I’m considering a tyvek shroud for our Seward Passat. It will spend this winter under a deck, but at 22 feet by 26 inches the bow will be exposed to the weather. Southeast Alaska’s winter weather is mild in comparison to many parts of the country, but still there will be snow in February and March. We will use the kayak occasionally throughout the winter. Our covey of singles will be warm and dry in the heated garage.
So, here’s the questions. Should the shroud cover completely the kayak, or would a tent-like cover be sufficient? And, given the only available size of tyvek I have access to purchase here is 9 feet in length, what should be the width of the shroud?
Tyvek - - only 9’ long or width??
You can purchase Tyvek in a 9’wide roll from about any DIY lumber yard but it’s pretty pricey for what your planning.
Why not a long cheap tarp. Blue ones are probably fine for this.
What kind of boat material / poly / fiberglass / kevlar? (not familiar with that model)
Tvyek in Southeast Alaska
– Last Updated: Sep-21-06 8:30 PM EST –
The tyvek is on a 9'roll. I can buy it in 9 by x lengths at $1.45 a foot. In Juneau, just one (of 2) building supply store carries tyvek. We have no roads, so going anyplace else is out of the question. So is ordering from Outside since it is available here, just in the 9' length. This is the land of blue tarps, but I want something lighter.
Ahhh - - out in the boonies
understood - - good luck
Height?
How far from the bottom of your deck to the ground?
I would opt for a tent cover …
providing you can keep the snow from collapsing the tyvek tent. If you wrap the kayak it could trap moisture - better to get some ventilation IMO.
Height of deck
Very little height, less than a foot in most places. I live on the edge of an abyss that drops down to the sea. The deck is four feet from the edge. Makes for cool seal launches.
blue tarps
The only time I covered a boat with a blue tarp, the tarp leaked through the fabric (not through seams or holes). I had to refinish some wood. Since then, I’ve read that blue-tarp cloth is not waterproof, so I doubt this was a one-off problem. Never again.
– Mark
I agree about tent-style
to keep from trapping moisture. Maybe hang a pole horizontally off the deck (do you have a way to secure it?), attach Tyvek to the end of the pole and to something on the deck, and peg the free-hanging corners of the Tyvek to the ground so that the cloth doesn’t touch the boat.
If you used a camping tarp, it would have grommet holes already in place for the attachments I suggested. And as long as you’ve not encasing the boat or letting the cloth touch the boat, I think a non-waterproof (blue) tarp would be okay. The point is to shelter the boat from sun and wind and water accumulation, right? You can afford to let it get a little wet now and then, as long as it dries again. But maybe the weather there requires more thorough waterproofing than I am imagining.
– Mark
Tarp and tents
Our blue tarps are waterproof; dotting the landscape here in Juneau covering junk piles and old boats.
I’m going for 4 by 22 and will fashion some sort of tent over the boat.
Thanks for your input
cockpit covers
It would probably be a good idea to wrap the cockpits with something to keep critters out, as well.
tyvek breathes…
don’t know why it would hurt it to lay it over the boat…