How to Shrink Wrap Your Boat for the Winter
You've worked hard for your boat-- inevitably putting much time and money into ensuring that she runs well and stays in great shape. This upkeep doesn't stop in the wintertime, and shrink wrapping your pride and joy during these winter months is a key step in protecting your investment. Shrink wrapping your boat is ideal for winter storage as it will prevent animals and rodents from entering. Shrink wrap is also non-permeable and will prevent moisture from getting inside, which can cause mildew to grow inside your boat over the wintertime. Shrink wrapping your boat offers anywhere from 6 months to 1 year of protection from the elements.
Preparing for the Shrink Wrap
For optimal protection, move your boat to a protected and well-ventilated location. You can leave smaller speed boats or sail boats on their trailer while you winterize them. If you have a larger or heavier boat, such as a yacht, you'll need to put your boat on blocks for the winter. It’s best to do your winterizing of your boat at the location that it will be stored in to avoid possibly damaging the shrink wrap in moving the boat, after shrink wrapping.
Cover any fuel vents with shrink wrap tape to seal them to protect your vessel. Turn off the fuel line valve and drain any remaining fuel out of the line. Completely seal the vents to prevent heat from igniting fuel vapors, using as much tape as you need to block off the vents. If you're not sure where your vents are located, consult your boat manufacturer's owner manual for their location. Use cushions and towels to protect sharp corners this will keep the sharp parts from tearing the shrink wrap’s seal. You will want to cover all of the sharp edges completely to make them blunt. Make sure that your shrink wrap can rest on these edges without breaking. Some areas to consider are the windshield, corners, antennas and ski pylons.
Build a Frame
Next you’ll want to set up support posts along the center of your boat. Each post needs a bottom and a top cap to hold it in place properly. Place support posts in the open areas on the boat's deck. Place the first one near the bow, making sure that it's at least 10 inches above the highest point on your boat. Place the second post near the boat stern. While smaller boats only need two posts, you'll need additional posts to support the shrink wrap on larger boats. You want one additional post for every 8 feet of boat length that you need to cover. Tie down your posts in place with polyester straps that are strapped from the back end of the bow to the front and then thread the strap through the grooves on the support post caps.
Place more straps, side to side, across the boat including a single strap for each cap. Buckle all of the straps to the grab rails or cleats along the boat’s edges to keep them locked in place. If your straps look loose your shrink wrap will also be loose, so make sure that they are tight and secure. If you can't find a place to anchor the strapping, you can run it all the way down to the trailer underneath the boat.
Tie loops to the end of each piece of strapping using a basic overhand knot. Using a different type of knot is also fine as long as the straps are well-secured. Measure from the end of the strapping to about 8 inches below the metal rub rail around the edge of the boat cut new straps to length, then tie the straps to the cleats and Edge rails. Shape the free ends of the straps into well tied loops, about a half-inch in size.
Starting at the rear--or stern-- end of the boat, run a new piece of strapping through each of the loops that you tied, making sure it fits tightly against the boat's side. When you get back to the stern, tie the ends of the strap together with a buckle. Pull up the strap as tight as you can before tying it. You can tie the perimeter band around the boat's propeller. Use the propeller as an anchor point to keep the strap tight and secure.
Applying The Shrink Wrap
You'll need to determine just how much material you'll need in order to shrink wrap your boat properly. Use a tape measure to measure from the center of the boat down to the metal rub rail on the side of the boat. Add an extra 8 inches so that the sheet reaches to the perimeter band that you install later. Add another 6 inches to fold underneath the band. Double your estimate to account for the other side of the boat. Measure down from the highest point of the boat which is usually one of the supports that you set up earlier, down to the lowest point and keep in mind that it is better to use too much shrink wrap then to not have enough.
Draping
Starting from the top of the support posts, drape the shrink wrap film working your way down to the hull. The shrink wrap needs to be long enough to reach the perimeter band. Leave an extra 6 inches on all sides to cover the perimeter band. Cut off any excess material as needed with a film knife. Try to use a single piece of shrink wrap to cover the entire boat. If you need to use two pieces of shrink wrap, join them with shrink wrap tape and heat.
Heat
Wear a heat-resistant glove to protect your hand as you work. Hold the heat gun slightly above the edge of the shrink wrap. Work your way all around the boat lightly heating and patting down the tucked-in edge. Leave the back edge of the boat alone, for now. Add belly bands every 6 inches along with shrink wrap. Use your film knife to cut small slits in the shrink wrap. Measure the distance along the trailer tying polyester strapping to it. Then, thread strapping through the slats. knot the strapping tightly and cut off excess material. These belly bands keep the shrink wrap film pulled tight, which leads to a better overall seal.
Head to the stern and then again, tucking the shrink-wrap like you did the other boat side, cutting off any excess material as needed and covering the propeller or any exposed parts. Heat the edge of the shrink wrap to flatten and secure it to the boat. If you need to, reach under the stern to heat the shrink wrap from the opposite angle. Take your time as the film can tear if you work too quickly. When you're done, the shrink wrap will hang lower than it does on the rest of the boat.
Using a motion similar to spray painting, hold the gun about 6 inches above the boat and begin heating your shrink film working on one side of the boat at a time. Starting near the rub rail, move the gun steadily towards the front of the boat while heating the shrink wrap film flat. Use your gloved hand to smooth out any wrinkles that you notice as you go. Avoid overheating or melting the wrap, keeping track of the areas that you've already worked on. Work on the boat in sections.
The safest way to shrink the uppermost part of the sheeting is with an extension. Work from back to front until the entire sheet looks flat and wrinkle-free. You can also use a ladder to reach the top part portion of the boat if you do not have an extension. If you do decide to use a ladder, make sure that you are able to reach the top part of the boat without falling.
Venting and Sealing
Cover over any holes that you see with a thick layer of sheet wrap tape, then warm the tape briefly with a heat gun to cause it to stick to the shrink wrap. Also tape over noticeable seams joining shrink wrap sheets together. The tape adheres better when the shrink wrap is still warm. You may need to warm up cooled off shrink wrap briefly before attempting to apply tape.
Place vents along the sides of the boat. You will need between four and six vents for a small powerboat. Space these vents out along the boat, placing a vent close to each corner. Stick the vents directly onto the shrink wrap. A great place for the vents is over your boats taped up fuel vents. These vents let moisture out from underneath the shrink wrap, preventing mold from growing on your boat. Larger boats will need more vents.
Cut open the vent before installing a cap over it using a film knife to slice away the shrink wrap inside the vent opening. The vent cap comes included with any vents that you purchase. Once all of your vent caps have been firmly lodged onto their vents, you've completed the main winterization process of your boat!
Zipper Doors (optional)
Installing a zipper door is similar to the process of installing a vent. You may need to install a zipper door if you will need to enter the boat during the winter/while it is wrapped. Find an accessible spot on the top of your boat, then lay the door over the shrink-wrap. Tape the door in place before cutting out the opening. Pull the zipper close to the door until you need to climb inside the boat.
At Mr. Shrinkwrap, we have everything that you need to shrink wrap your boat for the winter, including Boat Wrapping Kits, Zipper Doors and more! Shop our amazing range of products to get exactly what you need. You can get in touch with us via our online form or simply call us at 800-847-5290.