Cover vs no cover

[Zennifer]

Alright! When we had a canned ham, it was often stated that an rv cover would simply keep moisture inside the camper. Promoting mold and rot. We chose not to use a cover on ours.

But, with fiverglass, what are the pros and cons of a cover, especially in the winter?

(Long term, I want to build a shed roof for it to live undr, but that won't happen this year)

[Glenn Baglo]

Covers are made with breathable material so that they don't hold moisture. A tarp, on the other hand..

[Bob in Mb]

I put a tarp over the top and just large enough to come down about 2 feet around the walls . This keeps water from pooling and freezing on the roof and backing up in the vents etc. on the roof , but also allows the trailer to breathe . Good idea to take it off in the spring and letting everything dry out before replacing it .

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bob in Mb

I put a tarp over the top and just large enough to come down about 2 feet around the walls . This keeps water from pooling and freezing on the roof and backing up in the vents etc. on the roof , but also allows the trailer to breathe . .

Plastic tarps are pretty abrasive and the above could result in the gelcoat wearing off on all 4 corners of the trailer if the trailer is stored outside and subject to any amount of wind that could cause the tarp to move even the tiniest amount... have seen the not so good tarp results on a number of bolers in this region.

[Ian G.]

Moisture is one concern, but to me dust and dirt is a bigger problem. Any dirt on the surface of the trailer or embedded in the cover will act like sandpaper every time the wind blows and moves the cover. I have seen this many times on cars that are kept under covers where the paint is scratched or even worn right down to the metal on the corners.

[Zennifer]

This is really good discussion, thanks! Looks like I should get on that roof for the trailer. I hadn't thought about dust/dirt, but it's not not windy here...we get plenty of dust and wind.

[Bob in Mb]

Good idea , I have been in Colorado in a February during a snow storm and snow load will also be a concern .

[Darral T.]

I had a "carport" installed the following my first year of ownership with my Scamp. No turning back. BUT... when I mow grass....and/or it's dry and dusty in the summer, I STILL find myself at LEAST rinsing off the Scamp because it still gets very dirty. That's not good for the gelcoat finish.

The only TRUE way to protect it is in a 4-walled environment sealed from the wind etc- ala... a garage. I would like to put ends on my carport eventually, but I doubt it will happen. But it's still protected from direct sunlight, heavy rains/snow/ice.

For what it's worth, I used a "breathable" cover for mine for one year. It cost about $100. After one year it was WORTHLESS. I also had to wash the Scamp every time before putting the cover on for reasons described in other posts. Calmark makes a nice cover with a 6-yr warranty. I would go with that if I was doing a cover. If I was going to use a cheap plastic tarp, I wouldnt use anything and just keep it waxed and clean. But you still have to think about plastic lenses, hoses, snapcaps, window/door rubber seals.... tires being exposed continually to the elements.

I remember telling the wife after the first year of using an aggravating cover, "Either we're having a carport put up next year or the Scamp is for sale." (No, obviously i'm not a Scamp or camping "purist") Here's the carport and installation we did.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/50351683@N08/6141409044/

[Zennifer]

That's a nice looking carport! It would definitely help protect...I wish we had a garage room, but alas we do not.

[BarbinBC]

Darrel T: Like your carport. How much was that setup?

[Darral T.]

Thanks Barbin. The carport itself by the time I added 1' of height, full walls (to me they're almost useless for tires if you dont drop the sides), and some added roof bracing was about $1200. They put it up as you see it in ONE hour! This was back in 2011.

I will note that I went the extra mile on securing it. I took some advice and made me 4 angle braces that extend into the ground into concrete at the outer most 4 corners of the carport. (ZOOM in on my pic and you can see the front brace.) I have stainless steel bolts/nuts that secure the CP frame to my angle. Not only does it secure it to the ground better, but it also helps stabilize the entire structure! I've been VERY pleased with this setup.

Originally Posted by BarbinBC

Darrel T: Like your carport. How much was that setup?

[BarbinBC]

Originally Posted by Darral T.

Thanks Barbin. The carport itself by the time I added 1' of height, full walls (to me they're almost useless for tires if you dont drop the sides), and some added roof bracing was about $1200. They put it up as you see it in ONE hour! This was back in 2011.

I will note that I went the extra mile on securing it. I took some advice and made me 4 angle braces that extend into the ground into concrete at the outer most 4 corners of the carport. (ZOOM in on my pic and you can see the front brace.) I have stainless steel bolts/nuts that secure the CP frame to my angle. Not only does it secure it to the ground better, but it also helps stabilize the entire structure! I've been VERY pleased with this setup.

Thanks for your enlightening reply. How long are the 4 corner angle braces and how far into the ground? I'm across the road from the ocean and we get some pretty wicked windstorms in the the winter. The only space I have for a carport like that would face directly into the wind, hence my questions!

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by BarbinBC

Thanks for your enlightening reply. How long are the 4 corner angle braces and how far into the ground? I'm across the road from the ocean and we get some pretty wicked windstorms in the the winter. The only space I have for a carport like that would face directly into the wind, hence my questions!

Don't know where you are in BC but you might want to check with our local Municipality to see what the rules are in regards to that types of movable/portable garage. Some do not permit them at all and others only allow them if they are in a back yard and out of sight.

[jkmboler]

I use a mid-grade outdoor rated, breathable car cover. I always get a cover for a mid size SUV or the like. They usually last 3-5 years before they get thin and start to tear due mostly from UV and wear & tear.


If you are handy with a sewing machine, you can "customize" the cover for a good fit, but I usually just pull it in place from the back end and use some paracord to tie up the excess at the front of the camper.


The only drawback is it doesn't come down past the belly band, so little protection for below the belly band. It does work well for keeping dirt and tree sap off the majority of the Boler.


I have been doing this for over 20 years and have had NO paint damage or other issues.

Wall Mart typically has what I need for ~ $50.

[Darral T.]

I'll do you one better than that Barbin. I've been asked similar questions and have emailed pics etc. So I created an "album" on my Flickr site and added 3 more pics that have descriptions with the information you request.

Another perk I failed to mention with a carport is, you have FULL access to your trailer anytime without having to remove the cover. We HAVE used our Scamp as a sleep-over if all the kids are here. With ANY cover, it would need to be removed to use the A/C etc. I think the one I mentioned in another post at LEAST has a door access which is a nice touch. Anyway, here's more photos (watch the post right beside the pic I sent you earlier...it's kinda hard to pick out but has the sizes etc. you ask about.)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/503516...57657635513489

PS: As others have cautioned, check with codes before installing a carport such as this one...especially anchoring it as solid as I have mine!

Originally Posted by BarbinBC

Thanks for your enlightening reply. How long are the 4 corner angle braces and how far into the ground? I'm across the road from the ocean and we get some pretty wicked windstorms in the the winter. The only space I have for a carport like that would face directly into the wind, hence my questions!

[Byron Kinnaman]

I did something like what Darrel did. Except mine is between the house and a board fence. It was a pretty tight fit but saved me the expense of side panels.

If you choose to go this route I strongly suggest you make sure the installation used "duckbills" in the corners. At a previous location I had a larger carport installed. All they did was drive 4' rebar stakes into the ground. Everytime there was wind storm I had to drive the stakes back in. With the "duckbills" it stays put.

One of the things I really like about this kind of protection is that I can open windows and allow the trailer to have ventilation and not worry about rain, which we get a lot of here in sunny Oregon.

Mine is also a graveled pad. With lots of gravel and will compacted. With the gravel I can easily move the trailer around with a trailer dolly. The paved driveway is next to the graveled pad.

[BarbinBC]

Originally Posted by Darral T.

I'll do you one better than that Barbin. I've been asked similar questions and have emailed pics etc. So I created an "album" on my Flickr site and added 3 more pics that have descriptions with the information you request.

Another perk I failed to mention with a carport is, you have FULL access to your trailer anytime without having to remove the cover. We HAVE used our Scamp as a sleep-over if all the kids are here. With ANY cover, it would need to be removed to use the A/C etc. I think the one I mentioned in another post at LEAST has a door access which is a nice touch. Anyway, here's more photos (watch the post right beside the pic I sent you earlier...it's kinda hard to pick out but has the sizes etc. you ask about.)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/503516...57657635513489

PS: As others have cautioned, check with codes before installing a carport such as this one...especially anchoring it as solid as I have mine!

Hi Byron, What are 'duckbills' and how do they work?
Yes, access off-season is important here too.
More gravel needed for my site. Compacted too, as I had an huge issue last time!
Thanks for the info.

[BarbinBC]

Originally Posted by Darral T.

I'll do you one better than that Barbin. I've been asked similar questions and have emailed pics etc. So I created an "album" on my Flickr site and added 3 more pics that have descriptions with the information you request.

Another perk I failed to mention with a carport is, you have FULL access to your trailer anytime without having to remove the cover. We HAVE used our Scamp as a sleep-over if all the kids are here. With ANY cover, it would need to be removed to use the A/C etc. I think the one I mentioned in another post at LEAST has a door access which is a nice touch. Anyway, here's more photos (watch the post right beside the pic I sent you earlier...it's kinda hard to pick out but has the sizes etc. you ask about.)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/503516...57657635513489

PS: As others have cautioned, check with codes before installing a carport such as this one...especially anchoring it as solid as I have mine!

Thanks, Darral for the photos. You mentioned earlier that you raised the unit 1 foot and added roof braces. I understand why it was raised, but what about the roof business?
Is there a brand name for the 'carport'?
I'm in Canada, living in a rural district on acreage, so I know the codes for here and it's all good.

[BarbinBC]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Don't know where you are in BC but you might want to check with our local Municipality to see what the rules are in regards to that types of movable/portable garage. Some do not permit them at all and others only allow them if they are in a back yard and out of sight.

Hi Carol, I'm over on the island. I met you at the Spring NOG Meet last year and again at Fort Langley in May this year. Off to the Boler & Friends in Sooke in a couple of weeks. It will be nice not to have to get on (and pay) for a ferry!
Just back from my 3 month road trip with Ruby Tuesday to Inuvik. Discovered I needed the Trillium's axle raised for using the BC Rec Sites, and to avoid damage to the front of the trailer from the difference in height to my 4x4 truck spitting rocks. Punched a hole in the front of the FG. Couldn't get onto to the free ferry that crosses the Mackenzie River due to the height of the trailer. So it was a day trip to Inuvik which was enough. 12,700 km later with only the FG damage and a side marker light gone we're back in one piece. No flat tires on either, but a broken windshield on the truck, but I was expecting that. Guess it was because I took 2 spares for each!

Next up is across Canada. See you at another meet next time I can afford to get off this island.

[mary and bob]

I use a cheap blue tarp on our daughters pop-up, even when it's in my barn for the winter,to keep dust and bird crap off it. I've had some of the blue color come off the tarps onto the camper top. Not a significant issue on that trailer, but something to be aware of.