Winter Boat Cover

[Dreamboat53]

I bought the cover for my Hatteras 53 eight years ago and couldn't be happier with it. At the time it cost around $5K and I'm sure it'll be quite a bit more now, but having to spend $2500 each year on shrink-wrap didn't make sense. My frame is made from 2x4 and is connected with custom made connectors (basically wooden shapes and stove bolts, supplied with the cover).
I can erect or take down the whole thing in a day by myself. The structure is steep enough that it's not bothered by snow (I live in Ontario, Canada).
It was supplied by GENCO Marine in Mississauga, Ont.
The fabric breathes, which eliminates the sweating that sometimes occurs with shrink-wrap. I keep it fairly tight, so there is no issue with flapping and wearing out.
Here are a couple of pics of the boat with the frame erected and with the cover installed.

 

[Nepidae]

Winter boat cover

I have a cover that I had made over 10ya.

It is made of a heavier shrink wrap material and it takes into consideration that we have a fixed, Hard to Top, roof on the bridge. No frame is necessary as it used 6-8 PVC poles along the centerline to hold it in place.

There is also a zipper in the stern to gain entrance during the winter and 4 vents.

IF I remember correctly it ran about $3K when we had it made.

Sunbrella would be a very expensive way to go and unnecessary based on my experience.

Our is 1 piece which we use 2 dock lines to lift, rolling the cover on to our sundeck roof and then roll it toward the bow over the radar and Hard to Top roof then to the bow and over the pulpit (we remove the anchor).

As a full explanation we have been on the Loop for the last 7yrs and will be finishing next when we will start to use the cover again.

I'd check Google and your local area, asking others who have covers who made theirs.

Great savings over the cover's lifetime instead of shrink wrap.