Temporary Boat Shelters

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scot
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Temporary Boat Shelters

Post by scot »

OK I'm sick of working on the boat in the great outdoors. I have noticed over the years a lot of the projects are worked under a type of arched, fabric covered, temporary shelters.

Does anyone have a good source for these shelters?
Scot
1969 Bertram 25 "Roly Poly"
she'll float one of these days.. no really it will :-0
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scot
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Post by scot »

John,

I had no idea PVC would bend that much, is that conduit grade?

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Scot
1969 Bertram 25 "Roly Poly"
she'll float one of these days.. no really it will :-0
DavidDW
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Post by DavidDW »

I would second making it yourself out of pvc pipe.

What a great structure! (above)

Depending on how much room you have (or are allowed to take up :wink: ) the you could build a rough timber frame shelter
I have found light weight blue coloured/colored tarps last better than heavier tarps, are easier to fit and cheaper to replace when destroyed by wind.

Whatever way you go, make sure you anchor the tarp down at as many points as you can so as to save the eyes!
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Capt.Frank
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Post by Capt.Frank »

When I was fighting wildfires we made a few camps w/ 20' 1" PVC and 3' 1/4" rebar, Duck tape, and roll of plastic. Marked the groung 10' wide put the rebar in the ground. Bent the PCV and sliped it over the rebar forming a arch, did that ever 5 feet I geuss. Then unrolled the plastic and pulled it over the top. Tapped it to gether with duck tap. and you had shelter. Nice and warm in the fall in the mountains. Easey to take down when leaving.
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randall
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Post by randall »

quick and easy but not as roomy.....thats a very nice building!!

you can undo the ends and make a large A frame out of it . i do it every spring when i do my prep. goes up in an hour.

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scot
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Post by scot »

John,

That's a great looking shelter, I would say a worthy investment for re-doing a boat. With 6-8 good working months in front of me and hopefully hurricane season behind me, I'm ready to build one.

Stop me where I'm wrong! You used full lenght (20ft) pieces of PVC, joined at the crown. The tarp is 30ft going over and the 40ft is lenght, The spacing is about ever 5ft. You drove rods in the ground and placed the PVC over the rods. Doubling the transverse supports helps hold the shape.

Correct?

Couple of questions, what is the yellow tape? I would have used duct tape, but it ages quickly. How did you attach the pipe running along the sides and at the crown? What size PVC did you use?....1" or 3/4"
Scot
1969 Bertram 25 "Roly Poly"
she'll float one of these days.. no really it will :-0
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Post by DRIFTER31 »

Be aware that winds over around 30+ will make a big kite out of it.
Kill Em All ......Let God Sort Em Out
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Post by tunawish »

Scot bought mine 5 years ago and has had tons of snow on it.

I think it was $650.00 for a 12 x 10 x 24 all galvi 2" pipe would buy another in a second.... Shop around on line and compare mil thickness of material and schedule of pipe and weather galvi or not..one company is shelter king not sure who I used at the time, They were out of CT. but they all offered similar products.


http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd29 ... 1254264730[/img]

this may be as close as I get to getting an image on here I'm just an idiot with this..have to wait for my 15 yr old to get home..
Ray

link to who I used

http://www.portablesheltershops.com/war ... rking.html
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Post by Mikey »

This is the s#*t rig I assembled to restore Dreamsicle. 2 X 4's with a shrink wrap cover. Worked very well until (As Drifter31 noted) winds over thirty. Actually I was working on the boat during the hurricane (o.k. so I'm not as bright as cute) when a gust of about fifty hit and started to raise the whole thing, which was anchored to the ground. I immediately jumped from boat to shelter believing that my 145 lbs. would keep her down. It worked the first time and she dropped. I jumped off and started cutting windows to dissipate the wind. Too little too late. This is the aftermath and the second time. The first time she wasn't anchored and the whole thing took off and turned upside down next to the boat in the only place in the entire yard that didn't contain a boat. Since it was all screwed together I unscrewed all and reassembled it, about three hours work. It actually worked fairly well, kept the weather and prying eyes out for over six years. We painted inside with the aid of a box fan mounted at the eves. Rawleigh lent me a string of lights which made night like day. The only short coming (other than it was ugly after six years) was that the shrink wrap didn't last on the top. When it went in the second hurricane I replaced it with a bill board wrap from my brother's ad agency. Centex homes was displayed to all who flew over.
If God curses me to restore another boat I think I will use the pvc method, but anchor that sucker to the planet or watch it sail off into the wild blue.


Image

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Mikey
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Post by randall »

mine has withstood 50+ .......it bends but it dosent break.
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Post by Major »

At one location we used 4 smaller than telephone type poles and connected them with 2x6's from left to right (could use a cable). That allows you to run another beam the length (may could use a rope or cable) from front to back to hang the tarp over. For the sides just have another board or cable connected front to back between the posts and use that to hold the tarp off the boat.

If you want to tie off before the ground just add a second cable however far under the other one and you have a good straight wall.
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scot
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Post by scot »

John....(3) 2" sch 40 PVC pipes per truss!!! That's not temporary, that's a permanent structure in my book.

I purchased 1" to build mine from, I would not have attempted bending 2" that much, wow. I think I will trade in my 1" for at least 1 1/2".

Thanks for the pictures Mikey, look's like a lot of work went into that frame, hey it worked, keep the boat out of the weather....for the most part.
Scot
1969 Bertram 25 "Roly Poly"
she'll float one of these days.. no really it will :-0
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AndreF
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Post by AndreF »

Scot, you can bend it. They wind steel pipe pipelines on huge spools and barge them to location and unspool them. Looks funny to see that steel pipe bent like monofilament on a reel.
I thought PVC was larger than 2", I built one out of 1" or 1-1/2" and it didn't hold itself up for long. Good idea about the screws.
Good luck.
I'm not sure but indecision may or may not be my problem.

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Post by CaptPatrick »

Scot,

I think that you'll find the 1", when bundled three pieces into a equilateral triangle will be plenty strong. When John first posted the picture, I have to confess that I spent more time studying the PVC structure than I did looking at the boat. I experimented with 3 10" sections of schedule 40 gray conduit that I had on hand and was way surprised at the strength, bending it into a 1/4 circle. As a mater of fact, it was that bundle that lead me to bundling the 1" steel pipe for the 8' extension on my red neck crane.

If I were to build such a structure, (and I might yet do so), I'd try building a single arch, tied and taped tightly at the center point. Then laid flat on the ground, anchor one end with a couple of U shaped pieces of 1/2" rebar. Install as many wire ties as necessary along the length, tightened only snug. Working from the other end, develop your arch and lock that end down in the same fashion as the first end. I'd keep the bundle configuration such that two of the pipe, laying side by side, are the top of the arch. This spreads the loading on the tarp over a wider dimension. Once bent and locked down, (still flat on the ground), sinch up the wire ties.

Strap a long batten between the two ends to hold the arch when picked up. Use other battens between the base and the arch to adjust a symmetrical shape if/as necessary. I'd do this for each arch and then set them upright, spaced according to your needs.

I'd use 2 pieces of 1/2" rebar to anchor each leg, driven into the ground at 45º angle, bending them back straight at ground level. Run the angle with the run of the building, but in opposite directions. How deep, depends on your soil composition. Here, I could get away with 3 ft.

Leave 3' of rebar exposed to drop the outer two pieces of pipe onto. So in my case, sections of 6' would work. 2 pcs per side, per arch. Initially, you'll need to do temporary angle supports before you start tieing the arches together. Don't drill and screw! Lash the supports as necessary to the PVC. Every hole you drill in the pipe is going to weaken it. It's not even necessary to screw the joints if they're properly cleaned, primed, and glued. Be sure the pipe is inserted all the way into the coupling and give a 1/4 twist while the glue is wet. Allow an hour between glueing and putting a strain on the joint.

The above mentioned rebar stakes are more for lateral stability than for keeping the structure down on the ground, For vertical anchoring use mobile home screw anchors if your ground conditions permit. Me, I'd have to use more rebar, angled perpendicular to the length of the building, 2 pcs crossed for each anchor, with a hook on top each one. again, about 3' depth for me.

I've found that the heavy duty green, farm quality plastic tarps hold up the best. The one single thing that kills a tarp is hard sharp abrasion points. Which is why almost every 2x4 framework is going to eat the tarp alive... The second thing is incorrect tension. Too loose and the wind will beat it to death. Too tight and there's room for expansion and contraction. The solid rubber bungies will keep the tension just about right. The third weak point is non-reinforced grommets. try to get a tarp with all grommets reinforced, but most only have the 4 corners reinforced.

The vertical tie downs would be from a low lengthwise pipe, strapped and taped to the arch legs. The attachment points would be at the intersections.

The beauty of this structure, like a Quonset hut, wind flows over it smoothly and actually pushes down somewhat when coming from the side. For windy days, you're better off leaving the ends completely open so the wind flows through. If I did want the ends closeable, I'd be leaning towards 2x4 framing and OSB sheathing, with a pair of gates at each end.

Oh, well, just how it works out in my mind....
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Mikey
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Post by Mikey »

Timing is everything. Yesterday's post brought a catalog from Tek Supply, a farm and industrial supply co. This catalog was all shelters. Check their website:
www.teksupply.com
Mikey
3/18/1963 - -31-327 factory hardtop express, the only one left.
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.
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babycakes
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Shelters to go!!

Post by babycakes »

I used a Co. called Shelters to go. You buy the fittings to design any shape or style you need. Than all you do is buy metal 1" EMT, or electrical metal tubing. cut the tubing to the length that is givin on the drawing. and put it together , each fitting has thumb screws and are reusable over and over. I used shrink wrap to cover my 31 and lasted over 5 yrs. and even made it through Isabel and Katrina. Shelters to go # is 541-664-1349. You can cover your project for a fraction of what most Co's charge. Good Luck
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Post by Rawleigh »

Mikey: They have a lot of other good stuff too! I am using their waterproof thermostats to run the engine room lights on during the winter. They also have stainless steel entry way door latches which would be great on boathouse doors.
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Dug
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Post by Dug »

I just recieved a catalog from a company called Clear Span, and it is a division of Tek Supply. Www.teksupply.com Tons of shelters in almost any configuration imaginable...

D
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Mikey
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Post by Mikey »

Dug,
Check my post four above yours. great minds and all that
Mikey
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The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.
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Dug
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Post by Dug »

Mikey, I wasn't blind. I know your post.

This catalog was all shelters, and nothing but shelters.

I actually have both, as I recieved the first one the same time you did!

D
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Mikey
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Post by Mikey »

Dug,
OOPS! I didn't get that one. I been had. "Course I don't need the shelter any more, Whew!
Mikey
3/18/1963 - -31-327 factory hardtop express, the only one left.
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.
-Albert Einstein
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