Rehd,

I've been tinkering with the hoop-house idea for a while. I have no problem gettin kayaks out of my basement workshop, but I have plans for a 21' sailboat that I want to start on after I finish the Grebe I've started for the kids.

A few questions:

How strong/stable is the structure, with respect to winds?
Does it feel like it would stand up to some snow loading? I know you don't have to worry about that problem but I do. I could brush the snow off daily but I'd hate to wake in the morning and find the structure flattened.
If you figure 2-3 years out of the tarps, I'd have to hurry it took me 2 1/2 years to complete the Baidarka, but I work better under pressure

Keep up the good work!!

Kehn

: I am nearly finished with the Hoop-House - Boat-House that I started a couple
: weeks ago. It's worked out very well and the Wally is in it already.
: Plenty of room to store several boats and/or a workbench, lights and heat.

: I'll try to get the link to the album on here as well...
: O.K., they don't have an album link on HP Photo, so use this

: Hpphoto.com
: name "rehdbrown"
: password "redspics"
: album "HoopHouse"

: I will be adding a small tarp to the opening to close it up when not in use.
: I'll add a couple of pics of that when I get to it.. and of the boat inside
: and the amount of room to work inside.

: I spent a tad more by purchasing the blue tarps and I also anchored it with
: rebar inside the bottom 1/2" PVC. With softer/loamy ground the
: 1/2" PVC would probably do just fine...

: I will be adding a couple of 2 lb coffee cans with cement and a ring that
: will be attached with bungie cords in case of high winds. Won't get them
: where it's sitting, but if moved elsewhere I may need them.

: The house has cost me just a tad over $100.00 at this time. The tarps are
: probably good for 2 to 3 years before the sun down here eats them up

: The building instructions were borrowed from " The West Side Gardener
: " on the internet and modified to use the rebar and tarps rather than
: clear 6mil. plastic.

: This structure, while lightweight, I believe would work well for boat
: construction and can be heated for winter use.... I used a couple of sets
: of Q.H. light stands and it got pretty warm inside ( but it was fairly
: warm to start with outside )

: Hope this will give some folks an idea for a shop to build, should they care
: to, during the winter season, or as I am using it, a storage for boats
: when not in use.

: Rehd