Shrink wrapping your boat for winter, Good Idea? or not?

I'll be storing my 16.5 ft Starcraft over the winter outside this yr for the first time.
Is it worth shrink wrapping your boat given its outside?
Or is it cost prohibitive?

Looking forward to the comments.

Cheers,

Google "Navigloo" I purchased it a few years back and was cheaper than 1 year of wrap and storage at a marina. You will need to replace the tarp every few years but well worth it so far. I am covering a 20" pontoon.

Very similar to the system that I'm using. But I purchased a Sunbrella water-proof canvas custom fitted cover for my bass boat and built a "tent" support system with 3 8' lengths of PVC tubing. I just make sure that the adjustment straps are very tight when I shut the boat down for the season and re-apply the waterproofing. It's worked very well over the past 3 winters and I made it tall enough so snow/ice doesn't build up.

Here's what my cover looks like.

Very similar to the system that I'm using. But I purchased a Sunbrella water-proof canvas custom fitted cover for my bass boat and built a "tent" support system with 3 8' lengths of PVC tubing. I just make sure that the adjustment straps are very tight when I shut the boat down for the season and re-apply the waterproofing. It's worked very well over the past 3 winters and I made it tall enough so snow/ice doesn't build up.

Yup, the key with any frame. purchased or homemade is to make the slopes high enough so the snow slides off and you are not having to go and clean it off after every dump of snow.

The tie-down straps aren't totally tightened in the picture because I'm still using the boat. After shutting down, you could bounce a coin off the cover.

As always, thanks for your advice.

Cheers

not sure what cost prohibited is for you but my boat stays outside every winter . ithink it is worth it to protect my investment. any marina you see with new stock laying around for winter is allways wrapped . its not just about snow and ice but also critters that can decide to make their home in your boat. a 16 foot boat at 15$ a foot would be about 250$

Thx Grampa, good to know.

Cheers,

The shrink wraps work but lining up a person to come and do it/ pay the $10/ft isnt always fun.

I have done it both ways, with the shrink wrap i never thought about it breaking and having ice build up in my boat.. on the other hand i was always thinking after a big snow then thaw that i would end up having some residual ice build up in the bottom of the boat.

Your choice but remember if you cover the boat yourself make sure its done right.

Any problems with mice

I have stored mine in driveway since I bought it in 2011 and one before that in 2003. I put 4x4 posts in one in front of motor, on middle of boat and one at front, if you have a windshield. my current has no windshield so and is 20ft long. So I use 4 centre posts. I run a 2x4 down the centre I drill a hole in the 4x4 and put a bolt through to hold 2x4. Then I made 2x4 ribs that hang off the centre rib. Then put a blue tarp over tied down with bungee cord. Took me a bit of time the first year to make, but now it takes about 30 mins and no tools. Have to use bungee cord so the tarp flexes. First year I tied with string, no flex and tarp ripped to shreds in about a month. I just replace my first tarp on my current boat, so lasted 8 years. I have had no issues with mice, but I also don't leave anything in boat. I have no pictures as it not time to put away yet.

The shrink wrap is a lot of plastic to dispose of after winter.
Just throwing in the environmental point of view.

Make a small cut just enough to slide the shrink wrap up over the nose of the boat, take cover off and store it and then use again next yr

Yup, I will be on year 4 this winter with the same shrink wrap for my 16 footer

just need to buy some rolls of tape for patches every now and then...

got to say I love it as snow just slides off