> Hi folks,

> With winter coming and all, and my upcoming Exp. Sing. project Ive looked
> around for places that I can store a 19' boat. Crossways across my parents
> garage and hung from the ceiling is one option... but thats also a 50 mile
> round trip every time I want to get my kayak. The other alternative I've
> pondered is storing it outside. Bare in mind, the boat would be TOTALY
> shielded from the sun wrapped up in a tarp and supported off the ground.
> Snow would fall on it, as rain would too, but never directly, just on the
> tarp. That said, what would exsposure of this sort do to the integrity of
> the hull? Will the moinsture eventually seep thru into the wood? What
> about all thos sub freezing temps in a new england winter? I picture
> cracked epoxy from the temps and discolored wood from moisture seepage
> thru the epoxy. Are my fears justified?

Peter,

I built a cedar strip Adirondack guideboat fifteen years ago. The first seven or eight years I stored it in a garage, the last seven or eight years I stored it outside on a rack uncovered but in the shade. It is there year round and I have had no problems. I live in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and we get winter temperatures down to thirty some below and snow up to one hundred and eighty inches a year. The outside of the hull is painted (Interthane Plus), and the rest is varnished. I do shovel off the snow in the winter to keep the weight down. If you do cover it, maybe a canvas tarp would be better than those blue tarps, as won`t trap moisture?