Deck covers for your Laser????????

H

hoipolloi

Member
So I'm reading the Colie site and they're touting their 'Top Gun' covers which are made out of a 'breathable' material. Their promotion is worded as such so as to put the fear into you that any other cover -such as those made out of material called 'Deck Mate'- don't breath and can(will?) cause blistering of the deck!
Yow!!!
Does this mean covers sold by APS, Fogh, Magic Marine etc are sheeeit and will bung your deck over time?
For the same amount I'd pay Colies in USD I can go down the street and get a cover by Magic Marine but in Canadian Loonies! Plus I don't have to pay shipping/duty etc......
But, is it consigning my deck to death by a thousand cuts?
Anybody have this happen?
Is it just a line of bullshit or does one have to take special precautions with non-breathable deck covers?
I need a cover. There's nowhere for me to store my boat so it's gonna' sit outside all winter.
Anybody????
 
I suggest you put you're living room sofa outside under a cover and keep the boat in the living room for the winter. (get a divorce first)

Ok, I'll try and be serious. if the cover is waterproof there will be condensation under the cover, is this ok? I guess it could penetrate small cracks and freeze which would not be great.

A breathable fabric (Colies) implies its water resistant but not waterproof, which does not sound better than condensation and could be worse if water puddles, the main concern again being frost.

Perhaps a cover is only good for the warmer months. Ideally I guess, you want a roof over you boat, and good airflow sort of like the inside of the attic in a house. Perhaps you can put your boat upside down and put 2 by 4 on the hull to make a space for airflow and wrap it in a plastic (camping) tarp leaving the ends open. How do you get airflow under the 2X4???. Better yet build a roof or build a garage, while you're at it add heating.

Sorry I'm not sure this is helping, but it's food for thought. Anybody got better ideas?
 
deck cover

My Laser spent a whole winter in Northern Illinois in my snowey backyard, right-side up on the trailer, covered with a simple, non breathing, blue poly tarp. I made sure there was no water in the hull or mast step before it got cold. No damage at all occured. A coyote ended up using the shelter beneath for a nest and rabbit-eating dining area for the winter. The next winter I had it in a dry barn. Mice chewed up my mainsheet and made a giant nest in the cockpit with it.
While we don't talk about the shape my bottom is in (22 year old, beach launched and hard-trailered!), the deck remains like new.

Dennis Olson
 
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