Building a Better Boat Shelter

[Mike...]

Hello Everyone.

When I purchased our TomCat, I had planned to keep it at the marina. However this bad economy scuttled that plan. But I needed to do something to cover the boat, so I rigged a sort of lean-to out of tarp to provide shelter. That turned out to be less than ideal.

I figured with winter coming, I better come up with a better solution. So, I contacted one of those metal building manufacturers to inquire about a carport like structure - with open ends, closed metal sides, and long/tall enough for the TomCat. They gave me a quote of several thousand dollars, installed.

Well, this economy is still working against me, so I am looking for cost effective alternatives, but yet something sturdy that will last at least until the economy picks up again (which could be a long while, unfortunately).

For starters, let me point out I have lots of space, and no covenants or restrictions to deal with. My plan is to erect the shelter across a section of our road which accommodates both coming and going without ever backing up the boat.

We get hardly any snow here, so that is not a factor. But we do get a lot of rain (thunderstorms), and 10-15MPH winds are not uncommon. During Isabel, well got gusts in the 50-60MPH range, but that is extremely rare. Besides, if another Isabel were coming, we would take the boat inland.

In searching for alternatives that I could do myself (or with help), I started looking for ways to build a frame out of steel pipe. This would essentially be a big long box that that I would stretch canvas on (top and sides) to protect the boat.

Anyone ever seen or done something like this?

I stumbled across a company that sells about every pipe fitting you could imagine to pull this off, but they are in India. I prefer to buy American, especially in this troubled times.

Has anyone here seen fittings like these available from a US company?

Is my plan totally crazy?

Any suggestions?

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mike

[Discovery]

How about for the first Winter you put 'the mighty big condom' back on? That will give you some time to do it right.

[Discovery]

Someone Emailed me this shelter after my last post

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94182

Looks like it may fit your needs. Just anchor it really well to the ground.

[Mike...]

What can I say. The wife has quite the sense of humor.

Thanks for the link. I wonder if there is enough vertical clearance, though. I'll call and find out.

If not, there is also this one which would definitely tall enough.

Thanks for the link.
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mike

[oldgrowth]

Mike – I made a temporary shelter for some lumber about 20+ years ago out of PVC pipe and metal T fence post. I drove the post into the ground, slipped the PVC pipe over the post and arched it over to the other post. It lasted as long as I needed it (5+ yrs), but I did have to replace the tarp after three years. For the size you need, you will need two 20 foot sections of PVC pipe for each arch. I can give you specific directions but found this web site that has similar structures. You should be able to get some ideas here. If you go with an arch use schedule 40 pipe. 80 will be too heavy. When I built mine, I used bailing wire to tie the arches together and a guy wire on each end to keep it from falling back into its self. It should cost less than $150 plus the tarp.

If you want me to I can draw the plans of how I did it.
_______
Dave

[Sea Wolf]

Mike-


This is a project along the lines of ?Oldgrowth Dave's, but alsdo makes use of your existing trailer as a base:

I made a portable covered frame for my trailer a few years ago.

Ran 2 1/2" PVC Schedule 40 tube down each side of the trailer from front to rear.

Drilled 1/2 inch vertical holes in the tube from front to rear about every 14 inches.

Took 20 1/2" PVC Schedule 40 tubes and inserted 1/2" dowels about 8" long in one end of each of them.

Put the dowels in the hole in the large pipe on one side of the trailer, then bent the pipe into a bow high enough to clear the boat and keep a plastic cover off of it.

Cut the other end of each 1/2" pipe off to the necessary indicated length and inserted another dowel in that end which was then put into the appropriate hole on the opposite side of the trailer.

Repeat for the rest of the bows. Makes a "covered wagon" frame tapered to the shape of the boat that will hold a plastic cover over but not on the boat so as to not rip the cover on the sharp corners of the boat, and to also prevent pooling of water or snow.

Of course, you'll have to stretch a plastic cover over the trailer, boat, and ribs. Secure with bungee cords to tension.

Makes a great and cheap covered housing for storing the boat outdoors and out of the sun, rain, and snow. Not strong enough for on road use, however.

Be sure to number the matching holes and ribs for easy removal and replacement, since the ones up front will be shorter than the ones to the middle and rear in gradually tapered lengths.

The 2 1/2" larger PVC tube is secured to the trailer frame and guide-ons with large U-bolts.

I added a 8" tube down one side of the trailer with removable end plugs in which to store all of the 1/2" ribs during transit.

This works great to store your boat in at a remote location for a few months or so during the summer when you don't want to drag it back and forth to a lake you fish at frequently. I used it at Eagle Lake in California one summer.

I don't use it much any more with a covered marina slip and an RV barn in which to store the boat.

I'll have to get some pictures of the set-up if anyone indicates interest. Will involve bringing the trailer home from friend's where it's stored and assembling it.

Fun, simple, cheap, doable project!

Here you can see the PVC pipe bolted to the trailer used to support the covered wagon structure:


Joe.

[matt_unique]

[Doryman]

Joe, I would really like to know more about your setup because it will allow me to claim the cover is part of the trailer, and not a structure, thus getting me around the homeowners' association rules! Fortunately we don't get much snow where we are. Some wind, though, but usually not too bad.

Warren

[Will-C]

Hi,
Why not buy a good boat cover. I'm buying one from from a company from Burlington New Jersey who have been around for years. I see lots of boats large and small around the Jersey shore area that have used these covers for years. If anyone is interested I will post the price and pictures in my album which for some reason I think they are in the 750- 800 dollar range. I'm going to take my boat over there to be measured up when I'm done fishing for the year. They are pretty tough as they have pockets for 2 x 4''s to offer a peak to keep snow and rain from forming pockets. They are supposed to last for about 7 years or so beating the usual 3 to 4 hundred a year shrink wrapping cost. Zoning locally wants 750 dollars just to apply for a variance for the garage I want to build and thats win or lose. They want the structure 30' off the property line. So for now this seems like a good solution for us. I for one don't like the looks of the temporary structures not to mention what honeypot's opinion might be and think the the winter canvas offers another solution/option to winter boat protection. Here's the info http://www.fishercanvas.com/

[Doryman]

OK, before I start building a Conestoga cover like Joe's I should probably investigate a fitted cover. Has anyone had one made for the Tom Cat in the Seattle area? Who did it and what was the cost?

I have a nice cover that came with the 22, so that is covered, so to speak.

Warren

[Mike...]

I'll tell ya - this is the great thing about c-brats.com. You ask a question - and you get lots of great suggestions!

I never would have thought about PVC. But I love the idea. Very affordable, and seems highly doable.

Dave, I thought about just going with a canvas cover, but was concerned about the boat sweating and sweltering under the cover. It seems to me that taking advantage of the breeze is a good thing, especially in light of the mold problem I had recently.

Maybe my perceptions are incorrect?
---
mike

[localboy]

I purchased a smaller version from Harbor Freight to cover one of my air cooled VWs. I was NOT impressed. It was very cheaply manufactured and I immediately took it back. I ended up getting one at Costco that was far more sturdy and well constructed. It lasted >3 yrs and worked perfectly. Wind is the only issue; it had moved ~4' once due to a fall storm even though I had it weighed down with six 90lb concrete blocks. The Costco ones are not larger enough for a boat however; they are 10'X20'.

Unless the larger HF ones are sturdier, I'd look for another option. JMO.

[Ananda]

I don't know anything about this company I found on Craiglist a few weeks back, but I was planning on contacting them to price a steel shelter. I wasn't able to copy the pictures they had on Craigslist, but their shelters looked nice and so did the price. Might be worth a call?

*******************************
Cover Your Boat or Moorage - $ 895 (OR., WA.,
CA.)
Date: 2009- 09 - 15, 8:09AM PDT
Reply to: see below
You can cover and protect your boat from the weather for as little as $895.00 with our all steel shelters.
We will deliver and install to your location. Wide choice of colors and styles, call me for information:
terry
503 - 289- 6741
e-mail: tdscott58@msn.com
Oregon Outbuildings
 Location: OR., WA., CA.

**********************************

[Montana Kev]

Here are a few other options.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/search.do?freeText=boat+tents&page=GRID&engine=adwords!6456&keyword=boat_tents



Kev

[Sea Wolf]

I had the Costco structure for a few years when I kept the boat at Lake Amador for a few years before developing the "Calistoga Clipper Cover".

The ones that are open on the ends tend to catch the wind and turn into a giant Regallo Wing, developing incredible aerodynamic lift in the process!

My Costco model was incredibly strong, made out of about 2-1/4" steel tube, many, many cross braces, lots of elastic bungees, and a tough plasticized canvas cover. Costco said in the instructions not to use it in more than 20 mph wind strengths (!).

I tied it down with big metal stakes, anchored it with guy lines to big trees and my motor home, and felt very secure.

It held up through some very bad storms, but when the annemometer hit 60 mph in the gusts, it exploded like it was hit by a tornado, and turned into a bunch of twisted steel tubes, ripped canvas, and tangled lines. I wasn't there when it happened by was told about it by a next door resident in the mobile home park at the resort. About all aI could salvage was the lines.

The wind can destroy just about any of these structures, but they need to be built as strong as possible, really anchored well, and the air kept from getting underneath them. Having the boat or vehicle pretty much fill up the inside cavity also seems to be useful to partially deaden the air's activity. I'm sure a relief pressure flap or two could also be utilized to minimize pressure differentials.

Joe.