In preparation for the arrival of my new vessel, I had to go through the typical hoop jumping of any new boat owner.
Insurance for boating and towing, financing, and most importantly a place to keep it.
Insurance and financing are individual items that are so totally unique to every person, I won’t go into that.
However, where to keep your boat is a common issue.
The West Wight Potter 19 can be stored in a large garage if it has a folding tongue or an exceptionally long garage. Even though I’m an apartment dweller, I do have a garage. However, it’s not that spacious.
Since I don’t have a yard I’m left with either marina or storage. Storage won out hands down. Marina berth’s are incredibly expensive and you still have to store the trailer itself somewhere. On top of that it kills the purpose of having a trailer able vessel you can travel with when you have to first pull the boat out. Plus, sitting in salt water builds up gunk on the hull and rusts the daggerboard.
The other option (since I’m a military reservist) is in a local bases Morale Welfare and Recreation storage lot, but no spaces are available, yet.
So, I found a storage area nearby that wouldn’t break the bank. Unfortunately they don’t have covered spots and they have trees and a dirt lot.
What’s that mean? I need to cover my baby.
And since this was spring pollen season the need was immediate. The last thing I needed were leaves and pollen stains ruining the excellent finish of my boat.
Two large tarps and lots of white parachute cord along with the aid of my able bodied kung fu kid and we were able to cover it to the gunwales for nearly the entire length of the boat.
They were already in my hurricane kit so the price was right. Lowe’s has very large tarps which could save you the hassle of stringing two together like I did. I would bet they are more durable than mine. Make sure you get it big enough to go over the main mast resting in the yoke and reach the gunwales on both sides.
Some cover notes: I do not recommend using bungie cords because they maintain a constant pulling pressure on the tarps. Tarps aren’t great for handling constant stress and the sun adds to its deterioration. Use some form of non-elastic tie downs like parachute cord or straps. If your tarp has grommets or you can add some, makes sure they don’t rust against your hull or it will stain.
The other option is to buy the West Wight Potter 19 cover from International Marine. My last check showed the cost at $850. I decided this was too pricey than I wanted for now. Comparative pricing I could buy covers large enough ten times over and still have money to spare.
Since I’m in Florida, hurricanes can be a concern. I intend to investigate trailer and boat tie down options before the season.
21 Buzzards 