To cover or not to cover?

A

Andesite

New member
I recently purchased a very nice 22' C-Dory up here in Alaska and I'm researching covers. Angola seems to be a popular choice, and I got a quote for a full-size cover (not a cockpit cover). However, I've heard some folks say that "boats need to breathe", which I take to mean a covered boat is will likely mold, etc. However, I'm more concerned about sun damage to the gel coat, standing water in the cockpit (I do have a bilge wired straight to the battery), etc.

What is the general consensus on covering a moored or trailered fiberglass C-Dory? For reference, it will stored on a trailer in Seward and Anchorage. Plenty of long sunny/rainy days in both places).
 
Long term? I would cover. Short term, like weekend to weekend? It probably should still be done but I'm lazy and often solo and they are a pain in the butt. Boats do need ventilation for sure, but I'd rather scrub a little gunk off periodically and know I have a boat protected from the elements.

BTW, where are you going to store in Seward? I've considered it, but it's the same drive with the boat in tow as it is without the boat in tow making it really hard for me to do. I love Seward - it is a great place to test your captain's skills and the limits of the CD 22 :-)
 
Ive had many boats over the years and have learned the hard way on occasion. I covered one of my boats up tightly for the winter with the drain port open. I ended up with a moldy mess when I uncovered it in the spring. No air flow. My son and his wife went out of state to work and decided to leave one of their vehicles at my house. The got this silver light weight high tech tarp and covered it up tightly. They put a bucket of Dries It crystals inside it. I figured this was going to end disasterously, Not so, I checked on it occasionally and it came thru in fantastic shape. So, I would get a bucket or two of Dries It from the auto parts store and cover the boat.
That having been said, I personally park my boat under a metal shed with siding half way down so there is plenty of air circulation and don't have any problems. Good luck.
 
I keep mine covered in one of my farm machine sheds. It is an open front building that houses my tractor and truck camper. This keeps the snow and rain off the boat and most of the sun. Anything stored indoors stays in better shape. I think air circulation is a good idea, so I would not cover it to tightly. When we bought out boat in Whitehorse, Yukon we decided to store it there over the winter and pick it up in the spring. We had it shrink wrapped and that worked well, but I would never do it again as it is expensive and I hate to see all that plastic waste. Also Whitehorse if quite dry, like it is here in Alberta so there were no problems with mold. If and when I move to the coast I will build some sort of shed for the boat or get one of those plastic tarp sheds for cars. A bit of heat and air circulation would also be a consideration. Something I don't have to worry about in our bone dry climate here in Alberta.
 
As I said, I've covered my boats with a custom made cover out of Sunbrella or other like material. They've had vents put in them. I'll also usually leave the cabin wndows open a crack or so. Then I place downy fabric sheets to keep the mice at bay. And some of the dryer chemical and recently purchased a small dehumidifier fan. (It's basically a low wattage heater with a fan.) I cover the boat 4 months out of the year here in Wisconsin, which has some humidity. I have not had any problems doing that. The cover keeps the snow off and protects the boat from the elements. I will clear the snow off after every snowfall. Colby
 
Have a custom sunbrella cover for my 22. It is tied down to the trailer. It is not an air tight cover, plus the sunbrella breathes a bit. I have the accesses to the interior of the boat taped off when it is stored.

In the summer I sometimes get tiny dark spots on the exterior in some places under the cover. This is mildew that can grow in the moist areas under the cover. The spots come off in a good wash. Don't have any problem with mildew in the interior though.
 
I just ordered another Sunbrella cover form Angola today. The other one lasted 10 years until the stitching gave out. Richard recommended Aqualon but my concern was like yours; mold/mildew growth due to trapped moisture under the cover. The Aqualon does not "breathe". And the PNW is notoriously, uh, "wet".

I also upgraded the thread he uses to Tanara. Not cheap but hopefully it will last longer. The material on our old one looked like crap (dirt, mold, mildew etc) but was still keeping the boat dry, despite zero water-repellent left.

We keep our 25 on the trailer in our driveway. I pretty much cover it when it's not being used. I feel it helps the gelcoat etc last longer.

And since I'm in the middle of a complete buff/wax anything to lessen this type of maintenance is good, IMO.
 
localboy":cugy33h4 said:
I just ordered another Sunbrella cover form Angola today. The other one lasted 10 years until the stitching gave out. Richard recommended Aqualon but my concern was like yours; mold/mildew growth due to trapped moisture under the cover. The Aqualon does not "breathe". And the PNW is notoriously, uh, "wet".

I also upgraded the thread he uses to Tanara. Not cheap but hopefully it will last longer. The material on our old one looked like crap (dirt, mold, mildew etc) but was still keeping the boat dry, despite zero water-repellent left.

We keep our 25 on the trailer in our driveway. I pretty much cover it when it's not being used. I feel it helps the gelcoat etc last longer.

And since I'm in the middle of a complete buff/wax anything to lessen this type of maintenance is good, IMO.
Click to expand...

The "standard" C-Dory cover from Angola only comes down to the rub strip (more or less). I had mine extended down to the fenders on my trailer (about another 3 feet). That way it covers most of the boat. The extra cost to extend the cover is basically just the cost of the extra material. Angola Canvas is pretty accommodating when making custom modifications to the stock pattern (especially when you get them in the slow season).
 
Sunbrella lasts longer if you wash it every year, then spray (saturate) with 303 fabric protectorate. Canvas can be re sewn--but the Gore Tex type of threat (Tenara is one type, will last about 2 x as long as the Dacron thread normally used.

Any boat AK (or any other place which has freeze/thaw cycles.) needs to be under cover during the winter
 
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