Mid Winter Checkup

Went to check on my boat this weekend. Have it on my in laws property here on Long Island. Was a tiny bit of snow still on the Shrinkwrap but we had heavy rains then very cold weather and a couple of small snow events. Each one a couple of inches. Unfortunately all the precipitation and 18 degrees Saturday morning was too much for the zipper on the access door. It was completely frozen in place and I knew if I tried to force it I would've broken it so I wisely just walked away after doing a visual walk around. Hate not being able to get inside and make sure all is good but it is what it is. This week is supposed to warm up to almost 50 by end of week with a bunch of rain so I should be able to get in then.
 
Checked boat this morning. I only use a cockpit cover for winter. Couple inches of snow on it, all good.
Last spring I reconditioned the cover. My canvas guy removed all the original thread in seams, replaced with a fishing line filament type stiching, impervious to rot. That stuff will support bricks now. Well spent $200.
Gotta say, with all the money I have put into this boat, somebody is gonna get a real nice boat someday. I will never recoup the total spent. What the hell, keeps me out of bars. Oh, wait a minute.
 
My boat is towable, so it lives next to my house, under a cover, with a Davis Air-Dryr and desiccant buckets, under a metal carport. Peeked under the cover after our week in the teens n twenties. Everything is still there, no bugs rodent or mold issues (never has with this setup). Batteries in the garage. Working on improving the electrical setup, making better use of space for batteries and water system (rinse sink and transom shower). 3d printing bits and bobs. Debating actually doing the bellows this spring. But every year I look at it, the rubber is soft, there's no cracking or ANY indication they're failing.
 
my3sons said:
Up in western NY, boats go into storage and for the most part are forgotten about until April except for cruise planning for the next summer. Right about now there’s probably 6’ of snow in front of the doors on the storage buildings. Our storage facility doesn’t make any effort to clear snow unless they need to get into a building for some reason. Fine with me.
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I put ours up in indoor storage in October, after filling and stabilizing the gas tank, and then wait for a rainy day when I don't have anything outdoors to do. Then, I service the engines, put a good coat of wax on her, and then cinch the cover down tight. Once a month I pull open the back port side of the cover and give the battery a quick charge.

When Spring comes she is ready to go o the first day, with nothing needed.
 
Strecker25 said:
you guys are getting crushed again I see. Rochester is cold (single digits overnight), but barely a dusting on the grass.

very little ice on the lake though, which is nice this time of year.
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Nooooooo. That's awful this time of year. Now we get lake effect snow every time the conditions are right. An ice covered lake means Winter is about to end. Besides, it keeps the ice fishermen happy.
 
Had the Fountain delivered to my home so it's sitting in the driveway. Finally had decent temps today so I installed the shrink wrap zipper door and climbed inside for the first time. Zero headroom with the shrink wrap coming off the windshield but it was fun to hang out for a few. I'll be back in it tomorrow since it will be in the 40s which lately seems warm.
 
GypsmJim said:
Nooooooo. That's awful this time of year. Now we get lake effect snow every time the conditions are right. An ice covered lake means Winter is about to end. Besides, it keeps the ice fishermen happy.
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haha true, but water in its liquid form in early march means I get to take the dinghy out. It doesn't do so well on the ice :)
 
Strecker25 said:
haha true, but water in its liquid form in early march means I get to take the dinghy out. It doesn't do so well on the ice :)
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When Erie ice breaks up there are ice bergs flowing down the Niagara.

My son's birthday is 3/30. He simply MUST go jet-skiing that day. There have been times that he was dodging ice floes on the River.

Early fishing on the Erie Canal is a favorite. When the canal opens in Spring, the current starts to pull in ice floes. One year I checked and they were far down stream. That day the pike fishing was particularly good and I stayed out longer than planned. When I returned to the launch the ice had just gotten there. All I had was a boat hook to push the ice away so I could back the trailer in the ramp.
 
Made it back down to the boat today and as I figured, with the warmer temperatures, the zipper on the access door is free once again. Spent about an hour or so just checking on everything. All looked good. No leaks, no holes in the Shrinkwrap, no unwanted guests. Checked the Damp-rid buckets, removed a 12v receptacle from the cockpit area that needed to be replaced, refilled the tray of moth balls that I leave on the swim platform, and I was on my way.
 
Supposed to be 70+ at the boat tomorrow! I'm headed down to check on things, get a few small projects done, crank up the portable heater in the aft stateroom and spend the first night of 2024 on the boat!

Jaybeaux
 
techmitch said:
Critter's hate them NSEW.
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We have a mountain cabin with a small shed to store my lawn and garden equipment. Always had issues with mice. Particularly over Winter.

I asked all the experts and pundits how to prevent them. At first I bought a ton of moth balls and wrapped them in cloth bags, distributing them inside the barn. Spring revealed the biggest mouse nest I ever saw. They ate the moth ball bags and made the nest with them.

Same with dryer sheets, peppermint spray, etc, etc. If they can get in to find shelter, they WILL go in regardless of any preventions. Once I found the hole and patched it up, no more mice.
 
GypsmJim said:
We have a mountain cabin with a small shed to store my lawn and garden equipment. Always had issues with mice. Particularly over Winter.

I asked all the experts and pundits how to prevent them. At first I bought a ton of moth balls and wrapped them in cloth bags, distributing them inside the barn. Spring revealed the biggest mouse nest I ever saw. They ate the moth ball bags and made the nest with them.

Same with dryer sheets, peppermint spray, etc, etc. If they can get in to find shelter, they WILL go in regardless of any preventions. Once I found the hole and patched it up, no more mice.
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Tell us about ect, ect.
 
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