With the sailing season drawing close to an end in many parts of the country, many boatowners will be thinking about shrink-wrapping their boats to protect them from the elements. Some Internet sites suggest that shrink-wrapping is little more than draping some plastic film over the boat and then heating it with a propane gun. Bill Stenson, who runs a shrink-wrapping service in the Pacific Northwest, says this is untrue. “Wrapping a 40-foot sailboat takes about six hours. We first build a temporay wooden framework to support the plastic, then drape the plastic over the boat, make cuts for things like shrouds and the mast, and finally heat the plastic with a propane torch.” The torch runs at about 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, so it has to be kept moving or the flame can damage to gelcoats and brightwork—or worse.

Shrink-wrapping is not cheap, so it pays to get a reputable company to do the work. Ask other boatowners in your area if they can recommend a company, and, once you're chosen one, be sure to give specific instructions as to how you'd like it done. For example, access doors can be installed (for an extra charge), and you'll want to have vents installed so that stale air, which is likely to produce rot and mildew, isn't trapped inside over the winter. Mark Corke