Re: [bolger] Digest Number 677 - Of Sawhorses & Gunwales
Dennis,
Since my 'working space' is limited I have to frequently use 'exterior
storage'. I also store our 19 foot sailboat in the back drive over the
winter (now joined by a 15-footer) so I have *some* experience in these
situations.
A piece of carpet on a 'horse is a good idea as far as 'spreading the
point load'. It isn't bad for long term storage either IF the contact
area is HARD, and stays DRY. Both a bit difficult with paint & winter
weather. Also the more, 'soft & fluffy' the carpet, the worse it is. All
those fibers are more easily caught in the paint / frozen condensation.
I have two suggestions - one fairly simple and the other a bit more
involved.
1)
Use some fairly flat ('low nap') Indoor / Outdoor carpeting - the stuff
that looks & feels something like thick felt - on some long pads. Spread
the contact area, not just at the top of the horse. WAX the hell out of
the gunnels - and DON'T buff it off.
2) DON'T store the boat upside down. Build a cradle to hold the hull,
unless you have a trailer. Build a simple frame, use the mast
(Featherwind is a sailboat ?) or a 'sistered' 2x (supported at the ends
and in the middle) as a 'mainbeam') Then make 'half-hoops' from either
thin wood slats or small diameter PVC pipe to go over the beam. Tie them
to the main beam and down around the boat. They will look like ribs. Pad
the ends of the main beam with old towels, or whatever. Get an
inexpensive SILVER tarp (the ubiquitous blue ones shed like hell), pull
it over, tie it down (NOT to tightly), and you'll have a nice, snug,
'self-shedding' boat cover. May look like a 'Conestoga Wagon' but
definitely does the job . . . lets you work on the boat during the
winter, too !!
Regards,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop
Since my 'working space' is limited I have to frequently use 'exterior
storage'. I also store our 19 foot sailboat in the back drive over the
winter (now joined by a 15-footer) so I have *some* experience in these
situations.
A piece of carpet on a 'horse is a good idea as far as 'spreading the
point load'. It isn't bad for long term storage either IF the contact
area is HARD, and stays DRY. Both a bit difficult with paint & winter
weather. Also the more, 'soft & fluffy' the carpet, the worse it is. All
those fibers are more easily caught in the paint / frozen condensation.
I have two suggestions - one fairly simple and the other a bit more
involved.
1)
Use some fairly flat ('low nap') Indoor / Outdoor carpeting - the stuff
that looks & feels something like thick felt - on some long pads. Spread
the contact area, not just at the top of the horse. WAX the hell out of
the gunnels - and DON'T buff it off.
2) DON'T store the boat upside down. Build a cradle to hold the hull,
unless you have a trailer. Build a simple frame, use the mast
(Featherwind is a sailboat ?) or a 'sistered' 2x (supported at the ends
and in the middle) as a 'mainbeam') Then make 'half-hoops' from either
thin wood slats or small diameter PVC pipe to go over the beam. Tie them
to the main beam and down around the boat. They will look like ribs. Pad
the ends of the main beam with old towels, or whatever. Get an
inexpensive SILVER tarp (the ubiquitous blue ones shed like hell), pull
it over, tie it down (NOT to tightly), and you'll have a nice, snug,
'self-shedding' boat cover. May look like a 'Conestoga Wagon' but
definitely does the job . . . lets you work on the boat during the
winter, too !!
Regards,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop
> Message: 8
> Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 15:06:06 -0000
> From:PseudoDion3@...
> Subject: Of Sawhorses and Gunwales
>
> Hi, all. I have Inscrutable, the Carnell version of Featherwind,
> upside down on sawhorses for winter storage. In order to protect the
> gunwales, I tacked some old carpet on the sawhorses. However, this
> has not worked out. The weight of the boat causes the gunwales to
> stick to the carpet and when I lift the boat off of the horses, paint
> and even wood inevitably peels off with it. AARRGH! What can I use to
> protect the gunwales without slowly destroying the finish and the
> wood?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dennis Marshall