Storage Ideas for Hobie Cats

My H16 is stored in my yard under tarps (on the tramp and hulls) but am considering building a more permanent structure to store it in.
Any ideas or suggestions on what I could build? Is leaving the boat under tarps (and under a tree) "good enough"? Sun is the enemy, but how bad is it really?

Outside storage is not a problem, we've done it for years.
However.......here are some suggestions:
* place the hulls on boards or foam pads or tyres so there is no 'point loading' on the hulls (which may cause damage to the hulls)
* leave the plugs out, let the hulls 'breathe'.
* raise the boat (wooden blocks? 4 x 4's?) so that it will not be sitting in the snowpack or the mud or whatever. You want the boat to be dry.
* make sure it is tied down. In the event of a windstorm.....'nuf said.
* cover the boat....tarpaulin etc The sun will cause the hulls to fade and weaken. I cover mine in summer too.
* check the boat at least once a month
* book a trip to a Caribbean resort where they have Hobies....and plan for 2019.

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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.'

The biggest risk from using a tarp is from rain or snow load damaging the hulls or mast. A tarp filled with water can easily bend a Hobie mast like a toothpick. Whenever I use a tarp to cover a boat, I intentionally cut some drain holes in it so it can’t hold water. Also, in winter you need to be vigilant about clearing off heavy snowfall before it builds up or remove the tarp and tramp altogether. Of course, having a dedicated storage structure would alleviate all these issues and is less time consuming compared to putting on and taking off a tarp everytime you sail.

sm

Good catch SRM, I forgot about the masts.

We remove the masts and store them in the rafters of the Youth Sailing facility. They are tied with four short pieces of line distributed fairly evenly, and mounted so that they cannot bend or flex. The comptip is out of the sun, and there is no chance that freezing rain/snow can get into the sail track and cause freeze/thaw damage.

We usually remove the tramps as well.....due to mice and other critters.

We have huge snow load problems up in Canada, so I run some 2 x 4's as a sort of 'roof' for the main tarp so that the rain/snow compression won't be a problem. Then I take my old tarps, and wrap the H18 everywhere. Looks awful, but it works.

I built a custom mounting platform such that the bow is raised much higher than the stern, so that if any moisture collects inside the hulls, it will drain and not pool.

Three races in the Frostbite Series, and Turkey Trot on (Canadian) Thanksgiving, and then we pack it up for the season. Sad face.

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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.'

It appears this boat is in Kailua, Oahu in Hawaii so I don't think snow is a problem. I also don't think a trip to the Caribbean is necessary to find warm sailing weather. I would expect the boat to be used year round so mast storage would also not be an issue. My guess is that sun is the biggest problem and the UV rays could be damaging. Keep it covered. If you could build a carport, it would make it easier to store and use.

Do you sail there in Kailua? There is a great beach there where my granddaughter and her husband swim and paddle-board.

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Howard

I do sail in Kailua (and Kaneohe)
Kailua and Lanikai beaches are great for Hobies, swimming and Paddle boarding.