Protecting a boat rack from the elements

[Dusty Yevsky]

Three of my S&G boats ( two kayaks, one rowing shell ) have been kicked from the garage to the yard. I built a storage rack out of construction grade Doug fir (uprights) and spruce ( arms ). I've "padded" the rack wherever it contacts the ground with scrap white oak. The whole shebang is going to be covered with a tarp, more or less. Is it worth the trouble to apply some kind of protectant to the wood? If so, what kind? I'm thinking latex paint or some kind of deck sealer. I live in the NYC area and get fairly wet weather along with high humidity in the summer.

[Thorne]

Metal feet (flattened tin cans or whatever) to keep termites from chewing their way up the frame? Don't laugh, I've had that problem out here in CA.

Can't address the paint issue, may not be worth it and the paint might hide rot or mold marks... And if the boats will be protected by the tarps, the frame will be also. Personally I've seen a lot of small wooden boats ruined by plastic tarps, either failing/rotting/tearing or improperly supported. I do use 'em, but am very cautious about it.

[Pernicious Atavist]

I've used unprotected and uncovered lumber for boat racks, etc for years in Florida and haven't seen any need to do otherwise. Thorne's idea of cans for feet is good, but they'll hold water and cause rot. I use pieces of pressure treated lumber to do the same and it seems to work just fine.

[Yeadon]

Don't use a blue tarp to cover the boats, use a white tarp. Blue tarps provide little or no UV protection from the sun. White tarps will give you a fighting chance.

[Dusty Yevsky]

Thanks for the replies. My plan is to build a frame made out of PVC and suspend the tarp on the frame over the rack. The tarp won't quite reach the ground along the perimeter so I think condensation under it won't be a problem. I knew about UV and blue tarps and got a white one. I find the idea that a blue tarp can block visible rays of the sun but not UV very strange! In any event, I don't think I'll bother coating the wood rack. Sounds like it might create more problems than it solves.

[StevenBauer]

I think this guy used varnish :







Steven

[Canoez]

Isn't that Jon Wilson's rack?

[StevenBauer]

Isn't that Jon Wilson's rack?

It could be. The location is right.



Steven

[Tom Robb]

Why not extend the eaves of the garage to cover a rack attached to the building. A cobbled together lumber rack covered by a plastic tarp will quickly become an eyesore.
And why banished? can't you hang them from the ceiling out of the way?

[Canoez]

It could be. The location is right.



Steven

As I was passing by that rack, I always thought it needed a seat and a curved back-rest so that it would be a good park bench when the boats were out!

[rbgarr]

It may seem like an overkill or expensive but how about shrinkwrap instead of tarps. One thing that will happen in a city environment is you'll get a lot of grime and air pollution that may accelerate the breakdown of the tarps' weave. Unless the PVC is pretty hefty it will bend in heat and under snow loads.

Mobile shrinkwrappers are probably out and about now uncovering boats in boatyards/people's backyards and disposing of framing and used shrinkwrap material (it can't be reshrunk). Worth a call?

[gimmellsmom]

Definately pressure treated up here - untreated wouldn't survive the heat/humidity/snow/rain weather that you see in NY. Your posts would rot out in a year or two (see my front porch for evidence!)

[Dusty Yevsky]

Thanks for the second round of replies. The boats definitely must be in the yard. I would use pressure treated lumber except for the fact that I can't stand cutting, drilling, touching, smelling or even looking at PT. Blecch!

BTW, the guy who built that rack better be careful he doesn't scratch it up with those boats.

[Canoez]

Dusty - the person who built that rack thought of everything. You can't quite see it in the pictures, but the arms of that rack have padded leather to protect the rack from the boats.