I have been storing my boats outside, year round for about six years. I can't say I have any boats that have survived the entire six years as I seem to be trading in and upgrading on a regular basis. My Pintail has survived three winters with no ill effects from being outside.

It is best to store them upside down because you will get water in the cockpit regardless of what kind of cover you have. Standing water causes some nasty mold and mildew that can be tough to get out. I store them without a cockpit cover as the water rolls down the sides, around the coaming and collects in the cockpit.

If you have valley or ndk hatches that seal really well, it is worth venting your bulkheads with a pinhole so as you don't stress the deck with a change in pressure when the temp changes. I know someone who cracked the deck around the hatch on an Explorer when this happened.

I don't cover my boats as I don't have a good way to do it without trapping condensation against them or freezing the tarp to them. I do spray them down with 303 prior to storage in the hopes of slowing the UV damage.

John