Winter Storage in Canada

Submitted by Josiean on Wed, 06/30/2010 - 15:39
I've just bought a FS and will be leaving it permanently in Canada. What are my options for maintaining it over the winter? Store it indoors? Would any covered place do, such as a barn? Store it outdoors? If so, with what preparation, cover, etc.? What about "shrink wrap"? I had never heard of it but it is an option at a Canadian marina. I assume the boat is left outdoors after wrapping. The boat has a trailer. In summer, during use, it will be on a winched ramp pulled up on the lake shore since we have no dock. I want this boat to last 60 years, so need some expert advice.
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Comments

Glad to hear you found a boat.

Submitted by sawyerspadre on Wed, 06/30/2010 - 19:31.
Glad to hear you found a boat. Storing it indoors would be the best choice. It doesn't hurt the boat to be stored in below freezing temps, as long as the boat has no water lying in it. If you store it with the bow lifted, so water can run out, in case the roof leaks, you will be fine. You may want to cover it to keep the dust off and minimize the spring cleaning. If you store it outside, again be sure it is bow-up to let water drain. The type of cover would be a factor of how much snowfall the area gets. Shrink wrap probably works fine, but would need to be supported in a way that would make it shed snow. Phil Scheetz FS 4086

Phil Scheetz

FS 4086

Fleet 163, Nockamixon Sail Club

You may want to clean out the boat so it's empty.

Submitted by Claus on Tue, 07/06/2010 - 15:07.
You may want to clean out the boat so it's empty. If you leave stuff inside of it mice might like it more. I guess they could damage sails, life vest, etc.

Claus FS5074 Ames, IA

The biggest concern, as noted by other posts, is not trapping an

Submitted by FS5257 on Tue, 07/06/2010 - 20:59.
The biggest concern, as noted by other posts, is not trapping any moisture and good ventilation with run off of condensation. It only takes one season of freezing water to do serious harm and depending on the age of your Scot, if there is any moisture trapped in the core anywhere, it can freeze - expand - delaminate thus leaving you with a major issue in the spring. In Vermont, we would shrink wrap and store in a pole barn that we rented space in for the winter. The shrink wrap kept the boat clean and free of animal nests. Make sure you tape over the drain plug and seat drain holes with blue masking tape. The benefit of the blue tape is that it will lift if it gets wet and not trap water.

I would add, even if you store it indoors in a barn or warehouse

Submitted by Jay Lott on Fri, 07/16/2010 - 14:46.
I would add, even if you store it indoors in a barn or warehouse, cover it to keep off the mouse crap / bat droppings. And leave some mothballs in it to deter mice. (I tried the other suggested mouse repellent last winter, which is scented dryer sheets, and that did not work). Mouse traps are another option. As the other commenters said, don't store it outside unless completely covered, and preferably shrinkwrapped. J. Lott FS 5698

I got my FS #3561 last fall.

Submitted by fross on Sat, 07/17/2010 - 12:24.
I got my FS #3561 last fall. I store it on a trailer next to my house in West Virginia. Last winter we received 260 inches of snow up here in the mountains. I prepared my boat for storage the following manner - 1. tossed in about 6 moth balls to keep the mice, chipmonks, squirrels and other critters out. 2. I store the mast, sail, boom and all other parts in my basement. 3. I made a cockpit cover frame from a 2x6 as a spline and some 1x4's for a couple of ribs. 4. I used 2- 8x12 heavy (brown/silver) tarps to cover the boat. On several occasions I had to shovel off the snow when it got over 2 or 3 feet deep on the cover. By the end of winter I was standing on snow shoes in snow 4 feet deep just to shovel off the snow. The boat came thru in great shape. It will take about a day or two for the moth ball smell to leave the boat. I also overwinter a 12 foot wooden sailboat I built the same manner - except it will fit under the back deck so I don't have to shovel off the snow on that one. P.S. it get down to - 5 to -10 F here in the winter.