Weather the winter with marine grade shrink wrap

It is important to cover boats during the off-season to keep out water, dirt and debris. This reduces the potential for damage to topside surfaces and helps make clean-up easier in the spring. Tarps and canvas covers are often used, but shrink wrap offers the best protection during extended storage. Shrink wrap consists of thin plastic sheeting that shrinks as it is heated to produce a perfectly custom-fit cover around the boat.

Shrink wrap stands up to demanding conditions.

Shrink wrap is superior to standard canvas covers or polyethylene tarps due to its outstanding durability and resistance to weathering in harsh conditions. Shrink wrap is usually seen on boats that are being stored for the winter, or brand new boats that are being shipped from the manufacturer to a dealer.

Save money by shrink wrapping your boat yourself.

Shrink wrapping is a project that is commonly done by boat yards and marinas at great expense to the boat owner. However, West Marine offers shrink wrap kits and supplies from Dr. Shrink that enables boaters to shrink wrap their own boats relatively affordably. If you are a reasonably skilled do-it-yourselfer, you can accomplish the process in an afternoon.

What materials are needed to shrink wrap a boat?

You will need boat shrink wrap material of the correct width and length to accommodate your boat. You will also need a Shrink Wrap Accessories Kit, which includes woven strapping tape, strapping buckles and shrink wrap self-adhesive vents. First-time purchasers will also need a Shrink Wrap System Hardware Kit, which includes a shrink wrap heat gun, goggles and heat resistant gloves. This is a one-time purchase that can be reused in subsequent years. NOTE: Our product description for the Shrink Wrap Hardware Kit includes three videos that fully cover the entire shrink wrapping process.

Selecting a Thickness

Materials are available in different thicknesses to suit different applications. Below are some guidelines for the best uses for each thickness. Regardless of the mil rating, all of the material includes 12-month UV protection.

• 6 mil: Good for general marine use. Can be used inside or outside in areas with milder winters
• 7 mil: Great for general marine use, smaller temporary structures and covering mid-sized equipment. Able to handle harsher winters with moderate snow
• 8 mil/8.5 mil: For applications that require a heavy duty material. Great for wrapping commercial vessels during construction or repair or for boats exposed to high snow loads. Used frequently for temporary structures, covering scaffolding and as a general purpose construction applications.
• 10 mil: Ideal for heavy duty use. Excellent for temporary structures, covering larger commercial vessels for refit or repair.

Selecting a Width

For wrapping boats, the rule of thumb is to purchase a width and length of shrink wrap material to allow an additional 6" below the perimeter band to tuck the material up against the hull to hold it in place. When selecting a roll of material with the width and length you need for your boat, don’t forget to take into account what you will need to go over the shrink wrap support posts (usually 2” x 4” boards) if these are required for your installation.

Key Features of Shrink Wrap

• Provides a waterproof barrier that will protect the boat all winter and require little maintenance
• Great for temporary structures to battle elements and remain productive during the off season
• Variety of colors and widths allow users to select a product that best suits their application based on environmental and dimensional needs
• 100% virgin UV inhibited resin increases strength and longevity
• Variety of thicknesses for use in different applications
• Center folded to makes handling and draping larger widths easier
• Manufactured using #4 low density polyethylene and is recyclable

Shrink wrap material can be recycled.

Although it may seem wasteful to use so much plastic and then throw it away in the spring, one of the nice features of shrink wrap is that it is recyclable. Dr. Shrink makes this easy by with their REBAG® Recycling Kit, which includes a prepaid shipping label for shipping to a recycling facility.