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Old 12-22-2015, 11:57 AM   #19
Capt Kangeroo
Senior Member
 
City: Great Lakes
Vessel Name: NONE
Vessel Model: NONE
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 448
Used to shrink wrap my last few boats every year but when the cost got to the stupid level I decided to make a reusable tarp cover. The plastic tarp cost $75 and took me a few hours to make. I simply draped the tarp over the boat, then walked around the boat & trimmed off the excess about a foot below the gunwale. I then double folded over the raw edge and ran it through the sewing machine. I then folded the seam one more time with a light poly rope tucked inside & sewed it again. The poly rope was used as a draw string. In the fall I would simply drag the tarp over the boat & pull the draw string tight & was done. Each custom made tarp would last about 5 seasons.

You may also need to make a simple light frame to keep the tarp sloped for run off. Note that even the plastic tarps are very heavy and not likely feasible for boats over 35ft unless you had help. Over this length the draw string is also difficult to pull tight enough and requires several ties spaced along the length running from side to side under the hull.
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