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PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:26 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 18, 2016 11:44 am
Posts: 49
Location: Traverse City, MI.
I removed tramps from hulls and wings and then secured the wings in down position. Tarp over each hull with port hole covers removed. Rudders secured in upright position and mast is in trailoring position with trailer mount and mast cradle. Living in the woods in northern Michigan. I think it should be fine unless a tree falls on it which makes me debate removing the wings as well for winter.

What do you guys do who have to leave the boat outside for winter?


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 5:03 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 1184
Location: Nepean S.C. Ottawa, Canada
We remove everything that is removable, including drain plugs and port hole covers and rudders.
Mast is stored (slot down) under the deck of the Clubhouse. Critical parts are wrapped in plastic.
We don't want freezing rain to ruin the slot or other parts.

I raise my SX18 about 24" off the ground, so that the hulls do NOT sit in snow pack.
Old car tyres are good if needed. I have built a custom frame to raise the boat, as our Sailing Club refuses to have old tyres on the premises.
(Pollution problem and they turn into good nesting spots for mosquitoes in summer).

I take the sails, tramps, and rudders home and service the delrin screw and cams etc each winter.
Same for the boom and spin pole set up.
Tough to do in a Honda Civic....lucky I have a sun roof.

The sails get carefully inspected, repaired, cleaned and stored.

We make sure that the SX18 is securely tied down in case of wind storms, and we inspect it a few times over the winter....
we are certain it gets lonely out there in the cold.

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 6:51 pm 
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Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
Last year I fully disassembled both 18’s, flipped the hulls upside down on my storage rack, strapped them down, and then covered everything with tarps.

I’m not as motivated this year (i.e. don’t have the time), so one boat is fully disassembled with the hulls sitting on the storage rack inside the hulls of the assembled boat. The assembled boat has had the rudders and tramp removed. A fitted tramp/deck cover is installed over the decks (with a windsurfing mast spanning the front and rear crossbars to keep the center of the cover from sagging). Deck lids are removed for ventillation but I need to come up with a quick cover to help keep rain water out. Lots of padding where the hulls sit on the rack to prevent damage. The only real issue with this setup is snow weight building up on the cover, so I will have to either remove the cover or brush it off if we get any significant snow.

Masts are stored on a makeshift rack to keep them off the ground.

Crossbars, tramps, rudders, booms, etc are stored either in the garage or in the trailer box.

Sails are in the basement on a rack to keep them off the floor and (hopefully) deter any rodents from making a home in them.

Last thing I usually do (but haven’t gotten around to yet) is jack the trailer up and put the axle on blocks. This prevents the tires from developing flat spots from sitting in one position for months at a time.

sm


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PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 7:01 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 1184
Location: Nepean S.C. Ottawa, Canada
Go to the top of the Forum page, and look for Sailing FAQ's, scroll down to Winter Storage.
You'll see some pictures of my old SC, where we stored H18's outside.....

Good tip about the trailer tyres, Steve.

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 8:46 am 
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Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:07 am
Posts: 8
Living in Atlanta, I remove tramp, mast, cables, hull caps and plugs, rudder assembly, block up trailer and REMOVE
the wheels- cover with tarp - then go ride the Harley! :o

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******************
an old Salt still flying Hobie 18s since 1987!
Sail numbers: 13847 past 7997, 1155, 176
Boat name: Blown Away


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:14 am 
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Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 3:15 pm
Posts: 610
Location: Buffalo, NY
The last four years, I'd remove all standing and running rigging, righting line, rudders & daggers, trampoline & lacing, and store it all indoors in a dry basement. I'd leave the covers and plugs on, boat on the trailer in the backyard. However, I'd get water that would end up leaking into the hulls through the deck ports and collecting in there, which I believe has contributed to the 5 soft spots I've had to repair in the last 5 years. Last year a tree fell next to the boat and a tree branch put a crack in the deck right alongside the dagger well, so I had to sand down and re glass that. I also developed a leak in the mast last winter where the mast rotation bar attaches to the mast, and had probably a cup of water in the mast by spring. Thank god the water didn't freeze and expand in there and split the mast!

This year I decided to completely disassemble (crossbars included) and store my hulls in the basement. I'd highly recommend at least covering the boat with a heavy tarp in the winter, both to keep the snow and ice from getting in the hull ports, and to protect the hulls from UV radiation all winter.

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Mike
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'79 H18 standard 'Rocketman II' sail #14921 RIP
'78 H18 (unnamed) sail #14921
'08 H16 sail #114312
'97 H21SC sail #238


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:39 am 
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:13 am
Posts: 1184
Location: Nepean S.C. Ottawa, Canada
Yikes
One CANNOT leave a set of H18 hulls with covers and plugs on.....
With sunshine on the hulls, condensation will form on the inside of the hulls and set up a water problem.
The hulls have to breathe....so remove port-hole covers and plugs before draping the hulls with a tarpaulin, OR store the boat inside.

_________________
2015 H16, with spin,
SOLD 1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."
'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:56 am 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
I'd recommend storing the mast horizontally (as opposed to vertically or tilted like it normally is on the trailer). That way if any water does get in, it won't really be able to pool at one end and crack the mast if it freezes.

sm


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:06 am 
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Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:20 pm
Posts: 295
Location: South Boardman, Mi
Quote:
I'd recommend storing the mast horizontally


I can confirm that leaving the mast vertical is a bad idea. I had to get the mini-sledge out to close the sail track on a H16 mast after water froze up and pushed the track out.

I have seen boats in varying states of terrible condition, and the obvious damage always came from something significant. Soft spots from hard impacts, holes from sharp impacts, excessive beaching wear. I don't know that I have ever seen any bad damage from out of the water winter storage.

So, basically, don't worry. Make sure the hulls can't fill with water. If you feel like it, take off the rudders, tramp and the running rigging. They will last a lot longer...

Don't pull the drain plugs unless the boat is tilted way back to drain, or the hulls are covered with a tarp. I have found in the summer months if my drain plugs are pulled my hulls take on rain water as in runs down the transom and into the unplugged drain.

Same logic for the port covers.

I will be winterizing my boats today... I live in Northern lower Michigan. I suspect most people got around to it a little sooner, but I just couldn't let the season go that easily.

-Joe


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 7:17 am 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
speed633 wrote:
I don't know that I have ever seen any bad damage from out of the water winter storage.


- Snow load. Heavy build up of snow on the boat can stress the hulls (especially if the trailer has rollers and not bunks). Snow can also damage a mast if you have a tarp "tented" over the mast and snow builds up on the tarp.

- Rodents. If a mouse makes a home out of your sail, it will chew holes, etc.

sm


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 9:45 am 
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Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 3:15 pm
Posts: 610
Location: Buffalo, NY
John Lunn wrote:
Yikes
One CANNOT leave a set of H18 hulls with covers and plugs on.....
With sunshine on the hulls, condensation will form on the inside of the hulls and set up a water problem.
The hulls have to breathe....so remove port-hole covers and plugs before draping the hulls with a tarpaulin, OR store the boat inside.


This applies for summertime even more-so. I've come to realize that most of the reason that my hulls constantly have/had an inch or two of water in them was due to condensation. Bought a boat cover recently and keep the ports off, now it's bone dry. I think this is at the core of my soft spot issue, having found a new soft spot each year where I know my hulls were previously rock solid (mostly on the high-load sections of the deck)

In the past, I didn't want to remove covers and plugs because I thought water/snow would tend to collect in the ports or run down the transom and in, but I underestimated the condensation problem. This year I've decided to do it right and store my hulls indoors. Plus, I've spent a lot of time & money buffing & polishing my hulls back to the point where I can see my reflection in them, and a winter outdoors would surely result in a lot of fading and chalkiness come spring time.

I never thought about the snow loading on the deck or mast, but I can see where that would be worrisome. Glad I never tried to do that!


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 11:55 am 
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Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:20 pm
Posts: 295
Location: South Boardman, Mi
Quote:
- Rodents. If a mouse makes a home out of your sail, it will chew holes, etc.


Yes, this is a common problem. I had some rodents "depower" one of my windsurfer sails for me. Any suggestions to keep out future mice? Perhaps I could store my sails in Schrodinger's Box...

I guess the snow load is another concern...

-Joe


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 08, 2017 10:15 pm 
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Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2016 3:35 pm
Posts: 8
What about storing my Hobie 18 outside on a trailer with heavy plastic tarp over the boom, bow tilted up and deck covers and stern hull plug removed says Robert in Vancouver, BC. So far, no soft spots ?


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 09, 2017 3:06 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 10:25 am
Posts: 4176
Location: Jersey Shore
A large tarp can potentially hold a huge amount of snow load. Enough to damage your mast or hulls (especially if your boat is only supported by single trailer rollers). If you use a large tarp, you will definitely want to brush the boat off if there is a heavy snow fall.

sm


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 11:05 am 
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We get snow every couple of years in Vancouver, BC, Canada for a couple of days, not much to worry about replies Robert
I have a very new zinc galvanized trailer with double wide rollers.


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