Winter storage for partially completed shearwater

I just got my shearwater sport to the tack weld stage. It is getting late in the year and there will be no way to heat my shop up to the required temp to wet out the fiberglass.It is still stiched together and I am thinking about wrapping it up in stretch plastic wrap putting it on some vee shaped bunks,to match the bt profile and leaving it until spring. Does anyone have any suggestions or see potential problems with this? I would rather wait than rush.

Thanks T


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RE: Winter storage for partially completed shearwater

i hear you....today down in the chesapeake area we had our first lick of autumn today and i am rushing to get the hull and deck of my petrel play taped together and finish up the epoxy work for the season.    like you, this boat will see its first season next year :(

i think your approach is prudent.  cold epoxy/unheated work area is a real challenge.  so if you are patient....that's not a bad thing at all.

there are ways to keep going in the colder months without heating the whole garage....but it becomes a bit of a circus and a hassle to keep track of everything to do that.

on your approach, the only thing you need to do is keep it dry, keep animals or other dirt from landing on it, and store it in a way that does not warp the boards.  since you have already tacked it up, it should be relatively stable and sturdy.  if it was me, i would store the hull upside down on its shear line on saw horses.  for the deck i would try to hang it on its side supporting it from the cockpit.   this configuration, for me, puts the least pressure on things that could warp/distort.

fwiw, i am not a big fan of wrapping in plastic as it can allow moisture to build up/liquify.  if i was worried about dirt, i would just loosely place a blue tarp over it....but make sure there is plenty of space for air to circulate.

make sure to keep your epoxy inside where it is warm.....epoxy can be ruined if it is allowed to freeze or get really cold.

h

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