Benefits of Shrink Wrapping Your Boat

 

Responsible boat owners know that taking care of your boat storage as the winter season approaches is as important as winterizing and summarizing your boat and helps protect important parts of your boat. In fact, knowing how to take care of your boat is not just restricted to people living in colder areas. Even boat owners living in areas with warmer climates know that ample preparation for boat storage is extremely necessary.

 

Proper boat storage requires a couple of steps, including a complete winterization of your boat. In the last stage of this process, you can opt to cover your boat using anything you deem appropriate—from blue tarps, mooring covers, to shrink wrap covers.

 

 

Why covering your boat during storage is necessary

 

The process of winterizing your boat takes time and money. From checking your outboard motor and inboard engine, fuel lines, recycling system, boat interior and exterior, to looking into your freshwater systems, you have probably invested a lot in preparing your boat for winter storage.

 

Do not let all of your efforts go to waste by not covering your boat properly. A good boat covering will protect your boat from unnecessary damages and moisture accumulation. Your boat will definitely be one of the longest-lasting boats in your local marina if you winterize and cover your boat properly during storage. Come boating season, you will be ready for a great ride with a properly-maintained boat.

 

As mentioned, you have various options in boat covering material. Blue wraps or blue tarps and mooring covers are some of the top contenders in the most-used boat coverings today. However, boat owners are quickly finding out the difference that shrink wrapping makes in boat storage. If you have enough budget, you might want to consider shrink wrapping your boat for winter season storage.

 

 

What you should know about shrink wraps

 

Once or twice in your life, you have probably encountered shrink wrap one way or another. This material is one of the most sought-after coverings for a wide range of products, from medicine, food and beverages, to even boats.

 

A shrink wrap is a layer of polyethylene that a vast majority of people use to cover objects that need tight and fitted coverings. It serves as the items’ first layer of defense against moisture and other destructive elements. As its name suggests, this material shrinks to the shape of the object that it is placed upon. That means that it perfectly contours itself to the body of an object, making it extremely effective and less likely to be damaged or destroyed accidentally.

 

If you want to protect your boat during the outdoor or indoor storage process, you should definitely consider this material. Probably one of the most-recognized shrink wrap manufacturers nowadays is Dr. Shrink. Even though plastic shrink wrappers can be harmful to the environment, companies like Dr. Shrink has even developed a rebag recycling system to lessen the impact of plastic in landfills. Learn more about shrink wraps by looking up Dr. Shrink, Atlantic Shrink Wrapping Inc. and other trust-worthy shrink wrap manufacturers.

 

 

Advantages using shrink wrap to cover your boat before storage

 

Having a shrink-wrapped boat is probably one of the best decisions you can make when preparing your boat for storage. Using a shrink wrap cover and shrink wrap tape to cover your boat has a lot of benefits. Here are some of the reasons why you should definitely take the plunge and invest in boat shrink wrapping before winter storage:

 

 

• It protects your boat from sun damage

 

Although people usually put their boats in storage during winter, there are cases when people still leave their boats unused during summer. As summer approaches, using boat covers like shrink wraps is extremely helpful, as it shields your boat from the harsh effects of the sun.

 

You should know that just like any other object, your boat’s exterior can be degraded if exposed to sunlight for a long period of time. An uncovered boat’s exterior can dry out and fade due to sunlight exposure, so it is a given that you use coverings such as shrink wraps as a form of protection.

 

What’s good with shrink wraps unlike other covers is it molds itself perfectly to the shape of the item it protects. Therefore, there’s an even level of protection in all parts of your boat’s exterior. If you want to save on repair and refurbishing costs, you definitely need a shrink wrap to safeguard your boat.

 

 

• It keeps various forms of vandalism in check 

 

As much as you would want to do it, you cannot always monitor your boat in your local marina during storage. That’s the reason why you should take all steps necessary to ensure the safety of your boat’s exterior with the help of coverings like shrink wraps.

 

Usual graffiti wouldn’t be able to damage your boat, as shrink wraps are made with a substance that usual graffiti materials cannot penetrate through.

 

Your boat’s exterior and surface will be safer with a shrink wrap. What’s even better is the fact that you can save a lot of money in repainting and refurbishing when you use shrink wrap coverings for your boat.

 

 

• It safeguards your boat from the elements 

 

It is no secret that your boat is going to be susceptible to damages from various elements when left in an outdoor boatyard without proper covering. As mentioned previously, long exposure to sunlight can damage the exterior of your boat. Additionally, ice and water, under certain conditions, can cause moisture accumulation that could lead to material damages. Strong winds can damage your boat as well, so it is necessary that you cover your boat with a material that can keep everything in place.

 

A shrinkwrapped boat will be more protected from those kinds of elements compared to boats without a covering or one with just a simple blue tarp covering. As long as the installation process of the shrink wrap is done right (even down to the zipper door and air flow vent), you wouldn’t need to worry much about your boat in storage.

 

 

• It extends the longevity of your boat 

 

In your local marina or boatyard, there are probably a lot of boats that have come and gone quicker than expected. No matter how expensive a boat is, when not taken care of properly, there is no way for those to last for a long period of time.

 

Having a shrink-wrapped boat heightens the possibility of your boat lasting for a long period of time. Together with proper maintenance, shrink wrap covers will ensure the best level of protection during storage.

 

If you want to lengthen the lifespan of our boat, use the best form of protection to make sure that it would last. Try using a shrink wrap now and notice the difference it makes in boat storage and protection.

 

 

Investing in shrink wraps for your boat covering

 

As it offers a wide range of benefits, you have probably guessed by now that shrink wrapping isn’t cheap. Although you can try to DIY the shrink wrapping process to save on service costs, even the materials used in this process can cost a lot. The basic materials for shrink wrap jobs include propane-fired heat guns, shrink wrap tape, and the shrink wrapper itself. Doing a shrink wrapping DIY project is also not recommended, as it requires top-level skills and precision.

Shrinkwrapping your boat is recommended for almost all boat owners. However, not all can afford to do this. You should know that unlike other types of boat maintenance processes, the shrink wrap process cannot be done by yourself, especially if you have no prior experience. How to videos wouldn’t cut it in the shrink wrap process, and using alternative materials will not save your boat as well.

Given that, you should have realized by now that shrink wrapping your boat is really an investment that you should carefully consider. If you think that your boat deserves the best level of care, approach companies with experience in shrink wraps now!

 

 

Let Westshore Marine & Leisure help you shrink wrap your boat

 

Westshore Marine & Leisure has years of experience in providing a wide range of services for boats. If you are looking people knowledgeable in shrink wrap jobs, choosing us would be the right call.

Avoid costly repairs now and let your boat stand the test of time! To know more about our services, contact Westshore Marine & Leisure today.