[Rhodes22-list] Outside winter storage

Wed, 4 Sep 2002 14:02:27 -0500

Jack,

If I remember correctly, there was a discussion about this exact subject,
about this time last year. As I recall this last question (last year) was
also asked by someone from Chicago or near there. Tom Evans has put these
questions and replies in the FAQ.
http://www.geocities.com/blew_skies/winter.html  You may want to check this
out. There is a great deal of difference between the "winter" weather in the
northeast and what you will see in the Chicago area. The weather they
generally see in February, is more like late October/early November weather
in Chicago. Their winters are pretty mild compared to yours. What works fine
for them, may prove disastrous for you.

I think you will find this covered pretty well in the FAQ.

I think Bill makes some very good point about tarps and boat coverings. But,
you will want to empty ANY water vessels (fresh and sewage), and treat them
with RV anti-freeze to -40. Any water that is left in your boat is best
removed all together. That includes the bilge. You will also want to remove
your batteries and bring them indoors unless you are prepared to be
continually charging them all winter. A well charged battery will not
freeze, a discharged battery will freeze quite readily. Since your batteries
will discharge on their own over time, to leave them in the boat, outdoors,
without regular charging, will surely leave you with ruined (frozen)
batteries.

I am very fortunate to have a shed to store my boat in during the winter
months. This simplifies the boat covering problems significantly. Now if I
can just figure out how to keep the dirt and mice off, I'll have it made.
:-)

Rik

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Effros" <bill@effros.com>
To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 1:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Outside winter storage

> Jack,
>
> I'm in Greenwich Ct., just north of NYC.
>
> I never use a tarp in the winter any more.  I did more damage to my boat
> with the tarp than weather has ever done to my boat without the tarp.
> Bungee cords break.  Tarps flap.  Bungee cord hooks and reinforced tarp
eyes
> flail.
>
> Sometimes the problem is wind, but more often it is snow.  You will
probably
> be able to set your mast as a ridge pole so that rain will harmlessly fall
> to the ground.  But snow will stick and build up.  The snow will then
freeze
> in place, putting an enormous amount of weight on the tarp.  Which will
sag.
> The next rain will puddle in the sagging tarp.  In no time you can have so
> much weight suspended over your cockpit that you can't lift it.  And if
it's
> frozen, you can't pump it out either.  Then what?
>
> If I were going to cover my boat the only thing I would consider is
plastic
> shrink wrap.  I think 1/2 the boats under tarps at my yard are damaged by
> the tarps every winter.  My boat was damaged by a tarp in my driveway
during
> a storm.
>
> I wax my boat in the fall.  I leave the mast up all winter.  I lower the
> water level to 1/2 full in the tank.  I leave my batteries in place.  On
> warm days during the winter I open the boat, play the stereo system, use
the
> water, and putter around doing all the projects I don't have time for
during
> sailing season.  I eat on board, sit in the cabin, and dream of Spring.
>
> I have never had a mildew problem.  My electric water pump has always
worked
> perfectly.  My batteries are always fully charged.
>
> When Spring comes, I'm ready to go.  And so is my boat.
>
> Bill Effros
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jack Goldberg" <j_goldberg@hotmail.com>
> To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 11:24 AM
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Outside winter storage
>
>
> I come one more thyme for you to pepper me with your sage advice.
>
> After getting my CB cabin leak fixed, I've had a great sailing season. My
> wife and I took sailing lessons at Belmont harbor at the beginning of July
> and spent the rest of the summer practicing what we had learned. A pretty
> good season. Just one bad incident when we had full sail out in 2 - 3 knot
> winds when out of nowhere we were surounded by whitecaps and she (the
boat)
> jybed and healed over violently dipping the rail in the water where it
> remained. I had forgotten to put the CB down which I managed to do, then I
> took the tiller and released the main sheet. I tried to stay on the high
> side while she (my wife) tried to release the genoa sheet from a cam
cleat.
> The pressure on the sail was so forcefull it took about two minutes before
> she could release it and right the boat. Exciting and ended well. On
> hindsite I probably should have released the tiller and the main sheet and
> let her (the boat again) come into the wind, but we were so close to the
> shore at the time and the wind was taking us ashore I was more interested
in
> trying to sail out of the situation.
>
> Bottom line for us is the we both now put a lot of faith in our Rhodes 22.
I
> feel that almost any other boat might have knocked down in that situation.
>
> Well the season is now over for us. September offers no opportunity for us
> to go sailing and October is already too cold here in the Chicago area. I
> pulled the boat out and hung the standard mast between the mast carrier
and
> the bow pulpit. It seems to have a little sag. Does it need support? or
> should I rest the bottom of the mast on the deck? I left everything
attached
> except the lower forward shrouds and the fore-stay attachement to the
chain
> plates.
> Now how to cover the boat for outside storage in a very snowy climate. I
was
> thinking of buying a 20 x 30 blue tarp and covering the boat. Has anyone
> done this and what advice how to place the tarp. Over the lifelines? Using
> the mast as a support? Just cover the cabin and cockpit area?
>
> Thanks in advance for any responses.
>
> Jack
>
>
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