Wood support caps

Shrink Tape 

fire gloves

 

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The boat to be wrapped: 

IMG_9137_zpsqdcul07n.jpg~original

how-to-measure-a-boat-for-shrink-wrappin

 

Styles: 

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Shrinkwrap2350_zpswlhbyu0d.jpg~original

over-wake-tower-shrinkwrap-boat-cover_4_

BS-Kit-24-29foot-med-boat-2_zpsfma0b1zw.

BS-Kit-24-29foot-med-boat-1_zpsmswrpnph.

 

 

 

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I've wrapped my '03 VLX 3 times now. 

I used to fold the tower and use 14' material. This year I ordered 20' and left the tower up, I think I can get away with 17' next time. 17'x106' should do the boat 4 times. I have a support in the bow, one just forward of the v drive locker and one on the swim platform to keep the material off the sunpad. Even if you manage to burn through the tape works great to seal up the holes.

 

Watch the 3 part Dr Shrink YouTube videos and get after it. I would say it's about 3-4 hours your first time depending on weather. Cool winds really affect how your torch works and shrinking is more difficult. 

 

Its not like spray painting at all. Torch must be kept moving at all times and once you can see it start to shrink, at that point you wave or push the wrinkles out and away. You don't do even strokes overlapping like spray painting  

 

I use 7 vents on my boat, 3 per side and one for the fuel tank vent. Don't forget to tape off the fuel vent before you start. Don't want fumes near that 135000 btu torch. 

 

Most of my supplies were from dr shrink but this year I was able to get Balcan material off Amazon.ca much cheaper. Seems to be exact same quality. 

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last fall i paid to have mine shrink wrapped, ~325$ (covers the swim platform and goes right to the trailer on the sides (tower up)). In the spring i cut one corner on the swim platform and carefully removed the wrap. This fall i bought a roll of the tape they use and re-installed the wrap. i was able to pull it tight and used the tape where necessary.  

There are many other boats in our parking area that are shrink wrapped and you cannot tell the difference between a fresh wrap and my wrap.

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1 hour ago, Chia said:

last fall i paid to have mine shrink wrapped, ~325$ (covers the swim platform and goes right to the trailer on the sides (tower up)). In the spring i cut one corner on the swim platform and carefully removed the wrap. This fall i bought a roll of the tape they use and re-installed the wrap. i was able to pull it tight and used the tape where necessary.  

There are many other boats in our parking area that are shrink wrapped and you cannot tell the difference between a fresh wrap and my wrap.

Very cool Chia. I decided to pay someone to have it done in a few weeks. The materials cost me more then they charge. I priced it all out. It isn't cheap to buy everything. They charge around $400 but they can't shrink it with the tower up they said. They only have a 17' roll and said it would cost way more to shrink it with the tower up. That is fine I guess. So I I will devise a way to support the tower folder back on two 2x6" boards to the floor. 

 

Did they make a support on the swim platform to keep the material off the back sun pad? Or is it ok if they stretch it across there and over the swim platform? I am concerned with them heating that area and the vinyl under neath and having it pressed on for 4-5 months. Thanks 

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3 hours ago, Air Tahoe said:

Very cool Chia. I decided to pay someone to have it done in a few weeks. The materials cost me more then they charge. I priced it all out. It isn't cheap to buy everything. They charge around $400 but they can't shrink it with the tower up they said. They only have a 17' roll and said it would cost way more to shrink it with the tower up. That is fine I guess. So I I will devise a way to support the tower folder back on two 2x6" boards to the floor. 

 

Did they make a support on the swim platform to keep the material off the back sun pad? Or is it ok if they stretch it across there and over the swim platform? I am concerned with them heating that area and the vinyl under neath and having it pressed on for 4-5 months. Thanks 

It comes off the tower and really only touches the sun pad at the very back. 

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11 minutes ago, Chia said:

It comes off the tower and really only touches the sun pad at the very back. 

 Perfect. Didn't think about how the tower will raise the shrink wrap. Appreciate that. Always hard when you don't have the boat near by. 

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