Grafunkus wrote:Source of the post So, shrink wrap vs tarp? Isn't a tarp more environmentally friendly and economical in the long run? What would be the drawbacks to using tarp?
Actually, shrink wrap is recyclable. Some marinas have a recycling campaign where the product gets picked up by a recycler, and others simply put the used wrap folded up by the side of the road. You’d be amazed at how fast the stuff disappears as folks find all kinds of uses for it from covering smaller fishing boats and dinghies, to snowmobiles, PWCs and general purpose use around the house and property.
Shrink wrap gets stretched tight and when put on properly, most of the snow slides off leaving little snow load and chance of structural collapse to worry about. If done right, it won’t get caught by the wind and damage gel. Because you can tightly wrap without leaving any openings, it also keeps the critters out. An optional zippered door is great for inside access while still maintaining a tight fit.
When one speaks of a tarp, one must compare apples to apples. If it’s a cheap off the shelf blue plastic tarp, it’ll be good for one winter up my way if it survives at all. For a good sized vessel, you’d be hard pressed to find one that will cover the vessel completely. It’s impossible to get really tight so some pockets of snow will accumulate over time and increase the chance of collapse. Because it doesn’t stretch out, there will be folds and openings that the wind will catch. Wind is your enemy, once the tarp starts blowing and flapping around, it’s just a matter of time before it flies apart. There would be nothing worse than you having to redo it during one of your cold Manitoba winters.
While it’s blowing around, it’s slapping your gel. I’ve never seen serious damage from this, but it could get bad enough to rub the gel such that you’re left with a cloudy surface requiring a polish in those areas. This type of tarp is the least expensive option though for the DIYer but it does end up in the landfill.
The other type of tarp is one usually made of a canvas product that is custom fabricated for your vessel. It’s pricey but typically lasts several years. They can be fitted tighter than the tarp above but not as tight as the shrink wrap, and if it is to shed snow, the framing must be the exact same layout and dimensions every year or you won’t get the intended fit. I’ve never done a cost analysis on this vs shrink wrap over a given time frame as the longevity of a custom tarp really depends on the material used and environmental factors.
Also consider that if the shrink wrap fails in the middle of winter, it's the marina's or provider's resposibility to repair it at their expense. If you put up your own tarp and it fails, you're resposible for the fix and if it blows away in pieces, and ends up on someone's property or in the water, you're resposible for the clean up.
Hope that helps, and no I do not own shares in the shrink wrap industry