Hello, I’ve been enjoying my Tripper with my children over the last 6 months. We’ve explored various lakes, ponds, rivers, etc.
Soon, however, it’ll be time to put it up for the winter. Temps in my area get to -10˚F at times… although most temps are in the 10-30 range throughout the winter.
Is storing it outside an “OK” thing to do? Is there a way to winterize it? Any advice or suggestions here would be appreciated.
There may be a way I can get it into our basement…but it’d be quite the squeeze 
I’ve had mine
in snow banks several (alright, more than several) years, in so deep they disappeared. Vinyl and aluminum gunwales.Have had up to 11 boats at home, the composite go under the deck on picnic tables, the royalex next to a shed on a table, gunwales down. Had some cracks in my Dumoine after she spent last year on her side next to a deck, but that may have been from an escapade I had poling where she got away and shot through a rock garden like a greyhound after a rabbit.Most of my boats are 12-20 years old. This being p-net, I’m sure I’ll get yelled at for my lacksadaisacal approach. I also paddle year round, some years into the teens, and lows below zero.
Basically, if you can’t get it inside, I mean, really, this is p-net, why don’t you put your boat in your bedroom and YOU sleep outside??? lol. Anyways, try to support the gunwales and if you can make a little roof over the canoe with a tarp (tarps will freeze to royalex and tear on those “must use THIS boat and it’s 15 out” days so try to keep them seperate. Loosen wood gunwales, which I think you don’t have to worry about.
Best advice…listen to the next poster. I’m a boat pig, my days of cosmetic anxiety are long gone…
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2948117280094366337QTzFxU
funny
You’re a funny guy… I actually laughed out loud!!!
I’ll probably have to leave it outside…just want to make “Trippie” as comfortable as possible.
Keep them covered
Sun does the most damage, I’ve always stored my boats outside and always covered with tarps.
Well, MY canoe and kayak and bike
now have their own apartment—I rented a public storage unit for them, and I’m sure they feel cozy and loved.
The squeeze…
If possible, do the squeeze; put it in your basement.
Then forget about it; no worries.
How long will it take to do the squeeze? 20 minutes?
It will be protected for how long? Six months?
BOB
You’re in ME. right?
– Last Updated: Aug-20-12 12:08 PM EST –
Snow loads, UV exposure, and falling limbs during storms are probably your biggest concerns. I'd want it under a hard cover. Even an open-sided shed would do and I wouldn't worry too much about cold-cracking, though my aluminum-railed Penobscot did develop a hairline after many years of covered outdoor storage.
I'm with theBob. Get a buddy to help squeeze it into the basement if you can. It'll be worth the laughs and the couple of beers it'll cost you. Just put the little ones somewhere they won't hear the bad words.
You've still got a good 6-8 weeks of the best flat-water paddling months in Maine left to figure it out.
Just want to say
that I have heard that tarps directly on plastic boats can heat them up enough to distort the hull. I am pretty sure this only happens in summer though.
If no squeeze
then do tarp the boat. I have had some trouble with blushing when I tarped directly onto the hull. I now tie a “pool noodle” along the keel line and then the tarp goes on top. That makes for a bit of airflow.
Peter