Storing Gear/Sails

I bought a large rubbermaid bin with locking top to keep outside with all my gear (harnesses, rigging, pfd, jib sail, and some other misc. things) besides the mainsail and rudders. It is okay to store them outside during the winter or will the cold damage them? They are under my deck to give some added protection from the elements.

Lou

Probably not, but mice get pretty creative. They can chew through just about anything, plastic is the least of their concerns.

I'd have to agree with Karl on this one.

It's not the cold you have to worry about, it's the critters. PFD foam, chewed up into little pieces, makes great nest insulation.

A garage would be better, basement best. My stuff gets cleaned, then hung up in a basement closet.

If the boat wasn't going to Florida in less than two months it'd be in my basement too.




I take it you just don't have the room indoors?

Yeah, we don't have much room inside. It's a smaller house, no garage. We have a basement, but the only outside access is a small 3x3 hole under our deck and from the inside is a 24" wide staircase. I'm working on the garage thing - going back and forth between a detached and attached.