Fiberglass stored outside

[GoneFishingLTN]

Anyone store their fiberglass boat outside? Did you notice sun damage? Or is it if you can't store it inside it needs to be a tin boat?

[PressuredFishing]

It will delaminate storing outside is OK but I would reccomend a cover for it, also a UV wax will help drastically. If you have mild winters, that is, (living in sandiego)

[Deleted account]

Keeping it outside here and there is no big deal, leaving it out full time, specially without a cover isn't a good idea, specially if it isn't used much. Most of the damage will be cosmetic, but depending on the conditions, could be worse. Of course if you don't have a choice, there are ways to shield it from the elements.

[Jig Man]

I’ve never seen one left outside for any length of time that didn’t show it.  The sun is especially hard on the top of the cap.

[GoneFishingLTN]

It would have a cover full time but would also be left outside all the time. 

[Bankc]

It usually damages the paint more than the fiberglass itself.  Typically, what happens to fiberglass boats if left outside is the wood inside the fiberglass will rot (eventually).  So a ventilated cover is always a good idea.  

 

But the UV rays from the sun will damage just about anything if left out long enough.  But I've owned a fiberglass boat for 20+ years that never saw a garage, and the fiberglass outlasted just about everything else on it (carpet, vinyl, wood, motor).  Try to keep them in the shade if possible.  And give the boat a good cleaning and coat of UV resistant wax every few months to help slow the finish deterioration.  

[slonezp]

I prefer to buy boats that I can use indoors. That way I don't have to worry about the sun and rain affecting them. 

[gim]

39 minutes ago, slonezp said:

I prefer to buy boats that I can use indoors. That way I don't have to worry about the sun and rain affecting them. 

Did you mean to type "store" indoors?  I'm confused that anyone would use a boat indoors lol.

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Did you mean to type "store" indoors?  I'm confused that anyone would use a boat indoors lol.

He could have one heck of a bathtub...

[slonezp]

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

He could have one heck of a bathtub...

Olympic sized

14 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Did you mean to type "store" indoors?  I'm confused that anyone would use a boat indoors lol.

Sarcasm

[slonezp]

21 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Did you mean to type "store" indoors?  I'm confused that anyone would use a boat indoors lol.

Seriously...

A boat is a tool. It is used outdoors and in some pretty crappy conditions. For someone to worry about how they store a boat effects it's appearance is mind boggling to me. It's a frickin boat. Buy it and use the hell out of it. 

 

When I was selling my Lund, I had people pass (so they said) because of scratches on the hull. Seriously??? Should I have purchased my boat and never used it so the 2nd owner would be happy?

[Woody B]

Just another reason to have a tin boat.  

[Way2slow]

The fiberglass in not the problem with storing outside, it would take a lifetime or two in most cases to damage it.  It's everything else about the boat that gets destroyed over time.  Vinyl has a very short life span outside, the thread sewing the seats together goes fairly quickly, if there's wood in the construction, it tends to rot over time and the gel coat pretty much get destroyed.  So, after about five years of being exposed to the elements, your new boat looks 30 years old.  Covers help, but they create other problems, and the cheap ones only last a couple of seasons.  So, after you buy a few covers, you could have bought one of the metal carport things to put it under.  Now, if you live in the southwest where there is extreme sun and heat, that five years turn into about two years.

[J Francho]

All my boats have been stored outside, covered. Aurora makes the best cover in my opinion. 

[slonezp]

13 minutes ago, J Francho said:

All my boats have been stored outside, covered. Aurora makes the best cover in my opinion. 

I always had custom covers. They last a lot longer than the factory covers

[NYBasser]

Although I would much prefer indoor storage, that isn’t an option for me so I keep my fiberglass boat stored outside pretty much all year round. As others have said, as long as you keep it covered when not in use and try to keep water/snow off the cover, it should be alright.

[zeth]

If you can put it outside only do you have space to get  this: https://www.google.com/search?q=tunnel+tent+for+vehicle&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS890US890&oq=tunnel+tent+for+vehicle&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i160l2j33i22i29i30.4433j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

It's what I used when I didn't have a garage. Worked great.