Boat will be in my garage over winter..Cover it or leave it off?

[Nate Fallow]

I found a post regarding boat covering but it was more opinions on wether or not to cover outside. This winter the boat will be in my garage that doesn't really dip below 30 or so....in general there isn't really a condensation problem in the garage so I was curious if this is an instance where it would be better to be uncovered...Thoughts?

 

[djetok]

I found a post regarding boat covering but it was more opinions on wether or not to cover outside. This winter the boat will be in my garage that doesn't really dip below 30 or so....in general there isn't really a condensation problem in the garage so I was curious if this is an instance where it would be better to be uncovered...Thoughts?

I cover mine in storage for a couple of reasons. To try to keep stuff out and to keep the cover stretched. I left it off one year and the cover was a b... really hard to get re fitted the first time.

 

[malibu Dan]

this ... so my cats won’t do this...

 

[seanmclean]

I'd cover it just to keep dust and crap off of it.

 

[2kwik4u]

I leave my cover loosely thrown over the boat most of the time. I tend to be in and out of it in the winter for various reasons.

You know, like, having a rough day and drinking a beer and making boat noises in February.

 

[PEARCE]

It's really a personal preference. I've kept my Yamaha in it's own garage at our home for most of it's life. Last year I had an offer to from a friend to share some storage space in an enclosed storage next to the lake. I took them up on it and ended up staying there through the winter unintentionally. No problems at all in doing that other then the dust. I never went back to cover the boat since when I put it away it was wet and I didn't want mold setting in. When I went to use it for the first time this past spring it was REALLY dirty. I don't think it had ever been that dirty. I do plan to bring her home this fall so she can get a good cleaning with a wax and detail along with the occasional garage boating mixed in. I will leave her uncovered once I evict the damn squirrels again!

 

[haknslash]

Buy damp rid or similar product and place them in your storage components. They will suck up any moisture and you won’t have smelly carpet in the spring. Covering it helps mainly with dust and such but I’d use damp rid containers regardless.

 

[NewBoater]

I'd cover it just to keep dust and crap off of it.

This is me also. And to keep spiders, etc out. Cover is on in garage all winter but just draped over (not tight and ratcheted down). I go in once a month or so and remove the cover for a day and let it air out let some air circulate and open all cushions to let air in. Then put it back the way it was. I think I just like to get in and sit in it once in a while on cold winter months and can’t wait for summer again lol

 

[djetok]

Yep damp rid and fresh cab (once per month)

 

[seanmclean]

This is me also. And to keep spiders, etc out. Cover is on in garage all winter but just draped over (not tight and ratcheted down). I go in once a month or so and remove the cover for a day and let it air out let some air circulate and open all cushions to let air in. Then put it back the way it was. I think I just like to get in and sit in it once in a while on cold winter months and can’t wait for summer again lol

I do that with mine too... even though its outside and usually cold as shit.

 

[2kwik4u]

In the same vein of questions. Who stores their boat with the cushions in versus out? When I put it away for extended periods I will open every compartment and set the cushions flat on the floor. The hope being that air can freely circulate as much as reasonably possible, and subsequently dry as well as possible.

 

[biglar155]

I'm indoors, unheated. Temp can get to -10 F for a week straight at times. I store with the cover on loose and the cushions "lifted" to provide air flow. I also leave the ski locker and head compartment doors open.

Watch the mice. They can be destructive. They once chewed through the wiring in my buddy's Gold Wing. It cost him several thousand to get it fixed and took the shop forever to find all the damaged wiring.

I go up to the storage unit on a regular basis to check the (mouse) trap-line. By Christmas I usually have enough for a new pair of bedroom slippers for the wife.

 

[Peelz]

my boat is garaged all winter.

I open everything a little prior to storing. let it dry. leave seats, helms and floor openings ajar, and remove all the stuff inside, especially anything thats fabric.... like life vests.
then cover!!!!!

 

[haknslash]

You may be surprised how much moisture can be in those storage compartments, even if they feel or look dry.

Here’s a video from the stuff I use during each winter. I remove them in the spring when getting the boat ready and usually they will have water in them.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10203101454574499

 

[2kwik4u]

You may be surprised how much moisture can be in those storage compartments, even if they feel or look dry.

Here’s a video from the stuff I use during each winter. I remove them in the spring when getting the boat ready and usually they will have water in them.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10203101454574499

Do you leave the seats open or closed?

I used that last year, and they didn't feel appreciably heavier in the spring than when I put them in during the fall. I'll weigh them this year for a before/after comparison.

 

[Nate Fallow]

Thanks for all of the replies Yea...I guess I could loosely cover it....as evident by the thread there are many options and things to consider during storage.

 

[haknslash]

Do you leave the seats open or closed?

I used that last year, and they didn't feel appreciably heavier in the spring than when I put them in during the fall. I'll weigh them this year for a before/after comparison.

I leave the seats closed. My thinking is this allows the buckets to perform good rather than venting or removing the cushions not sure if that creates too much ventilation or not. My carpets in the storage compartments thankfully don’t have any funky mildew smells so I keep using the No Damp or Damp Rid type products. Some compartments don’t have as much moisture and I see very little drawn into the bucket where as the rear storage compartments usually have more since I use them more often when I get something out while dripping wet from swimming. I plugged all of my cup holders to minimize water intrusion into the compartments since Yamaha was too lazy to offer a drain solution for cup holders lol.