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Happy Dedication of Everglades National Park (1947)! 🐊🌴
Winter storage prep.
- Thread starter OxbowJay
- Start date
I believe my old Mad River manual said that if you are storing a Royalex boat in non-climate controlled conditions over winter, you should remove the first six screws on each side entirely, and then back the rest out one full turn. I can check for sure when I get home but that’s what I remember. I have only done it once or twice since mine are usually stored indoors. I remember being surprised it said to fully remove some at the ends though.
From Swift, long ago when I bought my Raven. No cracks in 26 years.
"Cold Weather Care for Royalex Canoes with Wood Gunnels
Both Royalex and wood will shrink as the temperature cools, however Royalex contracts at a much higher rate than wood. As the temperature reaches extreme cold (-20 Celsius and lower), this creates stress and may crack the wood gunnels and/or the Royalex canoe hull around the gunnel screws.
To Prevent Damage:
There are 6 to 8 screws (3 to 4 in outer gunnel and 3-4 in inner gunnel) at each end of your canoe, on both and left and right gunnels. These screws need to be completely removed. After this is done, lift up the pair of gunnels (with the deck) at one end and wedge a piece of wood between the gunnels with the deck and the top of the Royalex hull; do this at both ends of the canoe. Loosen all other inside screws 3 complete turns. The canoe can then be stored upside down on work horses or suspended from the ceiling of your garage/porch by slings.
In the spring, simply reverse the above procedure by replacing and tightening all screws."
"Cold Weather Care for Royalex Canoes with Wood Gunnels
Both Royalex and wood will shrink as the temperature cools, however Royalex contracts at a much higher rate than wood. As the temperature reaches extreme cold (-20 Celsius and lower), this creates stress and may crack the wood gunnels and/or the Royalex canoe hull around the gunnel screws.
To Prevent Damage:
There are 6 to 8 screws (3 to 4 in outer gunnel and 3-4 in inner gunnel) at each end of your canoe, on both and left and right gunnels. These screws need to be completely removed. After this is done, lift up the pair of gunnels (with the deck) at one end and wedge a piece of wood between the gunnels with the deck and the top of the Royalex hull; do this at both ends of the canoe. Loosen all other inside screws 3 complete turns. The canoe can then be stored upside down on work horses or suspended from the ceiling of your garage/porch by slings.
In the spring, simply reverse the above procedure by replacing and tightening all screws."
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