Winter cover

I'm considering purchasing a reusable winter cover for my 2001 390. I'm currently waiting for an estimate. Any suggestions? My marina will not allow me to shrink wrap my own boat because of insurance issues. I expect to have the boat for at least 10 years and I'm told these types of reusable covers are cost effective. Anyone have experience with this type of cover?

I'm located in New England.
Thanks Ron

We have used a Fairclough cover on our Sabre sailboat for 11 years now.
It is not only the cost of the cover but the cost of maintenance and once you get tired of putting it on yourself and call them for installation and or removal with storage, watch out!
Our cover looks to be in great shape after 11 seasons and I would expect that it is probably good for another 5 to 10 years so there is no question that with care they last.
It certainly keeps the winter sun off of the boat and of course snow doesn't accumulate on the deck but I'm not entirely sure we would do it again.
Bruce

I looked at them, but as concerned they where not strong heavy enough for 60 mph winds and or heavy snow.

Over the years been adding canvas over the years. For 15+ years, the front teak deck, 16 x13, is covered with a heavy white tarp. The support is 2 inch plastic pbc pipe which is held together with duct table so it bends sways. The tarp is held down with bungi cords so there is give. The whole cover shakes rattles and rolls, but*it holds*together. I use Tarp Grappers that are plastic to connect the bungee cords to the trap. I get 3+ years out of the tarp and bungee. Takes about 30 minutes to put up or take down.

I've been scratching my head and gone through oodles of sketches trying to figure this one out. My hope is to come up with something that's easy to put up & take down (for those perfect winter weather spur of the moment day trips) stores easily and shrugs off both wind & snow. Dreamer? You bet!

Currently leaning towards some variation of the Stimson Bow Shed with a Gothic arch shape using either PVC conduit and/or wood.

Winter cover in Ladysmith B.C.

If your looking for a cover you could try a Lohman boat cover (Boatcover.ca).
They are expensive but well made. Lohman will come and mesure your boat and then some months later will come and put it on.

My mistake, I just realized your in New England. But any one in the Pacific Northwest or B.C. they should check out Lohman

These are the standard around me.....

Original company...

Contact Us

Son spinoff company

Winter Boat Covers - Custom Boat Covers - Fisher Canvas Burlington NJ

People who have tried most everything else wind up with one of these.

We have a hardtop (load-bearing) so I don't use anything other than our normal enclosure canvas over the winter. No cover, no shrink-wrap. We're not in New England, but we do get snow... so I have to come down to the boat and shovel out the cockpit occasionally. Which is weird, of course.


-Chris

Snow complicates things here...

I have a Lohman cover that I bought from an OA 52, for sale. Used on the OA 52 only one or two winters, then its owner got into a shelter. I bought it when I was thinking of giving up my shelter and going fully outside. That didn't happen, so I have used it only for two months. With more inside support poles it fit my 44. Buying used is a lot cheaprer than buying new.
Presently located Saltspring Island, but could be brought to anywhere on southern Vancouver Island, or Vancouver.

Mod: If you want to move this to the "For Sale" section, I won't redo it there, If it doesn't move, I will.

I recently purchased a pilot 34 hardtop which came with a Fisher cover. It seems sturdy and should hold up under snow, may have to remove if very heavy but no different than my roof. I will be putting it on Friday and post pictures.

I've been using a Lohman cover for 9 years now. I built a strongback or ridgepole setup of 2 x4 & 2 x 6 which bolts together.

Reason is the poles that were originally supplied punched through from our, once in a blue moon, heavy, wet, sticky snow. Now the cover support is continuous.

He strengthened the pole support areas quite heavily but the poles, 2 of them, poked through. Darn snow.

It has been a good cover. Not perfect, but then short of a shed or boathouse and even those are not, it has done a good job.

We chose the grey rather than the blue. A friend went with the blue and it does not show the stains from the winter rains and birds.

Next spring I will send it back to him for a checkover and a modification.

I will add that in my case the cover , once it's on , it's on. Not only from the cover removal aspect but I fully winterize the boat so no pretense of winter trips any more. We miss that as we winter boated for many years but it's a choice we made to do other things in winter.

Lohmann Sails and Covers Ltd making custom design winter and all season boat covers

I am going to see what mods I need to do for snow but unless we get the winter from 2015 (had to snow blow my roof!) I feel confident no mods will be needed.