Winterizing and shrink wrapping a boat go hand in hand. If you don’t have the option of keeping your boat covered in a climate-controlled boat storage, you should definitely consider shrink wrapping.

Some of the benefits are:

• Keep moisture and pests out
• Protects from UV rays
• Stronger than tarps, boat covers or boat canopies so it can withstand high winds
• Protects from ice damage
• Protects your deck and gel coat

Of course, if you have a Custom-made cover for your boat, then shrink wrapping will not be needed.  However, since it can be quite expensive for a custom-fitted cover, many boaters forego this investment.  But you definitely don’t want to go to the other extreme and use just anything to cover your boat for the winter.  Here’s a couple of covers that Kompletely Kustom Marine does not recommend and why:

• Tarps – hard to tie down properly and are more susceptible to being blown around by the wind. The tarp tie-downs also tend to become loose throughout the winter resulting in your boat not being properly protected and possibly having the lines scuff your gelcoat.
• Generic Covers – these can be bought in many boat stores and come in various sizes and materials. Most of them have some type of drawstring along the bottom, however, wind can loosen this string and eventually blow the cover off your boat.

Another very important thing to consider when covering your boat for the winter is the type of support you will need for your cover.  If you just lay a cover or tarp across your boat and tie it down, chances are you will run into a problem with water pooling on top of the cover which can compromise the protection of your boat.  When Kompletely Kustom Marine’s techs shrink wrap your boat, they will install a custom frame to support the cover and allow snow and rain to run off.

The last benefit that I would like to point out about using marine shrink wrap on your boat is the fact that it actually seals your boat for the winter providing that extra protection from things like dirt, debris, ice and varmints looking for a place to hide from the cold.